LAUREL HILL— The City Council is pursuing a state grant that could provide up to $600,000 for road repairs.
Although the council will prepare an ordinance that could dissolve Laurel Hill in a referendum March 12, city leaders are taking steps to ensure road funds are in place if the city is dissolved other than money from Okaloosa County.
The council is seeking a Small Cities Community Development Block Grant. This will be the third straight year Laurel Hill has applied for the grant.
Last year’s attempt fell just one permit short, when the city lost its consideration.
“Last time we needed a storm water permit,” Mayor Joan Smith said. “By not having it, we lost 100 points (in the process).”
The engineer and grant writer who worked on that application failed to include the permit with the necessary paperwork, Smith said.
The City Council learned about the city’s removal from consideration last month, Council Chairman Larry Hendren said.
Council members voted unanimously recently to apply for a new grant.
“We got things going the right way and it would be foolish in my opinion to turn that down,” Councilman Clifton Hall said.
The application process will begin this July.
Council members agreed the grant would provide a timelier solution than asking the county for help.
Crestview News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown can be reached at 850-682-6524 or matthewb@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbMatthew.
