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Hobbs, Upchurch & Associates, P.A. C o s zd e ers lOG South G~eene Street · P.O. Box 452 · Wadesboro, NC 28170 April 16, 2003 Mr. Robert M. Freeman, Chairman Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners 66 Church Street, SE Concord, North Carolina 28125 RE: Fishertown/Princeton Park Community Public Sewer Needs Status Report Dear Chairman Freeman: We would like to take this opportunity to provide you and the board with a status report on the above-referenced sewer project. To-date, we are looking at two (2) separate grants in order to serve this area with public sewer. The first grant project being reviewed is a Community Development Block Grant "Infrastructure" Project. As you are already aware, a CDBG "Infrastructure" grant project is federally funded, and must largely benefit Iow- and moderate-income households. These grants are also highly competitive with other towns and counties throughout North Carolina. In order to consider an area for a CDBG project, we will be going door-to-door in order to secure Income and Housing Survey Data, (names, household incomes, addresses, ages, and the d~sability status) on al._! of the 163 households located in these two communities. We will also be taking photographs in order to show proof of severe sewer needs, such as straight-piping of bathtubs, washing machines, and sinks, documenting failed and failing septic tank systems, and we will need to establish the exact percentages of Iow- and moderate-income households within these two communities to determine whether this area qualifies for a CDBG project. Should these areas be determined eligible for CDBG funding, the county can apply for up to $700,000.00 with this type grant project, with a five (5%) match on the part of the county. The second grant that we are reviewing is a "supplement" to this overall project, based on the sewer study that was conducted two (2) years ago reflecting a cost of $1,850,000.00 to provide public sewer to these two areas. This second type of grant is referred to as a STAG (State Tribal Assistance Grant), which is also federally funded. The federal share on this type of grant is generally up to 55% of the total cost of the project, with the remaining 45% being the responsibility of the local government. This type grant must receive congressional referral to be placed under consideration with the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, who administer and award these grants. This grant also requires updates to a local government's 201 plan, a PEP, by an engineer, and proof of the severity of need in a community. This grant !s also very competitive with other towns and counties throughout North Carolina. Over the next several months, staff from Hobbs, Upchurch & Associates, PA will be visiting these two neighborhood communities in order to acquire the information necessary to consider the eligibility of these areas with relation to the two (2) grant projects discussed above. We will also be updating information with reference to the overall cost of the projects, and hopefully be able to provide you with some alternatives towards providing public sewer in this area. We look forward to working with you, and we would like to take the opportunity to thank you for selecting our firm to assist Cabarrus County with this project. Sincerely, HOBBS, UPCHURCH & ASSOCIATES, PA Mary Chandler Beck Grants Administrator