KIMBALL -- The City of Kimball has a Sidewalk Improvement Grant available to residents to assist with their sidewalk repairs. 

This grant has been part of the city’s budget for two years. The first year, the city allocated $25,000 toward the grant, and this year’s budget allocated $5,000. 

City Administrator Annette Brower said, “We only had a few people take advantage of it so we lowered the budget for it, but if we have more people taking interest in it, we can review it for the upcoming budget." 

The program is designed to assist residents in repairing hazardous sidewalks and installing new sidewalks in areas that currently lack them. Driveway approaches and aprons are not eligible. New construction where sidewalks are required will also not be eligible. 

Let’s say someone has a $1,000-$2,000 sidewalk project, they would hire a concrete company to complete the project, and once it is done, they fill out the application and show proof of payment. If it meets all the requirements, the city will reimburse up to 50% of the cost up to a maximum of $2,500. 

“We understand that it’s hard for people to come up with the cash for a project like that, so we wanted to find a way where we can invest back into the community and help citizens and businesses upgrade their sidewalks for aesthetic and safety purposes,” Brower said. 

The grant is available to all residential and non-profit properties in the City of Kimball. The grant application must be filed within 6 months of the completion of the project to be eligible for reimbursement.