Your Federal Stimulus Dollars at Work

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SweetiePie

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How many of you have noticed that the only area stimulus dollars are visible at work in your state are in road construction projects? That's what I'm experiencing firsthand here.
We are in a mountain community accessible off the main highway by a two lane road, which has now been reduced to one lane. That is because of the construction of a bike path which will take 4 months to complete. (That's if all goes well.) Cars are forced to wait single file until a road worker allows them to pass while bulldozers and dump trucks are trying to work at the same time. Frustrating for all concerned at best. Aaarrrrrrrrrrrrgh!
All I can say is that it is going to be a long summer. Luckily I didn't spend a lot on marketing this year. Guess I'll just have to take an extended vacation.
shades_smile.gif
 
I WISH we could get stimulus money for road construction. Our county is poor and our roads are even worse. I'm concerned that future guests may end up traveling over and endless sea of pot holes.
 
Well you are lucky the area actually got some money and are putting it to use. Our unemployment rate in our county is like 16% and we haven't seen any money.
 
Too bad the bike trail won't bring any paying guests. A lot of bicyclists come here to train for races because of the altititude. However, you see them advertising on CraigsList for sponsors who will put them up for free.
 
Here, too. All done now tho. Beautiful new street, but it's making my driveway look like the ugly stepsister.
 
Well you are lucky the area actually got some money and are putting it to use. Our unemployment rate in our county is like 16% and we haven't seen any money..
catlady said:
Well you are lucky the area actually got some money and are putting it to use. Our unemployment rate in our county is like 16% and we haven't seen any money.
Probably because only 11% of the total has even been put to use.
How did your state vote in the last election?
I would imagine the states that worked the hardest to get out the vote to help put the current majority in Congress and President in office and pass the stimulus package will see projects started in their areas quicker than the ones who fought it, refused to accept it, etc.
That's the reality of the system we live in. Winner takes all, always leaves somebody out.
Nobody from the ultra-conservative, southern or southeastern part of the country ever gave a rip about union auto workers in Detroit or blue collar workers in general the last four decades, so payback is pretty tough to swallow.
 
Well you are lucky the area actually got some money and are putting it to use. Our unemployment rate in our county is like 16% and we haven't seen any money..
catlady said:
Well you are lucky the area actually got some money and are putting it to use. Our unemployment rate in our county is like 16% and we haven't seen any money.
Probably because only 11% of the total has even been put to use.
How did your state vote in the last election?
I would imagine the states that worked the hardest to get out the vote to help put the current majority in Congress and President in office and pass the stimulus package will see projects started in their areas quicker than the ones who fought it, refused to accept it, etc.
That's the reality of the system we live in. Winner takes all, always leaves somebody out.
Nobody from the ultra-conservative, southern or southeastern part of the country ever gave a rip about union auto workers in Detroit or blue collar workers in general the last four decades, so payback is pretty tough to swallow.
.
You're right Tim. We're a Democratic state full of tree-huggers.
 
Too bad the bike trail won't bring any paying guests. A lot of bicyclists come here to train for races because of the altititude. However, you see them advertising on CraigsList for sponsors who will put them up for free..
We get plenty of bicyclists staying in our town. We have a major push for them in our tourism marketing. We started a triathlon 3 years ago and it has grown to almost 1500 participants. They all bring friends and family and fill the town.
 
Your stimulus dollars at work... I have a girl helping me, 25 hours a week. I train, the agency that places her pays her wages and insurance.
I didn't know how badly I needed her until she started... I almost wept with relief last weekend.
On Friday we flipped all four rooms together. If I'd been on my own I probably would have only done the two I needed immediately, or maybe three. Then that afternoon when we got a call asking about a room that night I was able to say, why yes!
The program is designed for youth 16-24. My girl is 20 and very steady and reliable. I only get her six weeks, and she's already asked me why I didn't request more than one person.
So, not all of it is road projects!
=)
Kk.
 
