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Slaughter announces $1 million federal loan for Barker

by jmaloni
Thu, Aug 18th 2011 09:00 am

Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, NY-28, announced Wednesday that the Village of Barker was given a long-term, low interest rate loan that will allow it to complete the replacement of its 100-year-old village water system.

Made available by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development grant program, the village has been awarded a loan for $1,015,000 at 2.5 percent interest to be paid over 35 years.

The loan allows the final phase of funding for the upgrade of the drainage system.

"I'm delighted that, after more than a year of work, funding for my friends in Barker has finally come through," Slaughter said. "I know that the village badly needs a new water system. Some pipes are more than 100 years old, they do not allow for the proper water pressure for fire fighting, and there is lead present in many of the pipe connections. This money couldn't come soon enough. I want to thank both former Mayor JoAnn Greenwald and current Mayor Herbert Meyer for their incredible partnership as we worked to bring safe drinking water to Barker."

Slaughter has been working closely with the village to secure the needed funding for this project.

"We are very appreciative of the tireless efforts of Congresswoman Louise Slaughter in helping us obtain a low interest loan from USDA Rural Development," Meyer said. "This funding will allow us to complete the replacement of our antiquated water lines. On behalf of the residents and Board of Trustees, we thank her!"

Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Village of Barker received $743,000 for phase one of the water infrastructure renovations. Slaughter has also been working with the village to secure funding for its drainage and storm water improvement project. In fiscal year 2011, Slaughter set aside $484,856 in the interior appropriations legislation for this project, but the funding failed to pass Congress. Since then, Slaughter has been working diligently to secure federal funding for both projects. She helped the village work with rural development to obtain funding for the second phase of the water system upgrades, which culminated in this week's low-interest loan.

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