Gov. Phil Bredesen and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matthew Kisber recently approved a $400,000 Community Development Block Grant to assist in infrastructure improvements along the Hurricane Creek Road and Bryson Road / Fann Road areas of Auburntown in Cannon County.
“Community Development Block Grants are fundamental to the growth of communities across Tennessee, and I’m very pleased that our state can be a partner in this vital financial assistance program,” Bredesen said. “Auburntown’s infrastructure improvements project is one of many necessary improvements to bolster growth and development at the most fundamental level.”
The funds will be used to construct a water line extension to 47 occupied households. Funding for the $650,000 project will include $250,000 in local funds. The grant dollars were provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and were allocated under a procedure authorized by the Tennessee General Assembly.
“The building blocks for economic development are simple infrastructure necessities like water systems and road improvements, and CDBG grants help communities meet those basic needs,” Kisber said. “ECD is proud to support such a critical program for our state’s communities.”
“Our community deserves congratulations for working together to secure this grant,” Rep. Bone said. “Community development is impossible without teamwork, and this award is evidence that Auburntown understands that need for cooperation.”
The grant was approved following an application by the Town of Auburntown and has the support of Mayor Roger Turney and Sen. Mae Beavers and Rep. Stratton Bone. Sen. Lamar Alexander, Sen. Bob Corker and Congressman Bart Gordon aided in securing the funds.
Allocation of CDBG funds is based on priorities set at local levels where community needs are best known. The CDBG program is administered in Tennessee by the Department of Economic and Community Development.