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A concrete road would lead to the old machine shed area at the Thermo mine site/ Staff photo by Taylor Nye
Finance director: 'Without the road, no development can happen'
The city of Sulphur Springs will pursue a grant to build a road into the Thermo mine site, according to an unanimous decision by the city council at a special Sept. 22 meeting.
The proposed project is a two mile concrete road, which would start at Farm Road 1870 and extend into the mine, according to city finance director Lesa Smith.
Smith said the city will submit an application to the Economic Development Administration (EDA) for a public works grant in order to build a road into the mine.
“This grant has the CARES Act funding with it,” Smith told the council. “They said we would qualify based on the things that have happened in the economy in regards to the pandemic.”
Smith said an extra cash boost from the CARES Act makes this grant especially appealing to the city.
“The way this grant works is it has to be tied to economic development of some sort," Smith said. "Since there is opportunity for industrial development to happen in the area, it would qualify. Without the road going into the [mine] area, no development can happen out there.”
Community development director Tory Niewiadomski stated there was $3 million in grant money to build a road, and stressed that “time is of the essence to get this grant submitted.”
Council member Freddie Taylor inquired why the language of the proposed action authorized “the City manager or his designee to act on behalf of the City” in preparation or submission of the application. Taylor asked, “if it’s not you, Marc [Maxwell], who might it be?”
City manager Marc Maxwell stated, “If I happen to be on a Siberian trek I would appoint somebody, but it’s important enough, I would plan around that.”
With no further discussion, the council unanimously approved the grant move forward.