The last time the town received a block grant was three years ago.
MONSON — Once again, the town did not receive a federal Community Development Block Grant, even though the $800,000 in funds that were requested would have funded housing restoration projects in the area hit by last year's tornado.
Town Administrator Gretchen E. Neggers announced at a recent meeting that the town missed out on the funding, and that even being struck by a tornado didn't boost the town's chances.
Edward HarrisonSelectman Edward S. Harrison called the news "disappointing," but said he thinks part of the problem is that the funds are competitive, the pool of money is shrinking and the town is considered more affluent than it was 10 to 15 years ago when it had an easier time obtaining block grants.
"We've tried to combine our efforts with other communities and we still get turned down ... While disappointing, it's certainly not the end of the world for us," Harrison said.
Harrison said the town was fortunate to receive $500,000 recently announced by Gov. Deval L. Patrick for tornado-related improvement projects. Those projects range from repairing the tennis courts by the Town Hall to tree planting on public property.
When the application for the block grant was announced back in November, a representative from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission explained that half the money would be used as a grant, specifically for residential property owners directly affected by the tornado.
The goal was to help 32 properties, assisting homeowners who exhausted all other funding sources for aid, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The other half of the funding would have been used for housing rehabilitation and septic repairs for 12 homes, also in the targeted area.
The last time the town received a block grant was in 2009, and it marked the first time in six years. At that time, Monson received $513,150 in stimulus money for replacing water mains, improving drainage and rebuilding Park Avenue and area sidewalks.