McKenzie gets $350K grant

BRUCE BRANUM

The Greenville Standard

Pictured (L-R) are: Governor Kay Ivey, McKenzie Mayor Lester Odom, McKenzie secretary Tina Powell and Kenneth Boswell with ADECA as the Town of McKenzie receives a check for $350,000 for a Community Block Development Grant. (Courtesy)

 On Thursday, Feb. 1, Governor Kay Ivey presented the Town of McKenzie Mayor Lester Odom with a $350,000 check for a Community Development Block Grant. The grant money is expected to be used for water line rehabilitation on Griffin Street and possibly Sellers Street. In addition, Mayor Odom said there will be street paving involved. Mayor Odom said, “This is very exciting for McKenzie and is a real boost for us. I want to thank Governor Kay Ivey and everyone involved who helped us get this  grant. Mayor Odom hopes the work will start by late spring after bids for contracting the work are extended. Civil Southeast owner Jeremy McMath, who is McKenzie’s engineer for the project, along with Grant Management of Fairhope’s, Cara Stallman, helped McKenzie obtain the grant. Mayor Odom and town secretary Tina Powell were invited to the state capitol to personally receive the grant funds from Governor Kay Ivey in the old senate room. “Lives will be improved thanks to these projects funded through the Community Development Block Grant program,” Governor Ivey said. “People who have been subject to impure water will get clean water to drink, bathe and wash. People who have been maneuvering unsafe roads will soon be traveling smooth streets, and the list goes on. I am so thankful for this program and the assistance it provides to communities who may be unable to afford these needed improvements on their own.” Most CDBG funds are awarded annually in several categories through a  competitive process based on many factors including the number of low- and moderate income.  families affected, community need and cost efficiency of projects.