Rep. Costa Delivers $244,000 In Federal Funding For City Of San Joaquin

USDA & Recovery Act funding invests in Valley's rural infrastructure

FRESNO – Congressman Jim Costa today delivered $244,000 in federal funding for the City of San Joaquin to invest in local jobs and strengthen the city's infrastructure. Costa also broke ground on an expansion of the city's Public Works building which was made possible through today's announcement. At the event, Costa was joined by City of San Joaquin Mayor Amarpreet Dhaliwal and USDA's Rural Housing Service Administrator Tammye Trevino who traveled here from Washington D.C.

"Our smaller cities and rural areas are a critical part of our Valley's economy," said Costa. "That's why I fought for these funds and why I will continue to work to see that our region receives our fair share of tax dollars. These projects will improve the City of San Joaquin's infrastructure and strengthen the local community."

The funding is broken down into three projects and was allocated through the USDA Rural Development's Community Facilities grant program. These grants are geared to assisting in the development of essential community facilities in rural areas and towns. In particular, the $162,690 Community Facilities grant to expand the city's Public Works building was funded through the Recovery Act.

USDA's Rural Housing Service Administrator Tammye Trevino highlighted the importance of investing in rural infrastructure and the role the Recovery Act played in making today's announcement possible: "One of the projects announced today is being funded through the Recovery Act, which will not only improve the safety conditions of city employees but also create construction jobs in this rural community."

The three projects are:

· $162,690 to expand the Public Works building to provide more office space and adequate restrooms with showers for emergencies/safety. The project will also include remodeling the shop section of the building to install a generator and auto lift. An auto lift will allow mechanics to better work on city vehicles.

· $52,500 will go to new equipment for the Public Works Department including an animal control vehicle and a skid steer loader. Updated equipment will allow animal control officers to increase their pick-up efficiency, saving the city time and money.

· $29,700 will go to a new roof for the Veterans Memorial Hall. The roof is leaking and causing damage to the newly remodeled building. The new roof will protect the building and extend its useful life, providing space for community gatherings in the city.