The Platte County Commissioners have approved $200,000 in stormwater grants this week, with the City of Platte City coming in as the big winner.
At the Monday, May 20 administrative session, commissioners unanimously voted to offer nine grants funding through the half cent parks, recreation and stormwater sales tax. According to planning and zoning director Daniel Erickson, the county this year received 11 grant proposals totaling about $460,000.
Grants will be offered to the following:
Oak Creek Homeowners Association, $10,040
Lake Waukomis Association, $38,113
Northwest Moore Drive Homeowners, $45,700
Weatherby Lake Environmental Trust, $6,000
City of Weatherby Lake, $9,203
Farley Special Road District, $10,800
City of Platte City, $67,013
City of Platte Woods, $6,580
Platte County Regional Sewer District, $6,551
Among the grants that were not awarded was one from the City of Weston, seeking help with replacement of the Humes Road bridge. At the meeting of the Weston Board of Aldermen last week, residents living in the Humes Addition turned out to ask the city about progress on the replacement project.
Newly-elected mayor Steven George suggested the city should pursue a box culvert bridge, instead of the span bridge previously engineered. Residents pointed out that they have been promised assistance for years and in the meantime the bridge continues to deteriorate.
Weston director of public works Mike Large agreed that the bridge is on the way to eventual collapse. Residents said about 20 people live in the Humes Addition and the bridge is their only access to the outside world. They asked aldermen what would happen if the bridge did collapse before a replacement can be installed. The board agreed the city would try to help the residents, but their ability to assist would be limited.
Over the last decade, the city has applied for five grants seeking funding for the bridge replacement project, which according to previous estimates could cost around $400,000.