AGAWAM – The Agawam Planning and Community Development Department conducted a public hearing on Feb. 24 to discuss reprogramming fiscal year 2019 (FY19) funds from their Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG).

For FY19, Agawam was awarded a CDBG grant award for projects that included improvements to Brady Village as well as the North Agawam infrastructure planning study. According to Marc Strange, Agawam’s director for planning and community development, the Brady Village project is near completion under budget, which means the town has a little bit money left over from that project that can be reprogrammed.

Strange added that North Agawam infrastructure planning study funds were previously reprogrammed for microenterprise grants for small businesses in Agawam that met income guidelines and had five fewer full-time employees.

Out of the $168,000 allocated for that project, around $60,000 was issued, which means a little over $100,000 can be reprogrammed for other projects, according to Strange.

“Our plan is to rekindle the North Agawam infrastructure planning study with the reprogrammed funds,” said Strange. “We really think this is an important project for the town.”

According to Strange, there are many streets and sidewalks within this section that should be redone, as well as water and sewage infrastructure that could be resized. The North Agawam section is the oldest neighborhood in the city, and includes about 163 acres of land.

Originally, the CDBG grant awarded Agawam around $550,000 in 2019, according to Christopher Dunphy, the principal planner and manager of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC). A bulk of this money was dedicated to re-roofing eight to 10 structures on the Brady Village.

“There’s a significant uncommitted budget within that line item that we would like to reprogram,” said Dunphy. “Approximately about $120,000.”

The original plan for the North Agawam infrastructure planning study was to put together a strategic plan for improvements in that area for the next 10 to 15 years by using grant resources, local funds, and whatever other sources.

Once COVID-19 hit, Agawam found the Microenterprise Assistance program to be of high importance since small businesses were struggling. Unfortunately, according to Dunphy, the grant could not fund as many businesses as they thought due to the many restrictions with regard to what a microenterprise is. In all, the CDBG fund was able to provide for 11 businesses in town. There are still existing funds for these businesses, especially from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES).

“We were ahead of the game before that CARES Act money,” said Dunphy. “We prioritized that microenterprise assistance, and tried to fund as many businesses as we could.”

According to Dunphy, there is a little over $200,000 that the town would like to reprogram back into the North Agawam planning study. In all, this project will cost around $170,000, and whatever is remaining could go towards an “Aging in Place” program. This program would provide small grants to qualified seniors that would help modify their homes for better accessibility. Up to $5,000 from grants would go to each senior who qualifies.

“We identified so many eligible projects through the CDBG,” said Dunphy, with regard to the North Agawam planning study. “These are streets with high needs.”

The road conditions are deteriorating, according to Dunphy, and many small streets do not have fire hydrants. “We would like a comprehensive planning study that would guide our way,” he said.

Through a waiver, Dunphy believes that Agawam will be eligible to apply for CDBG money for 2022. Typically in a normal year, the town would have to expend all the money they have now before applying again, but Dunphy believes that they will be able to find a way.

“We won’t finish the North Agawam planning study before the next application is available,” said Dunphy. “So I think we’re going to have to pursue a waiver.”

In years past, according to Strange, the CDBG had a limitation for certain municipalities to be eligible for $1.35 million every two years. This means that one year, the city would receive $800,000 in funds, and the next year they would receive $535,000.

The state is currently considering allowing municipalities to apply for the whole $1.35 million in one year, instead of splitting it up in two years. According to Dunphy, this is all theory until applications come out later this year for FY22.

In the meantime, Dunphy and Strange are planning to put out surveys to the community that ask basic information to residents about whether or not their street qualifies for additional funding from the CDBG grant. Dunphy said the survey will be mailed to residents in town.

“We won’t be able to get these projects funded unless people do cooperate with these surveys,” said Dunphy. “This whole neighborhood could be transformed with new water, improved sewer and storm water drainage.”