The Daily Dispatch

More than 1,100 people nationwide, including several Wahpeton city officials, joined in on a Web cast Wednesday, hosted by the National League of Cities (NLC), designed to help cities better understand the recently passed economic stimulus package.

The one-hour long presentation focused on President Barack Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, what's in it for cities nationwide and how they can access the resources to receive funding.

"This moment is the time to demonstrate the best of local government — that we are our communities, that we know how to roll up our sleeves and get the work done," said NLC President Kathleen Novak, who provided a short introduction during the Web cast.

NLC Federal Relations Director Carolyn Coleman indicated cities can access funding in three ways:

• through state agencies, like the Surface Transportation Program,

• federal agency formula programs, such as the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program,

• and through federal agency discretionary grant programs.

Wahpeton Public Works Director Randy Nelson said through the North Dakota Department of Transportation, they'll be receiving $810,400 for road projects. Plans must be simple, and ready to go within 120 days, according to the "use it or lose it" stimulus provisions.

"Those are the STP funds she was mentioning," Nelson said. "That type of work is pavement preservation or maintenance work. That project is in design so, we'll be fully utilizing that $810,000."

Nelson stated the city is also looking at potential projects to the state intended use plan as part of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, in which $19.5 million will be distributed to North Dakota.

"It would include storm sewer work as well," Nelson said. "It's still to be seen how we compete, if we can meet the deadlines involved."

Community development and housing grants are ones Wahpeton has already dived into. Through the the Neighborhood Stabilization Program Wahpeton recently receivedmore than $200,000 to revamp three dilapidated properties. Although it’s a discretionary program under the stimulus package, Wahpeton hopes to receive funding in the second round of distributions. Two billion dollars is available nationwide through this federal agency competitive program.

Via the Web cast, Coleman also gave tips to cities on how to plan for federal funds disbursed from the recovery act including:

• establishing an economic recovery working group to coordinate the city's efforts;

• assess local opportunities by funding category;

• prioritize "ready to go" local opportunities;

• and partner with federal or state agency with jurisdiction over the federal recovery funding program.

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