Marianna Issued $5 Million Loan in Stimulus Money

The city of Marianna is borrowing $5.1 million in federal “stimulus” money through the USDA rural development program to fix up 11 streets. City Manager Jim Dean says the loan deal is a bargain, saving the city hundreds of thousands of dollars in normal loan costs, and is to be repaid at a low 4 percent interest over the next 25 years.

Several federal, state and local dignitaries were in town Monday morning at the city firehouse to announce the deal, present a plaque to the city and get positive publicity for the much-criticized federal “stimulus” program, also known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. They were welcomed by Mayor Roger Clay, city commissioner Paul Donofro Jr. and other city officials.

Florida’s USDA rural development Director Richard Machek and Washington, D.C.’s administrator for rural development/ rural housing service Tammye Trevino were on hand to speak to the gathering of about 40 persons. “I’m here on behalf of the President,” Trevino said, “to present the recovery act’s focus on much-needed funds in rural America. We’re finally starting to focus on neglected areas of infrastructure.”

After the ceremony, the TIMES met with Jim Dean and received the specific roadway improvement plans. And they are:

Road and Drainage Improvements
9th Ave. from 3rd to West End at the cost of $423,202
Watson from Lucien to College at the cost of $1,038,096
English Road from Penn to End at the cost of $302,400
Caledonia from Kelson to Clinton at the cost of $1,157,328
Carter’s Mill from Kelson to N. Hospital Drive at the cost of $205,992
Chipola from Hwy 90 to Marion at the cost of $262,224
Wynn from Hwy 90 to Wilton at the cost of $730,860

Potential Project Additives
Dogwood from Putnam to Hwy 90 at the cost of $807,480
St. John from Heatrice to Jackson at the cost of $465,120
Caledonia from McPherson to Franklin at the cost of $359,520
Barnes from Cedar to Clay at the cost of $24,228

None of the above construction has begun. Marianna is currently undergoing three different road improvement projects. One is a $4.8 million DER-funded project to repair and replace water lines on Jackson, Madison (the courthouse area work) and Clinton Street. The formerly notoriously damaged Clinton Street will be repaved in that project, Dean said. A second project is the $900,000 Community Development Block grant and downtown redevelopment plan upgrading water and sewer lines on Jefferson, Madison and Jackson streets. A third project also affecting roadways is the $1 million multi-funded Madison Park/Farmers Market development on Madison and Clinton streets.