Crown Point Mayor David Uran made his pitch for a $5 million share of American Rescue Plan Act funding for a generational sewer infrastructure project in southeast Lake County Tuesday before a special meeting of the County Council.
Uran has been working with Councilman Christian Jorgensen, R-St. John, and Commissioner Jerry Tippy, R-Schererville on potential funding assistance from the county’s ARPA funds for the $99 million project that would bring a sewer treatment facility to the area currently served by septic and well water.
“This is a transformational type of project,” Uran said.
Uran is seeking $5 million from the county that will be used to secure $5 million state ARPA funding through a State Water Infrastructure Fund grant from the Indiana Finance Authority. Crown Point will also use $5 million of its own ARPA funds to secure an additional $5 million from the IFA.
The city will use a combination of other methods potentially including additional IFA loans, future developer payments, tap-in fees and rate increases to existing customers as part of the funding mechanism to pay for the rest of the project.
Uran said the new facility would take 1 million gallons of stormwater out of the city’s current treatment facility reducing water backup incidents for existing customers. It would also pave the way for new development, both residential and commercial, in the southeast area of Lake County south of U.S. 231 and east of Interstate 65.
“One thing we can do as we move forward and improve assessed valuation is getting people off of septic and well,” Uran said.
The project also would open the opportunity for the area to be served by Lake Michigan water. Currently the most of the area is in the Kankakee Valley watershed. Anything south of 133rd Avenue does not have access to Lake Michigan water. The new facility would return water to the Lake Michigan watershed through Crown Point, opening up the possibility for the area to be served by Lake Michigan water.
Uran said when Crown Point went from well to Lake Michigan water in the 1990s it was the driving force behind the city’s growth.
“If this project were to move forward it would be 20-, 30-, 40-, 50-year investment in Lake County,” Uran said.
Uran said the city was initially looking at an interceptor project that would serve as a Band-Aid to the current flooding problem but the ARPA funding opened the door to engage in solution that would be generational.
Uran said he is seeking a resolution committing the funding to the project so the city can move forward with the IFA. The county would be able to retain the funds, collecting interest, until the IFA requires their release. Uran said if the project moves forward and all goes as planned the city expects to break ground in 2024.
Councilman Charlie Brown, D-Gary, said he was surprised to see a Republican councilman put forth a request for a Democratic mayor.
Commissioner Michael Repay, D-Hammond, was at the meeting. Repay said he attended because he had not heard details about the project.
“At the end of the day, when you flush the toilet, Rs and Ds go down the same way,” Uran said, adding party affiliation does not matter to him so long as the work can improve people’s quality of life.
Uran said ARPA funds represent a unique opportunity.
“If this was two years ago ($5 million) would be a hard ask,” Uran said, adding this is the type of infrastructure project the American Rescue Plan Act was intended to address.
“This is a once in a lifetime generational opportunity here,” Uran said.
Jorgensen agreed.
“Now it’s time to spend (ARPA funds) responsibly,” he said.
Council President Ted Bilski, D-Hobart, said the majority of the council thinks it is a good project, as is a similarly planned more than $100 million sewer infrastructure project in Calumet Township the council plans to support. Bilski said officials would consider a resolution supporting the $5 million request at a special meeting following its March 3 study session.
Carrie Napoleon is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
