Council will seek $875K for flood control
Butler City Council approved an application for a low-interest loan for approximately $875,000 to the Butler County Infrastructure Bank for the Sullivan Run flood control project and street light improvements.
Council members unanimously approved the application to the recently created infrastructure bank at Thursday’s council meeting.
Heavy rain and debris, which closed culverts, caused Sullivan Run to flood numerous homes and streets in July.
The flood control project would be a massive effort involving the city, state Department of Environmental Protection and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers aimed at protecting residents from flooding, Mayor Ben Smith said at Tuesday’s forum meeting.
The project would include work on culverts, bridges, the creek channel, creek banks and work downstream of the city, he said.
“It would almost contain a 100-year flood,” said John Evans, building code official.
He said the project would significantly reduce the flood plain, relieving residents and businesses from having to buy flood insurance and help attract business to that area.
If approved by the infrastructure bank, the loan will have a 10-year term and a 1.5-percent interest rate.
Some of the money would be used to improve downtown street lighting.
Council has recently discussed the lights, saying some of the poles are damaged and need replaced.
Councilman Jeff Smith said he would like to use some of the money toward a Main Street streetscape project.
The money could be combined with a $1 million grant from the state’s multimodal transportation fund program for the project, which would include installing new lights, he said.
An application for the multimodal transportation grant was not presented Thursday.
