Council to mull grant applications
By Lynn Zerschling Journal staff writer | Posted: Saturday, June 21, 2008
SIOUX CITY -- On Monday, the City Council will be asked to authorize $1.5 million in grant applications to the Department of Housing and Urban Development for use by the Siouxland District Health Department for its lead screening and educational programs.
The city must match that grant with $1.5 million. That money will come from Community Development Block Grant funds and in-kind services from staff.
"Lead poisoning is a very serious issue," Mayor Pro Tem Jim Rixner said Friday during the mayor's press conference. "Sioux City has a much higher level of lead paint than the rest of Iowa."
Studies show that Sioux City children have a 14.2 percent occurrence of lead poisoning compared to the rest of the state at 9.4 percent, Rixner said. While three-fourths of the homes in the rest of Iowa were built prior to 1978, Sioux City built 82.5 percent of its housing prior to that year. Many houses were built when lead paint was promoted. Rixner said.
Under the proposal, the health department will screen 1,500 children for lead exposure during the three years of the grant. The grant also will assist landlords who own rental properties built before 1978. The grant also will help the Sioux City Housing Authority to provide grants to rehabilitate Section 8 homes for families with children under 6 years of age.
Rixner said the council will also be asked to allow the Sioux City Police Department to apply for $350,730 from the Department of Justice for the National Training Center, located near Sioux Gateway Airport. Class tuition and lodging are paid by the training center for all officers attending the classes.
Security cameras would be installed in Sioux City Transit buses under a $102,144 grant from the Department of Justice/Secure Our Schools Program the council will be asked to approve. This grant requires a 50 percent local match, or $51,072. Eight camera wireless video systems would be purchased to provide coverage both inside and outside the buses, which primarily transport school students.
The Regional Hazardous Materials Team would like to obtain a hand held unit that uses infrared technology to identify unknown commercial and industrial compounds. The equipment has a vast library listing toxic industrial chemicals, narcotics, chemical weapons, explosives and propellants. The unit can identify products through plastic and glass containers. The equipment also has a compartment to test samples..
The unit would be provided to the fire department at no cost through a federal program. The city would have to pay $120 every five years to replace the batteries and $35 a year to replace the disposable vials used in sampling substances, according to Assistant Fire Chief Jim Clark.
The city must match that grant with $1.5 million. That money will come from Community Development Block Grant funds and in-kind services from staff.
"Lead poisoning is a very serious issue," Mayor Pro Tem Jim Rixner said Friday during the mayor's press conference. "Sioux City has a much higher level of lead paint than the rest of Iowa."
Studies show that Sioux City children have a 14.2 percent occurrence of lead poisoning compared to the rest of the state at 9.4 percent, Rixner said. While three-fourths of the homes in the rest of Iowa were built prior to 1978, Sioux City built 82.5 percent of its housing prior to that year. Many houses were built when lead paint was promoted. Rixner said.
Under the proposal, the health department will screen 1,500 children for lead exposure during the three years of the grant. The grant also will assist landlords who own rental properties built before 1978. The grant also will help the Sioux City Housing Authority to provide grants to rehabilitate Section 8 homes for families with children under 6 years of age.
Rixner said the council will also be asked to allow the Sioux City Police Department to apply for $350,730 from the Department of Justice for the National Training Center, located near Sioux Gateway Airport. Class tuition and lodging are paid by the training center for all officers attending the classes.
Security cameras would be installed in Sioux City Transit buses under a $102,144 grant from the Department of Justice/Secure Our Schools Program the council will be asked to approve. This grant requires a 50 percent local match, or $51,072. Eight camera wireless video systems would be purchased to provide coverage both inside and outside the buses, which primarily transport school students.
The Regional Hazardous Materials Team would like to obtain a hand held unit that uses infrared technology to identify unknown commercial and industrial compounds. The equipment has a vast library listing toxic industrial chemicals, narcotics, chemical weapons, explosives and propellants. The unit can identify products through plastic and glass containers. The equipment also has a compartment to test samples..
The unit would be provided to the fire department at no cost through a federal program. The city would have to pay $120 every five years to replace the batteries and $35 a year to replace the disposable vials used in sampling substances, according to Assistant Fire Chief Jim Clark.
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