Cloud County Receives More Wind Farm Grant Requests

The Cloud County Commission received four more applications for Meridian Way Wind Farm dollars provided each year to Cloud County by EDP Renewables on Monday, March 20th.

Kim Muff with the USD 333 Concordia Education Fund presented an application for $84,650 to pay one-half the cost of completing a safe and secure outdoor recreational space to complete the Concordia Middle School facilities project.  The all-season playground surface will be secured with a fence for safety, and open to the public anytime school programming is not in session, allowing residents on the east side of US Highway 81 a safe location for play and socialization.  It will also be a physical activity area for the Concordia Afterschool Program (CAP) that serves an average of 80 students per day in grades K-6 throughout the school year.

USD 333 Concordia will be transitioning 5th and 6th grade students to the Concordia Middle School, located at 1001 East 7th Street before the start of the 2023-2024 school year.  Renovation of Concordia Middle School, including exterior upgrades, flooring, HVAC, interior furnishings, windows and doors, warming kitchen, technology systems and fire system, has cost $1.2 million.  Concordia schools have utilized federal funds distributed to the district for allowable expenditures during renovation.

The Brown Grand Opera House, Inc. has requested $11,281 to renovate two restrooms on the second floor of the theatre.  The second floor of the Brown Grand is known as "The Gallery," and is where they have vintage playbills from the early 1900s hanging for patrons to see.  These playbills were covered with black tar paper during the 50 years the theatre was used primarily as a movie theatre.  During the theatre's grand restoration nearly 50-years ago, they were recovered and put on display in "The Gallery."  Thousands of visitors walk the hallways to look at the vintage playbills each year.

The project will include the furnishing and installation of two toilets, two lavatories, two ceiling lights, two wall mirrors, two paper towel holders, two toilet paper holders, the removal of a ceiling heater, fresh paint, and wall paper.  Currently, the sink fixtures have loose legs, and the mirrors, paper towel and toilet paper holders do not fit the 1907 historic feel of the Brown Grand.  Previously, there had been a ceiling heater installed in the east restroom that has been disconnected and no longer works.  The heater will be removed and the wall will be patched once it is taken out.  In addition, the Brown Grand will furnish and install a six-gallon, electric water heater with new lines to the two sinks.  This will provide hot water when patrons wash their hands.

Melissa Swenson, Executive Director of the Brown Grand, says they will work closely with Hood Heating, Air, Plumbing, Electric and Color Coordinations on the renovation.  Color Coordinations will paint and apply period appropriate wallpaper.  They will also repair any plaster work needing to be patched.

12x12 Recovery submitted an application for $68,946.23 to repair the roof and make window repairs to their facility at 731 West 11th Street in Concordia, as well as purchase a vehicle to be used for shuttling residents to/from necessary appointments.

12x12 Recovery has been providing structured sober living services to the community for nearly a year.  The 34-bed facility offers a minimum stay of three months and has four remodeled kitchens and a laundry room available for use.  They also have two family rooms, a greeting room, meeting rooms, and an outdoor activities area.  Internet is available in every room.

Jordan Budreau with 12x12 Recovery says estimates for the roof range between $11,000 and $14,000.  Window repair/replacement estimate is $33,055.63 from a local vendor.  The vehicle allotment would allow the residents to engage with the community in ways currently unavailable to challenged individuals.

Darren Hill with the 5th Street House, LLC presented a request for $82,100 for the purpose of renovating the home at 404 West 5th Street, in an effort to provide women of the community, as well as surrounding communities, who find themselves in difficult circumstances a safe, stable and healthy environment which they may prosper.  The mission of the 5th Street House is to provide a safe, structured, sober living environment for women and their children who may find themselves in a crisis situation or who are ready to take the step necessary to maintain long term recovery, as well as empower them toward personal responsibilities such as work, family and community.

The six-bed, two-bath project requires funding to cover such things as HVAC, flooring, kitchen/baths remodeled, and safety features like a security system and interconnected fire alarms.

Cloud County has set a March 30th deadline to receive applications for those interested in receiving support through the Meridian Way Wind Farm dollars provided each year by EDP Renewables.

This year, Cloud County has received a gift of $300,000 from the Meridian Way Wind Farm and EDP Renewables.  The funds are to be used to support innovative projects that enhance quality of life, prosperity and safety of the citizens of Cloud County by creating additional educational, recreational, social, health, community development, and economic opportunities for them and for existing and new businesses in Cloud County.