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Big money for little town

by Minden Press-Herald

Cotton Valley receives state grant to fix roads

The Town of Cotton Valley has been approved to receive a Louisiana Community Development Block Grant for just short of $400,000 to repair residential streets in the southeast part of town.

According to the state Department of Administration Office of Community Development, the grant “helps communities provide a suitable living environment and expand economic opportunities for their residents.” The grants are awarded to the state from the federal level annually, and the state’s program awards the grants to local governments as they see fit.

“It means the world to us,” said Joseph Alexander, mayor of Cotton Valley. “This town is one of the worst places I’ve seen for streets. I’ve never seen something like this before. It’s going to help us get started, and if we can get this part done, hopefully we can find more money to do the other side of the town also. It’s much needed.”

Governor John Bel Edwards approved the grant on January 3. Mayor Alexander said the roads in question could not be in worse condition.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, it’s a 12,” he said. “Some of them really shouldn’t be drivable, but we can’t close them down.”

Mayor Alexander said repair work should be able to begin within a few months.

“I met with some engineers yesterday,” he said. “We’re working out a couple details, getting some bids in to get the word done. It should take a couple months to get this started.”

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