Grants aid Arlington’s budget

Published 10:32 pm Thursday, April 3, 2008

ARLINGTON — The Stillaguamish Indian Tribe recently gave $12,000 to a new water safety and river rescue program to be run by the Arlington Fire Department.

The tribe also awarded the city’s police department a grant of $4,500 for video cameras to be installed in police cars.

These are just two of a dozen grants totaling about $700,000 that the city has received since October.

With decreases in income from state and federal taxes, most municipal governments can’t survive without grant money, said Kristin Banfield, assistant city administrator.

“We all have increasing costs and limited resources,” Banfield said. “That’s why you see cities involved in economic development because most have to focus on a sales tax to make ends meet.”

Grants can make all the difference when the city is trying to complete small projects, she said.

For example, a $4,000 grant from the Emblem Fund of the state Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee will allow the city to spruce up its existing veterans memorial and provide lighting for the new veterans memorial at Legion Park.

A $10,000 Washington State Community Trade and Economic Development criminal justice grant will be used to purchase another police dog for sniffing out drugs.

The Arlington Fire Department also received a Federal Emergency Management Agency firefighters assistance grant of about $163,000 that will help buy firefighting equipment, install an emergency generator and make sure the city’s firefighters have a fitness program to keep them in shape.

While most of the grants are from federal, state and county governments, the city applies for money from private sources, too.

“Every little cent helps in a growing city like Arlington,” Banfield said.

Reporter Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427 or gfiege@heraldnet.com.