Board Feature: Solving the Local Match Funding Dilemma – Town of Jonesville Streetscape Improvements Project

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By: Randy Imler, Executive Director, Catawba Regional Council of Governments

      

Union County, South Carolina, was added to the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) region in 2021. Since that time, the county and its municipalities have spent much time learning about the great opportunities now available to them through ARC. One of the Union County localities, the Town of Jonesville (Jonesville), just completed its first construction project with ARC, namely the Streetscape Improvements Project. As is common in many ARC Distressed Counties, Jonesville had to be creative in funding the local match requirements. A 20% match can often limit a community’s ability to qualify for grant funding, and Jonesville was no exception.  

Project Description 

The Town of Jonesville experienced a population boom in the 1890s with the opening of Jonesville’s first knitting mill. However, Jonesville was devastated by the offshoring of the textile industry, the closure of its mill in the 1990s, and the recession of 2009. The closing of the mill resulted in lost jobs and the reduction of expendable income. Following years of losing local businesses, the Town Council and community leaders decided that there was an urgent need to revitalize the Town of Jonesville to attract businesses and new residents and provide amenities that contribute to the quality of life. Jonesville’s 2020 Strategic Master Plan focused on the Main Street business district as one of the key areas for revitalization and business growth. A visibly attractive downtown is more appealing to business owners and customers alike, so by improving the downtown “curb appeal” through streetscape improvements on Main Street, Jonesville aimed to encourage business retention and creation to revitalize the downtown area. Improvements included asphalt paving, concrete sidewalk, stamped asphalt, curb and gutter, ADA ramps, landscaping, signage, streetlights, trash receptacles, and benches. This project was the crucial next step toward downtown redevelopment as Jonesville strives to become a welcoming and thriving community again. 

Funding Sources 

The Town of Jonesville cobbled together funding from the four sources listed below to complete the Streetscape Improvements Project. Each funding source was vital to the completion of this project. 

  • Appalachian Regional Commission, Area Development 
  • Community Development Block Grant Program 
  • Union County “C” Funds (Each South Carolina county receives an allotment through the SC Department of Transportation from the state gasoline tax.) 
  • Local Funds 

Insight from this project 

Complex projects such as this one often result in insight that is useful for future projects, and this project was no different. First, distressed localities often struggle to find funding for vital projects and so must be creative with paring funding sources from local, state, and federal sources. Partners are crucial to the success of these projects. Second, it is important to recognize during project development which costs are eligible for which funding sources. In this particular case, Union County “C” Funds could only pay for costs associated with road improvements. Therefore, the budget had to be structured around “C” Funds paying for those specific costs. This project is a great example of using multiple funding sources to complete a project that would have otherwise not been feasible for a distressed community. 

Now complete, the Town of Jonesville’s new Main Street looks amazing and has received many compliments. Jonesville is excited to hold its Christmas parade on a refreshed Main Street this year and looks forward to all that is to come as a result of this project.