Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) have announced that 15 rural communities across Indiana will receive more than $10.8 million in federal funding to improve infrastructure, expand community facilities, and eliminate blight.
Among the recipients is the Town of Michigantown, which will launch a three-phase project to upgrade its wastewater collection system and sewage lagoons. KNS Radio has discovered details of what will go on in Michigantown. The project, estimated at no more than $6 million, will be funded primarily through grants, covering 83 percent of the cost. Michigantown recently received a USDA grant and was awarded an additional $750,000 OCRA grant last week. The remaining expenses will be financed through a low-interest loan from USDA Rural Development.
The first phase of the project involves design work by the town’s engineering firm. Phase two will address improvements to the wastewater collection system, including camera inspections of underground pipes. The final phase will include dredging and rehabilitation of the town’s lagoons. Officials noted that after 50 years of use, the upgrades are long overdue.
“These grants improve daily life in rural Indiana and create more opportunities for Hoosiers,” said Lt. Gov. Beckwith. “Congratulations to the local leaders of these communities. Your work supports small businesses, creates jobs, and strengthens our state’s economy.”
Other grant recipients include the City of Logansport, awarded $750,000 to renovate the historic Logansport-Cass County Memorial Center. Planned improvements include insulation upgrades, repair of water damage and wood rot, and preservation of the building’s historic appearance and community functionality.
The Blight Clearance Program, also funded through these grants, encourages Indiana communities to focus on long-term redevelopment by addressing deteriorated downtown buildings and abandoned industrial sites. The program aims to improve quality of place, generate jobs, and promote economic revitalization across the state.