News : City Administrator shares a "State of the City" talk with Kiwanis

The sign worth $2,696,582.25 to the city. (Can we ask for about six more?)

Chris Ward, Vinton City Administrator gives an update on projects that are happening around Vinton

City Administrator, Chris Ward began his presentation to the Vinton Kiwanis Club last week with good news, 1st St. West (the street that runs next to Mickey's Bar and out to the Legion) is officially completed. The project began last year and was almost completed until it was discovered that some of the materials were not the quality that road needed. As a result parts of it had to be torn up, repoured and the finishing touches completed. That section of street came in at a price tag of $1.2 million with the city's portion being $252,000.

Alliant, who owns a building on 4th Ave. near the viaduct, has had the building there since 1971. They are planning a new building next to the FS complex on West 13th St. 

The lot next to the Dollar Tree/Family Dollar, will be the home of a new USDA office building. This will be home to an 8,000 square feet building and include parking. It is expected that construction will begin late in the fall or early spring of 2025-26. He explained that it will function like the post office. A company builds it, then leases it to the USDA with a decades long lease, and because of that it will generate property taxes for the community. 

Not a city project, but the base is being laid down for the future 11th St. across from the hotel off of Highway 218 and this will connect to the future J Ave. that is also under construction. 

On the south side between the new 11th St. and 13th St. at the corner of 13th St.  and Highway 218 will be the location of the future emergency services building. The city in the process of obtaining grants for this construction. Ward said that it may need to be done in phases for each part of the construction to qualify for funding. 

The Waste Water Treatment Plant construction is still underway and won't be completed until next year. Financing for this project is provided through a State Revolving Fund loan, There is a sign in front that reads, "Project Funded By President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law." Ward explained that even though the city was getting SRF money, the government "cut us a deal." They said that we were the last city that had enough "points." Ward asked, "What kind of points?" and "What's in it for us?"  The total project will cost $14.227 million at 2.43% paid back over 20 years. 

With the "points" it changed to a "BIL Loan" (Bipartisan Infrastructure Loan).the city received a grant for $2,134,050 It was required to be placed for the duration of the construction by the federal government. interest on the loan would be $562,523.25  so the placement of the sign saved Vinton $2,696,582.25.

As soon as the work is done, the sign will come down.