Town seeking grants to assist businesses

Grant funding for a water line extension on U.S. 21 and a new business access on N.C. 18 will be discussed during public hearings scheduled for Dec. 21.

The first hearing is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m at the town hall, while the second will begin at 6:10 p.m. The hearings were briefly discussed at the town’s meeting on Dec. 7.

“The town should know at some point in March if the projects can be funded,” Town Manager Bryan Edwards told council.

He said the matter will be discussed in a Dec. 21 morning meeting in preparation for the hearing. At that time, representatives from Region D and the state office of the Community Development Block Grant Program will meet with town and county officials to discuss the issues involved in making the project successful.

In order to receive grant money, a business must create additional job opportunities. This money would not go to the business itself, Edwards noted, but would be used for the needed infrastructure work.

Water Line Extension

A $200,000 to $250,000 water line project is in the planning stages for the U.S. 21 corridor south of Sparta. The project will help extend water service to BCB Trucking and Truline Truss, businesses owned by Clint Bedsaul.

Bedsaul has approached the town board in the past and asked for help in acquiring water and sewer service for his businesses. At that time, he said water restrictions were preventing him from expanding. Specifically, Edwards noted that the water issue for the businesses had been discussed in 1998, prior to the construction of Magnolia Manufacturing.

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