Sherman Seeks Grant For Its Main Street Plan
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SHERMAN -- After listening to a presentation on the plan to revitalize Main Street, Sherman Village Board members approved a resolution to seek a grant from the Green Innovation Grant Program, which will come through the DEC/EFC.
Nicole Cleary, senior project landscape architect at Barton & Loguidice, reviewed the Main Street Green Infrastructure portion of the village's stormwater project. The Main Street component is expected to cost $2.3 million. However, if the application is successful, the grant will pay 90% of $2,058,225.
The village's commitment of $228,692 can be supplied in the form of cash and/or village employee work hours, said Sherman Mayor Colleen Meeder.
Cleary said the GIGP application is based on an engineering study which was completed in March 2020, which evaluated the condition and capacity of the current stormwater system. The application has been amended to include only the Main Street portion of the stormwater project.
Cleary told trustees that most of the requirements for the application, which is due Feb. 12, were completed as part of the engineering report.
Cleary said the objectives of the Main Street component are to reduce the amount of water runoff, to improve water quality and to decrease the amount of impervious surfaces on Main Street. A concept plan to accomplish these goals was developed as part of the original engineering study, she added.
Aspects of the project include the installation of bioretention bumpouts to capture stormwater runoff, permeable asphalt parking and flexible porous pavement, downspout disconnection and use of rain barrels and planters to capture and reuse stormwater, and gateways to the east and west of the village notifying drivers that they need to slow down, Cleary said.
Also included will be improvements such as enhanced pedestrian crossings, shared bicycle lain markings and electricle vehicle charging stations, Cleary said.
Meeder told trustees that the full engineering study is available to them. She also noted that next year, when the GIGP grant is in place and the engineering is finalized, the village can apply for a federal grant.
"It would have to be shovel ready," she said. "Then we can apply for federal money."
In other business, trustees passed a resolution for the village to seek an Engineering Planning grant for $30,000 with a village committed match of $6,000 in order to study the feasibility of building a composting facility.
At the January 6 board meeting, Chief Wastewater Operator Jay Irwin noted that such a facility would be able to accept biosolids from other plants in the area and convert them into Class A reclamation solids.
"Essentially, it would turn biosolids into dirt. You can do anything with it," Irwin said. "This would be a money-making endeavor and would provide two new jobs in Sherman."
Trustees also approved the option to lease agreement between Solar Liberty and the Village of Sherman for the purpose of establishing a second community solar array.
"The first purpose of this is to remove the electrical cost from the sewer plant," Meeder said.
Trustees further set February 3 as the date for a public hearing regarding Community Development Block Grant applications.
"We will discuss community development needs and discuss the possible submission of one or more Community Development Block Grant applications for the 2020 year," Meeder said.
Meeder told board members that last year's consolidated funding money was delayed bacause of the COVID pandemic. Therefore, the current applications are for funds dated in the year 2020.