Ottawa council approves COVID-19 relief grant application for La Salle County

The Ottawa City Council took the lead Tuesday and threw its support behind the application for a Community Development Block Grant Business Resilience Program grant on behalf of all of La Salle County, following a presentation by the North Central Illinois Council of Governments.

Kevin Lindeman of NCICG opened the public hearing explaining the application to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is for $213,947, to reimburse businesses for bought or rented durable, permanent or semi-permanent equipment needed to respond to the COVID 19 pandemic.

Businesses to qualify must be “on a track” where there is a poverty rate of 20% or higher or have a majority of their employees as low-to-moderate income individuals.

There is a total of $24,185,793 available from the Business Resilience Program for such grants, through the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Because one application is permitted per county, Ottawa – because of its connection and infrastructure with the NCICG, having received and utilized past grants so effectively – made the move for the grant “in everyone’s best interest to apply on behalf of the entire La Salle County community,” said Mayor Robb Hasty.

Lindeman added because the grant process opened Aug. 15 and funds will be awarded to eligible applicants “on a first-come, first-served basis until (the funds) are exhausted.” Ottawa’s application could be in Springfield as early as Thursday of this week. The deadline for applying is Dec. 31, provided there are funds still remaining.

“It’s better to apply for funds sooner rather than later,” he said. “Otherwise, they might be gone.”

There are 16 businesses within the county that have qualified to benefit from the grant.

In other action, Commissioner Tom Ganiere proposed a resolution to accept a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant that will provide the city with $713,000 for the hiring, salary and benefits for three new firefighters for the next three years.

Ganiere said when it started, the nationwide federally-backed program working through the Federal Emergency Management Agency provided a declining percentage of payments over five years, but 10 years ago that was changed to 100% for three years.

“We’ve put in for it several times, but this is the first time we’ve actually received it, and we’ll start the hiring process as soon as the ink is dry on the final grant,” Ganiere said. “This will help with the staffing of the proposed new fire station on the west side of town, which will require more staffing, possibly a minimum of 12 per shift. This would bring us up to 11.”

Commissioner Brett Barron in his report informed the council Ottawa citizens will be receiving a survey with their next water bill. The survey contains simple questions about name, address and type of water lines leading to and from the water meter, plus to take cellphone photos of those pipes and submit them to a website using a QR code included on the form.

It is part of an investigation into the city’s water service types (lead, copper, galvanized, plastic, etc.). Barron explained it has been mandated lead pipes be replaced by 2024 and cooperation with the photos and information now will help the city get a jump on the expected enforcement.

The council also:

• Heard from Commissioner Wayne Eichelkraut that Music in the Park has been extended to include shows 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 9 and 16 at Washington Square

• Heard from Barron the water main on Joliet Street is going to be replaced over the next four to six weeks, so he urged citizens to be safe and aware of work in that area

• Authorized an agreement for access and demolition for the building at 600 W. Madison St.

• Authorized the city attorney to take action to have the street and sidewalk at 205-207 W. Main Street repaired and fix “the hole in the ground,” the mayor said, for safety reasons