Hurricane Katrina
Renewal and Recovery
Updates
What Stone County Is Doing For You
Wiggins/Stone County Projects
Health Department—A CDBG grant ($450,000) and a USDA grant ($500,000) was awarded for a new Health Department building to be located off Hwy 26 by the hospital.
Received $284,000 grant for Sheriff’s Department for patrol cars, officers and equipment.
Received $70,000 grant for Stone County water/sewer engineering study.
County received grant to purchase property on Red Creek, build boat launch and install signage.
$150,000 grant to improve East McHenry Road pending with MDA.
Grant received from FEMA to demolish and remove mobile homes and residential structures destroyed by Katrina.
Wire Road Trails Project grant application for $1.6 million to CIAP to locate Wire Road trail and develop bike path along Old Wire Road through the County.
Big Level Community Center—roof replacement funded through FEMA Mitigation and MEMA mitigation funds are being requested for retrofit of building for evacuation center.
Hazard Mitigation Plan was developed and has been approved by FEMA and MEMA
Building Codes Office—Proposal in the amount of $329,000 has been submitted to MEMA Mitigation and is undergoing review.
ESF-14 Long Term Recovery Plan—board has taken action and it has been approved
Stone County Utility Authority has been established and Board was appointed with county and city representation. Projects underway include:
- Rules and Regulations out for public comment
- Bank stabilization at Church House Creek and 4 Mile Creek, applied for CIAP grant
- Approximately $35 million of funding designated by DEQ for water and sewer projects throughout Stone County and City of Wiggins.
Industrial Park—a grant has been approved through EDA for an engineering study for a site location for a new industrial park
Downtown Redevelopment Concepts have been developed and city is currently working with Neel-Schafer, designating a 15 block area; grant applied for through MDA for $6,144,000
Widening of Hwy 26—placing turning lanes at 1st Street, Hall Street at the Sonic
New water tower—receiving $1,800,000 from a job creation 80/20 grant
Reynolds Field—Wal-Mart gave money for football and baseball at Reynolds Field
Mosquito Control—City of Wiggins was awarded a grant through the Department of Health to increase Mosquito Control
Chevron Texaco Solutions will complete a thorough audit or survey of the City’s water and sewer system as part of a plan to find key infrastructure failures facing the city.
Grant prepared for emergency communication infrastructure and emergency operations training to submit to Homeland Security Grant Program for approximately $1.5 million.
Received grant for Stone County Land Use Inventory and completed project. Received $70,000 for Phase 1 of Stone County Comprehensive Plan. Submitting grant application to CDBG for completion of Stone County Comprehensive Plan
New EOC Office being planned with grant applications being prepared.
Hardening the Fire Department buildings
Road Improvements to include drainage problems
Study is being conducted by Younger and Associates for identifying the impact of the proposed 4,000 acre Horizon residential development.
JBHM has completed a study of school facility projected needs and areas of growth location demand.
Roadside park on Hwy. 49 completed.
West Lagoon—spending $300,000 to put in a new filtering system
Debris clean-up projects completed
Airport improvements
- Lighting rehab, FAA Grant
- Hangers, $600,000 FAA Grant
Senior Citizen Center was finished and opened on Magnolia Drive
Purchased a new Rescue unit for the Wiggins Fire Department
New City maintenance building—$137,000 grant from FEMA
Bike and Walking trails through a transportation enhancement grant
Received a grant for city police employee salary
Received a grant for hiring 3 new firemen
Police monument will go in front of City Hall dedicated to the
three fallen officers