Holton commission notes two grants for projects in city
Grant funds for two projects in Holton — construction of the proposed Beck Bookman Library addition and the purchase of a tie transformer for the city’s power production plant — were part of the Holton City Commission’s agenda on Monday night.
During the commission’s regular meeting, commissioners approved a finalized application for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds totaling $650,000 for construction of the library’s proposed expansion following a public hearing on the grant application.
Commissioners also voted to accept more than $2.4 million in funds from the Kansas Corporation Commission and the Build Kansas Matching Grant Fund for the purchase of a new tie transformer at the city’s power plant to help generate energy for city power customers.
Brett Waggoner of Lawrence’s Governmental Assistance Services, who helped the city to obtain grant funds for both the library and power plant projects, met with commissioners on Monday to finalize the necessary paperwork for the library expansion project, noting that cities of Holton’s size can apply for two CDBG awards each year on behalf of itself and another entity, such as the library.
If the CDBG award, issued through the Kansas Department of Commerce, is approved — Waggoner said it was likely he and the city would know by Feb. 1, 2025, if not sooner — it would provide the library with $650,000 in funds to be used strictly for construction of the library’s proposed addition, with the funds to be given to the city, which will pay contractors for their work on the addition.
During a public hearing on the CDBG application, library director Amy Austin thanked commissioners and Waggoner for their work in seeking to secure the CDBG funds, saying she and library employees have had “such excitement with everything going on” with the plans to expand the library, those plans including a 5,200-square foot expansion to house expanded services.
According to Waggoner, the existing 3,560-square foot library will be “remodeled to support the growing needs of the community,” with improvements to include updates to mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, addition of a 2,000-square foot multipurpose room with a “community catering kitchenette,” study and meeting rooms and more spaces for “community outreach and services.”
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