Gallatin celebrated Earth Day in a big way
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Gallatin celebrated Earth Day in a big way April 22 when officials from local, regional, state and federal governments participated in a $2,554,000 mock check presentation which marks the official start of the city’s sewer improvement project.
Curtis Anderson, Deputy Administrator for the Rural Development Rural Utilities Services, presented the check to Mayor John Thomas at a meeting held at the Dockery Park shelter house. Sewer system renovations also involves a $400,000 Community Development Block Grant.
Work is expected to start in July. Competitive bidding for the project will be advertised soon. Once completed, the city’s sewer system will serve 850 total households and businesses.
Snyder & Associates Inc. of St. Joseph designed and will monitor the construction of the system as project engineer. Trenton attorney William S. Lewis acts as legal counsel for the City of Gallatin. The Green Hills Regional Planning Commission will also help the city administer the CDBG program state funds.
Mr. Anderson said it was no coincidence that the formal announcement of funding for Gallatin improvements occurred on the 34th anniversary of Earth Day. He said it is one of many similar earth stewardship projects being announced in 28 states at this time.
“Every day is Earth Day, to work to be good stewards as encouraged by President Bush,” said Mr. Anderson. “Our individual actions seem to be the most popular way of observing Earth Day, such as planting trees. But it is also significant projects such as this, where the USDA Rural Development can improve economic opportunities and the quality of life.
“It takes leadership — at the local level, from state representatives and senators, and from USDA staff personnel — to make such a project to come together. And we look forward to seeing the finished results.”
Paul Wilmes, Rural Development manager from the St. Joseph area office, offered his congratulations and emphasized how supportive the offices of Congressman Sam Graves and Senator Kit Bond have been to this project. In a written statement, Greg Branum, State Director for Missouri USDA Rural Development, offers the following statement:
“This is a great partnership effort when everyone works together for a common goal of meeting the needs of an environmentally safe waste disposal system. This project mirrors USDA Rural Development’s mission and President Bush’s initiative of being committed to the future of rural communities.”
Mayor Thomas prefaced these comments by putting this long-anticipated improvement project into perspective. He noted that the check presentation caps a 20-year effort, work that spanned the administrations of three Gallatin mayors and three city administrators. He especially complimented Administrator Toby Dougherty for pushing the project to this juncture.
Randy Railsback, executive director of Green Hills Regional Planning Commission, noted not only the number of years for this project to reach its construction phase but also the number of people and agencies involved. He commended the partnerships evident in realizing this project, and noted the assistance by GHRPC employees Lance Rains and Lisa Coulson in securing CDBG funds.
“Sewer and water service are the most limiting factors when it comes to growth for any community,” Mr. Railsback said. “This sewer project will help land and property values in Gallatin, and we’re very happy to be a part of this.”
Others offering remarks at the meeting were Troy Culver, project engineer from Snyder Engineering of St. Joseph; Dean Brookshier, office manager of the St. Joseph office of Congressman Sam Graves; and Jennifer Rolf, field representative from the Kansas City office of Sen. Kit Bond.
Administrator Toby Dougherty explained that a scheduling conflict with MAP testing kept fifth grade students at school rather than attending Thursday’s meeting. Students from Mrs. Henderson’s science class, however, will help determine sites for 38 shade trees to be planted around Gallatin. The trees are donated from the Western Diagnostic Correctional Center in St. Joseph in recognition of Earth Day-Arbor Day 2004. The Boy Scouts, with the assistance of Gallatin city employees, will plant the trees during the next few weeks.
Also attending Thursday’s event were Danny Jackson, USDA Community Development Manager at Chillicothe; Jim Weidinger, Rural Development Specialist from the St. Joseph office; and Gallatin alderpersons Pat Baker and Doyle Patton.
Anyone seeking more information about the Gallatin sewer project can call Administrator Dougherty at city hall, 663-2011. USDA Rural Development programs can be visited online at www.rurdev.usda.gov/mo or by calling Danny Jackson at the USDA office in Chillicothe, 660-646-6222.
Shown, from left, are Randy Railsback of Green Hills Planning Commission at Trenton; Paul Wilmes, USDA rural Development Manager from St. Joseph; Dean Brookshire from the St. Joseph office of Congressman Sam Graves; Gallatin Mayor John Thomas; Curtis Anderson, USDA deputy Administrator for Rural Utilities Services from Washington, D.C.; Gallatin City Administrator Toby Dougherty; Lance Rains of GHRPC, Trenton; and Jennifer Rolf from the Kansas City office of Senator Kit Bond.