Your stimulus dollars at work... I have a girl helping me, 25 hours a week. I train, the agency that places her pays her wages and insurance.
I didn't know how badly I needed her until she started... I almost wept with relief last weekend.
On Friday we flipped all four rooms together. If I'd been on my own I probably would have only done the two I needed immediately, or maybe three. Then that afternoon when we got a call asking about a room that night I was able to say, why yes!
The program is designed for youth 16-24. My girl is 20 and very steady and reliable. I only get her six weeks, and she's already asked me why I didn't request more than one person.
So, not all of it is road projects!
=)
Kk..
How do I get one of those?
 
Your stimulus dollars at work... I have a girl helping me, 25 hours a week. I train, the agency that places her pays her wages and insurance.
I didn't know how badly I needed her until she started... I almost wept with relief last weekend.
On Friday we flipped all four rooms together. If I'd been on my own I probably would have only done the two I needed immediately, or maybe three. Then that afternoon when we got a call asking about a room that night I was able to say, why yes!
The program is designed for youth 16-24. My girl is 20 and very steady and reliable. I only get her six weeks, and she's already asked me why I didn't request more than one person.
So, not all of it is road projects!
=)
Kk..
How do I get one of those?
.
SweetiePie said:
How do I get one of those?
Find out what agency in your area is handling it. Originally I was contacted by Catholic Charities but they didn't get the contract so instead I'm dealing with Tri-County Educational Services (or some such name).
The program is part of the Workforce Investment Act... so whatever local agency you have that's handling it is who you need to contact.
My understanding is that they've had the program in our area in the past, with like 6 kids and now they've got like 65.
You have to guarantee they're not replacing an existing worker... easy to promise since I never hire anyone!
=)
Kk.
 
They just repaved our towns "main" street.....not the entire run.
I'm scratching my head as to why?......the street was fine......most of our side streets need it desperately......they just fill pot holes....so many curbs need to be redone as well.
Last major road improvement was when they ran sewer lines, back in the mid to later 70's.
They did do some streets in 07 and 08....most near the public schools. Why they did a section of what is considered our "main" street is beyond me.
 
They just repaved our towns "main" street.....not the entire run.
I'm scratching my head as to why?......the street was fine......most of our side streets need it desperately......they just fill pot holes....so many curbs need to be redone as well.
Last major road improvement was when they ran sewer lines, back in the mid to later 70's.
They did do some streets in 07 and 08....most near the public schools. Why they did a section of what is considered our "main" street is beyond me..
One Day said:
They just repaved our towns "main" street.....not the entire run.
I'm scratching my head as to why?......the street was fine......most of our side streets need it desperately......they just fill pot holes....so many curbs need to be redone as well.
Last major road improvement was when they ran sewer lines, back in the mid to later 70's.
They did do some streets in 07 and 08....most near the public schools. Why they did a section of what is considered our "main" street is beyond me.
This is a total guess... I have no idea where you're even located. But here we have some streets that are maintained by the state, and others that are maintained by the city. The state ones are in significantly better repair (and have faster speed limits!).
=)
Kk.
 
They just repaved our towns "main" street.....not the entire run.
I'm scratching my head as to why?......the street was fine......most of our side streets need it desperately......they just fill pot holes....so many curbs need to be redone as well.
Last major road improvement was when they ran sewer lines, back in the mid to later 70's.
They did do some streets in 07 and 08....most near the public schools. Why they did a section of what is considered our "main" street is beyond me..
YS may be correct, if the main street is state mantained that is were the stimulas money went to and so that is the reason. That is what has happened here...state hwy repairs and new curbs, not just basic curbs but nice formed curbs, in a town of 1500 people. Another funny thing is that they only did it IN the town limits..you hit the city line and the road repair ends...
Was this all needed - NO. Now I will stop before I get slapped for getting political.
 
They just repaved our towns "main" street.....not the entire run.
I'm scratching my head as to why?......the street was fine......most of our side streets need it desperately......they just fill pot holes....so many curbs need to be redone as well.
Last major road improvement was when they ran sewer lines, back in the mid to later 70's.
They did do some streets in 07 and 08....most near the public schools. Why they did a section of what is considered our "main" street is beyond me..
YS may be correct, if the main street is state mantained that is were the stimulas money went to and so that is the reason. That is what has happened here...state hwy repairs and new curbs, not just basic curbs but nice formed curbs, in a town of 1500 people. Another funny thing is that they only did it IN the town limits..you hit the city line and the road repair ends...
Was this all needed - NO. Now I will stop before I get slapped for getting political.
.
Our mayor was told that the stimulus money would go preferentially to projects that were "shovel ready", meaning that if it was to the point of taking bids the money would come. Probably very few towns had the project plans for repaving side streets far enough along to get to the feed trough in time.
 
