Clinton County Council Approves $60,000 for Kirklin

The Clinton County Council agreed to fund 10 percent of a $600,000 grant request by officials of the Town of Kirklin and Kirklin Main Street Tuesday morning.

“They approached the council to provide a match grant for a $600,000 grant that they are approaching the state with,” said County Council President Alan Dunn. “The County Council did vote to support this with a 10 percent match, which is $60,000, towards that effort.”

The funds from this match will not be needed until 2020.

“We have been on this journey for seven years,” said Chip Mann of Kirklin Main Street, who along with his brother Dan Mann, have been the main architects of the rebirth in Kirklin. “We have a $35 million investment in cash in Kirklin and it’s the best investment we’ve ever done. $750,000 is needed and we have to have Clinton County’s commitment for some of the funding. This is a great investment in our county.”

Dunn says the funding will help a needed area in Clinton County.

“I think what was particularly exciting for us on the County Council because it was something we can do to help the eastern side of the county,” said Dunn. “We direct so many resources with I-65 being on the western side in that direction. This gives us a way to help provide hopefully the impetus for future housing growth and future assessed value growth in the eastern side of the county.”

Dunn added it also helps the Clinton Central School District.

“It also helps Clinton Central which we know is a school that is struggling with enrollment issues and as Superintendent (Ralph) Walker has said it’s primarily due to the lack of housing in the district,” said Dunn. “This is laying the groundwork to help improve the housing stock (in the area) as well.”

Dunn also said he hopes other communities and towns take note of the way this is being done.

“I hope that this becomes a precedent for how other communities in the county address their own growth,” said Dunn. “I think the council would be a willing and eager participant in those communities as well.”