By Bonnie Culverhouse

Monday was a good day at Minden City Hall thanks to word of a $509,000 grant to fund most of the replacement of a 100-year-old water main.

“This is a very important project,” said Mayor Nick Cox.

The city originally budgeted $650,000 of ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds to replace the Shreveport Road water main from the railroad tracks to the water tower.

States’ Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP) is a competitive grant program through Delta Regional Authority provides direct investments for basic public infrastructure.

With this grant, only a portion of the budgeted ARPA money will be needed, which means the rest can be used for other projects.

“That frees up half a million dollars in ARPA funds,” said Cox, “to pay for overages on that and other projects – maybe even a new project.”

Cox said the project will go out for bid “pretty soon.”

“The city pays for the project, and then is reimbursed with grant money,” he said. “And we have the money in a capital infrastructure project fund.”

All American Rescue Plan money must be designated for use by December 31, 2024 or returned to the federal government.