Sullivan moving forward with grants

SULLIVAN, Ind. (WTHI) - Earlier this year you may have remembered the city of Sullivan being forced to make significant cuts to municipal jobs because of budgets issues. Several months later the city is moving forward using Federal grant money to turn their city in the right direction.

“Unfortunately the city of Sullivan has aimlessly wandered for many years. As a matter of fact we haven't had a comprehensive master plan since 1945,” Sullivan Mayor Clint Lamb said Monday.

It's one of the major issues the Lamb talks about on a regular basis: his vision of moving the city of Sullivan forward.

But, cash strapped, a problem similar to many Wabash Valley cities, Sullivan and its mayor have looked to the federal government for assistance.

Last week city leaders received over 40,000 dollars to develop the city's first master plan in over 60 years.

"We'll do curbs, we'll do sidewalks, we'll do lighting, (we’ll show) where the sewers are gonna be. This is where is all (Sullivan’s) future planning is going to be,” Lamb said. “The proposed central park will be a part of this plan the city park will be a part of this plan."

While the funds for the city master plan are impressive, they are only the latest in a full year's worth of funds from the Federal government.

The grants cover everywhere from the demolition of the central elementary school, to getting new equipment for the fire and police departments and to upgrading the stop lights.

"I believe we're close 800,000 dollars. And that's awesome, it's a great feeling,” he said.

More than half of the funds come from the Office of Community and Rural Affairs or OCRA. Like the master plan funds the city was approved for last week. Which they mayor says will help the city get more federal dollars.

"When you go to apply for a grant they want to see a copy of your master plan. It's just like when you go to the bank to apply for a loan if you wanna buy a 100-thousand dollar home. They wanna see a copy of your pay stubs,” Lamb said.

For the mayor he hopes it will grant Sullivan a new future.