Charles Oliver
Dalton Daily Citizen
DALTON —
The Dalton-Whitfield Senior Center could get a new roof and the Boys and Girl Club in Dalton could get a new playground thanks to federal community development block grant (CDBG) money.
Dalton officials held a public hearing Thursday morning on plans to spend $400,000 in CDBG funds the city has been allocated in fiscal 2010, which starts July 1. The plan must be submitted to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development on May 3.
As expected, the biggest project on the plan is the renovation of the Dalton Community Center. The plan calls for $260,000 in CDBG money to go to that. The project is expected to cost $4.3 million and will also be funded by bonds and from the recreation department’s reserve.
The plan also calls for the following projects to be funded:
• Boys and Girls Club, outdoor playground, $10,000
• Family Support Council, bathroom and file room renovations, $10,000
• Dalton-Whitfield Senior Center, roof replacement, $6,000
• Action Ministries, transitional housing, $7,000
• Dalton-Whitfield Community Development Corp., housing counseling management program, $5,000
• Family Promise, case management for homeless families, $7,000
• Northwest Georgia Family Crisis Center, residential assistance, $8,000
• Whitfield County-Dalton Day Care Center, tuition assistance program, $7,000
In addition, city officials found out they have been allocated an additional $41,400. They will hold a public hearing on April 27 at 10 a.m. at City Hall to get suggestions on how to spend that money.
CDBG program director Diana Belanger said under the terms of the grant the money must be used to provide more decent housing, enhance the community’s working environment or expand economic opportunities. It must also benefit low- and moderate-income residents of the city.