They just repaved our towns "main" street.....not the entire run.
I'm scratching my head as to why?......the street was fine......most of our side streets need it desperately......they just fill pot holes....so many curbs need to be redone as well.
Last major road improvement was when they ran sewer lines, back in the mid to later 70's.
They did do some streets in 07 and 08....most near the public schools. Why they did a section of what is considered our "main" street is beyond me..
YS may be correct, if the main street is state mantained that is were the stimulas money went to and so that is the reason. That is what has happened here...state hwy repairs and new curbs, not just basic curbs but nice formed curbs, in a town of 1500 people. Another funny thing is that they only did it IN the town limits..you hit the city line and the road repair ends...
Was this all needed - NO. Now I will stop before I get slapped for getting political.
.
Our mayor was told that the stimulus money would go preferentially to projects that were "shovel ready", meaning that if it was to the point of taking bids the money would come. Probably very few towns had the project plans for repaving side streets far enough along to get to the feed trough in time.
.
Innkeep said:
Probably very few towns had the project plans for repaving side streets far enough along to get to the feed trough in time.
One person's "feed trough" is another's modern day version of the WPA, CCC, YCC, GI Bill, etc.
Desperate times require equally ambitious solutions. I'd rather see every street, bridge, overpass, rail trestle, etc. in America being rebuilt with good, honest, blue workers on the shovel than having several hundred billion more go down the rat hole of Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, AIG, BofA, et al
 
They just repaved our towns "main" street.....not the entire run.
I'm scratching my head as to why?......the street was fine......most of our side streets need it desperately......they just fill pot holes....so many curbs need to be redone as well.
Last major road improvement was when they ran sewer lines, back in the mid to later 70's.
They did do some streets in 07 and 08....most near the public schools. Why they did a section of what is considered our "main" street is beyond me..
YS may be correct, if the main street is state mantained that is were the stimulas money went to and so that is the reason. That is what has happened here...state hwy repairs and new curbs, not just basic curbs but nice formed curbs, in a town of 1500 people. Another funny thing is that they only did it IN the town limits..you hit the city line and the road repair ends...
Was this all needed - NO. Now I will stop before I get slapped for getting political.
.
Our mayor was told that the stimulus money would go preferentially to projects that were "shovel ready", meaning that if it was to the point of taking bids the money would come. Probably very few towns had the project plans for repaving side streets far enough along to get to the feed trough in time.
.
My City has several projects that have been in the "works" for several years. It is a long drawn out process of forms that must be filed with the PSC (Public Service Commission) who then have 180 days to respond and then the grants and loans process comes into it. We were almost ready to close out a $5.4 million water project that had had a phase that was dropped due to costs. We revived it and are hoping it will be approved under Stimulus. We have a section of water line that is along the old streetcar right-of-way that has eroded exposing the 10 inch line. We cannot afford to replace it - can only hope that either it gets Stimulus or Emergency Funding will come into play when it goes. We also have a storm sewer separation project that has been being worked on to get through the process for about 3 years (it took 4 for the water upgrade). this is another $5.2 million project we expect to start this fall. Between PSC and the Federal rules, most City projects take at least 2 to 4 years to get "shovel ready" if they are big ticket water/sewer/street projects. Sidewalks can be done in 18 months to 2 years. We have been doing our sidewalks (initial installation - not repair) from the high school into town for the last 3 years. We delayed until the water project was completed so the new sidewalks would not come up for the construction. We think we will get into town this year. We are using Transportation Enhancement Grants - 80/20 match. If we get the Safe Schools Grant, we will get sidewalks built to the elementary school (100% grant). These are things my City Manager learned about going to my Trails Conferences and because she goes to these Conferences to learn about such things and the people processing things get to know what a go-getter she is, my City is looked upon favorably. We "git R done!"
 
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