Commissioners Get Details On Block Grant Scoring Changes

Staff Writer

CANTON—The rules have changed for the Community Development Block Grant program, administered by the East Texas Council of Governments.

Van Zandt County’s consideration of local projects could change as a result.

In a special session of the county commissioners’ court Friday, consultant Gary Traylor discussed future grant application planning and how the changes could affect the county.

Traylor said the grant distribution has gone to a "round-robin" system in which points are given for longer lapses of time since the last award. The new scoring system was developed in response to criticism that the money was not being awarded fairly.

"There has been a complete change in the scoring mechanism…The process had become controversial in recent years. There were communities who started to feel the outcome of their grant application hinged too much on their presentation to the committee," Traylor said.

Because of the scoring changes, Van Zandt County may have to rethink its past tendency to sponsor projects of local water corporations, he said.

"Water and fire districts are not eligible unless the county sponsors their application. Under this new scoring system, you cannot say yes to everybody without hurting yourselves," Traylor said.

He later said the county could assist in finding alternative sources of funding for such projects, leaving things open for a better score on its own grant application.

Much of the discussion centered on future funding of road and bridge projects. Traylor said those are allowable in the grant program application as long they can be shown to serve a certain percentage of low-income households.

Although the county approved $6 million in certificates of obligation designated for county road repairs and improvements, the money will only go so far, as Precinct 1 Commissioner Ricky LaPrade noted.

"Materials have gotten so outrageous (in price)," LaPrade said. "Plus you have to add in all the damage from rain last year."

Precinct 3 Commissioner Kelles Miller said weather erosion issues were a constant in the Rolling Oaks subdivision in the far northwest corner of the county.

"The problem is we have so many crossroads draining off onto them," he said.

Although the county sponsored a funded project in the last round of grant awards, Traylor encouraged the commissioners to apply for the next round, which has a tentative application deadline of Sept. 30.

He said there are currently 91 jurisdictions eligible to apply for grants through ETCOG, but added, "You don’t know from year to year how many will apply."

Traylor said his company, Gary Traylor and Associates, could work with 2000 census data to find possible targets for block grant road projects. He suggested the county could act within the next 30 days to lead to a grant application planning session in July or early August.

In another matter Friday, the commissioners approved a request from Van Zandt County Fire Marshal Chuck Allen to apply for a tobacco compliance grant. The program, Allen explained, would help fund tobacco education materials as well as setting up tobacco sting operations through local law enforcement agencies.

"The award is based on the population of the county and the number of its tobacco retailers," Allen said.

Bids for some road and bridge materials were awarded during the meeting as follows:

Emulsion — Ergon Asphalt, with SEM Materials as a backup.

Creosote Lumber — Conroe Wood Products, delivered and undelivered prices.

14-gauge steel culverts — Contech Construction, delivered and undelivered prices.

16-gauge steel culverts — Contech Construction, delivered and undelivered prices.

Plastic culverts — Contech Construction, delivered and undelivered prices.

Pea gravel (washed) — S&S Trucking, delivered and undelivered prices.

Haul only from Rock Solid — S&S Trucking

Haul only from Armor Materials — S&S Trucking

Road oil — Bryan & Bryan Asphalt (delivered only)

Asphalt concrete patching material — APAC Texas

Oil dirt "AC 3" — Armor Materials as primary, Wood County Asphalt as backup for Precincts 2 and 4, R.K. Hall as backup for Precincts 1 and 3 (all delivered), and Armor Materials for undelivered.

Hot plant mix — APAC Texas with Armor Materials as backup for Precincts 2 and 4, Wood County Asphalt as backup for Precinct 1 and R.K. Hall as backup for Precinct 3.

Cold plant mix — R.K. Hall for Precincts 1, 2 and 3, Armor Materials for Precinct 4, with R.K. Hall as backup for Precinct 4 and Wood County Asphalt as backup for Precincts 1, 2 and 3.

Sand base mix "AC 20" — Armor Materials with Wood County Asphalt as backup (delivered and undelivered).

Crushed rock, 1 3/4 inches — Rock Solid (undelivered only).