U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (Dem-4), helped the La Grange area secure federal funds for infrastructure improvements.
Several local private and public officials were on hand at La Grange Park’s Village Hall on March 14 for the awarding of federal Community Project Funding grants for $12.2 million for 14 projects in Garcia’s district.
“Today we celebrate some big wins,” Garcia said. “I’ve lived in this district for over 50 years, I met my wife and am still married after 46 years…it enables me to have a clear understanding of the needs and challenges that my constituents experience.”
Garcia noted the number of funding applications, saying “We received over 50 compelling applications from across the district, and after a rigorous selection process, and as difficult as it was, we narrowed it down to these selected grantees.”
La Grange will receive $2 million for its Storm and Sewer and Combined Sanitary rehabilitation project. At the same time, La Grange Park is awarded $850,000 towards its Central Area Storm Sewer Separation, installing new storm sewers and rerouting water to a pumping station to mitigate flooding.
La Grange-based Pillars Community Health received $1 million towards renovating its Constance Morris House Domestic Violence Shelter.
Other nearby entities receiving grant money are $490,000 to the Village of Melrose Park water main replacements along 25th Avenue and $959,752 to Franklin Park for the Lead Service Line Replacement along Schiller Boulevard.
A complete list of the projects receiving grant money can be found at Congressman Garcia’s website chuygarcia.house.gov
La Grange Village President Mark Kuchler noted how after La Grange became part of Garcia’s district, the Congressman reached out to him, urging him to call when the Village was in need.
“He said here’s my cell phone, I’m available 24/7 whenever I can help, and I called after all these storms,” Kuchler said. “I said we really need infrastructure help, we really need sewer and flooding relief, and Congressman Garcia understands the need we have for infrastructure. He understands that building and improving our infrastructure means jobs for our residents. For La Grange it’s a $2 million infrastructure improvement…this money is going to immediately impact our residents.”
La Grange Park Village President James Discipio was grateful for the grant.
“It’s a significant amount of money that Congressman has chosen us to receive, and it’s all going to go towards our central area storm sewer separation project,” he said. “The project is estimated at $12 million, so we’re going to need a lot more. But it’s a start.”
Discipio added that another $1 million to $2 million would be needed to get the project started, adding “we’re not there yet,” and expressed confidence that Garcia would obtain more future funding.
Angela Curran, President and CEO of Pillars, said the grant money would fund improvements to the shelter, including a safe, refurbished playground and enhanced security for the facility.
“We also hope to engage our survivors in the selection and creation of the artwork for the shelter,” she said. “Domestic violence is prevalent in every community and it affects all people, regardless of age, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality.”
”These investments will have a lasting impact because they’ll have a positive impact on communities,” Garcia said after presenting the grants.
After the press conference, Garcia discussed the difficulty of selecting which projects to fund with limited resources.
“There are many worthy projects that non-profit organizations and municipalities put forth for our consideration, and there are some pretty tough guidelines that are established by Congress, and by the committees of jurisdiction relating to this congressional initiative,” he said. “So it makes it tough making the final decision. It takes into account additional support that they may have, letters of support from other organizations.”
He also encouraged groups that weren’t awarded grants to keep trying.
“There have been grantees that didn’t make it on the first try, but they made it on the second, and some who made it on the third,” he said.
Garcia also stressed that the grant money awarded was strictly limited to the projects applied for.
“That is specified in the guidelines from the ethics committee of Congress, which is bipartisan,” he said, “and the committees of jurisdiction that they fall under.”
La Grange Trustee Peggy Peterson came away pleased.
“This is a combined effort of a lot of people and we are very grateful for Chuy’s help,” she said.
Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
