April 22, 2022
By: Dwayne Page
The City of Smithville is seeking a grant to fund a transitional housing program for women in recovery from substance abuse.
During a special called meeting Thursday evening at city hall, the aldermen voted to adopt a resolution authorizing the filing of an application for a $750,000 Community Development Block Grant for Recovery Housing through the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development with no local grant match or costs to the city. The Upper Cumberland Development District will apply for the grant on behalf of the city to be administered by the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency if approved. The filing deadline is April 29.
Under terms of the grant program, the UCHRA would manage the transitional housing facility as a city partner to serve from 8-12 females or women with children in recovery who would be charged rent to live there.
Contract terms between the city and UCDD/UCHRA, the partnering agencies, as to how the program would be operated and where it would be located will be worked out after the grant application has been filed. Mayor Josh Miller said the city could still turn down the grant if the mayor and aldermen change their minds or can’t come to terms with the partnering agencies.
“If you (aldermen) decide to pass this resolution to apply for this grant, it is only to let them (UCDD) apply for transitional housing. The only thing we’re voting on tonight is to allow them (UCDD) to apply. This does not mean (transitional housing) is coming. If we get the grant, we still have to structure this the way it needs to be structured and there would be a lot of meetings with that,” said Mayor Miller.
Meanwhile, in other business the aldermen voted to hire Linda Robinson to fill a vacant office clerk position at city hall. She will begin work Monday, April 25.