City of Leesburg issued the following announcement on Aug. 27
The City of Leesburg anticipates applying for Round Two of the Rebuild Florida General Infrastructure Program (GIP) funding provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to support long-term mitigation efforts by assisting the State of Florida and its local governments in minimizing or eliminating the risks and reducing losses from future disasters. This program is being administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) thru the Community Development Block Grant – Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) Program. A total of four hundred seventy-five million dollars ($475,000,000.00) in funding has been allocated by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) for the Rebuild Florida General Infrastructure Program. The funding will be allocated through three separate funding cycles which will be held over a three-year period with the second funding cycle, to have applications due into DEO on or before September 17, 2021. The amount of funding available in the second GIP application cycle is one hundred seventy-five million dollars ($175,000,000.00). The minimum allowable grant request is two million dollars ($2,000,000.00). Eligible types of projects are those that demonstrate increased community resiliency. Examples of some of the types of projects encouraged by DEO are as follows:
- Restoration of critical infrastructure (such as water and sewer facilities, streets, removal of debris, drainage, bridges, etc.).
- Renourishment of protective coastal dune systems and state beaches.
- Building or fortifying buildings that are essential to the health, safety and welfare of a community (this can include police stations, fire stations, parks and recreational centers, community and senior centers, hospitals, clinics, schools and educational facilities, other public properties).
- Rehabilitation or construction of stormwater management systems.
- Improvements to drainage facilities.
- Reconstruction of lift stations and sewage treatment plants.
- Road repair and improvement and bridge strengthening.
Activities that are typically eligible for funding under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program as well as specific additional activities as outlined in the State of Florida CDBG-MIT Action Plan for the program are eligible projects if no other funding is available to meet the need. Applications are due in DEO no later than September 17, 2021.
Forty percent of the City of Leesburg’s Electric Department’s power grid remains as above ground aerial lines. During hurricanes and strong storms, the aerial lines are susceptible to high winds, lightening and heavy rains all of which can cause fallen trees, broken limbs, downed power poles and downed lines. During time periods when these aerial lines are out of service, the residents and businesses in Leesburg are without electrical power. When electrical services are down, emergency services vehicles can be hindered from reaching those needing medical attention or from responding in a timely manner to fires. Residents reliant on medical devices that are run on electricity are at serious risk. Communications devices, critical to staying informed during natural disasters such as television, radios, cell phones or portable telephones need power to work or to be recharged.
The City of Leesburg anticipates submitting an application for funding to mitigate the City’s susceptibility to power outages during hurricanes and strong storm events by hardening its power grid by relocating aerial power lines to underground. The project synopsis and budget for the application being submitted is as follows:
| Structure Name | Project Location | CDBG
Funding |
| Project Administration | N/A | $183,520.00 |
| Engineering/Architecture | N/A | $560,200.00 |
| Electrical Facility Hardening (Undergrounding of Utilities) | East Leesburg | $2,315,000.00 |
| TOTAL | $3,058,720.00 |
Any non-English speaking person wishing to provide a response to this public notice should contact Ken Thomas, Director at (352) 728-9765 or at email (ken.thomas@leesburgflorida.gov) at least five calendar days prior to September 10, 2021 and a language interpreter will be provided.
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