State grants pave the way for safer roads and expanded facilities in Carter and Butler counties

More than $1.7 million in grants have been awarded to local communities for street repairs and building upgrades.

The awards were announced by the Missouri Department of Economic Development as part of 52 projects to receive awards from the Community Development Block Grant Program.

They will go locally to Ellsinore, Fisk, Qulin and Butler County.

Ellsinore, Fisk and Butler County have each received grants for street repairs. Those are, respectively, $347,027, $622,449 and $191,058.

Qulin has received $547,764 for a senior citizen center expansion.

“The purpose of the Community Development Block Grant Program aligns with our administration’s key priorities of improving public safety and encouraging economic development,” said Gov. Mike Kehoe. “The grants awarded to these communities will promote the safety of Missourians and help secure a safer and more prosperous future.”

Funded projects include street and roadway repairs, stormwater and drainage improvements, demolition of dilapidated structures, and construction of new public facilities.

“We love helping Missourians prosper through the Community Development Block Grant Program, which provides vital support for communities statewide,” said Michelle Hataway, director of the Department of Economic Development. “Projects funded through the CDBG program improve lives while increasing communities’ capacity for future growth.”