Nearly $2.6 million in infrastructure repairs and construction on the Hi-Line are included in the recently approved 2019-20 state budget.
It is the highest spending local officials can remember in recent years.
The money will help communities in Hill, Blaine and Phillips counties improve their water and sewer systems and improve a bridge in Chouteau County.
Many of the projects are waiting for the Community Development Block Grant program, which is expected to announce further grants this summer.
A total of $430,000 comes from the Treasure State Endowment Program, while the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation will pick up the rest.
The grants include:
- $555,000 for the North Havre Water District in remote northern Hill County. Hill County Commissioner Mark Peterson, who lives in the district, said approval of the money is welcome news for the district, which was formed in the 1950s as an extension of the old Havre Air Force Base. Time has taken its toll, he said, and major repairs are needed.
Chief among them is a new water tank. If the existing tank is shut down for repairs, he said, the entire water system has to close and customers are without water.
An application for more funds is awaiting a decision from the Community Development Block Grant program. Lisa Moisey, community development director at Bear Paw Development Corp., which filed the application for the water system, said a decision could come this summer.
- $625,000 for the city of Chinook’s water system.
The city is still awaiting a decision on additional federal funding, Moisey said, so it can continue a water improvement project.
A total of $500,000 for the Chinook project will come from the TSEP program and $125,000 from DNRC.
- $125,000 for repairs to the Beaver Creek Spillway from DNRC. The repairs are needed because of wear caused by time, weather and an out-of-control driver without insurance who slammed his car into the spillway.
- Lynch Bridge in southern Chouteau County will get $270,753 for its reconstruction.
- The Phillips County community of Dodson was allocated $362,150 for improvements to its wastewater system.
- The Chouteau County community of Geraldine will get $500,000 from TSEP and $125,000 from DNRC for its water system.
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