The city of North Pole was awarded a $752,142 federal grant in April 2024 to help with a stormwater drainage improvement project. At the time, the total project cost was projected to be $952,412, leaving the city with a $200,000 match.
On Monday, City Services Director Tom Glidden informed the North Pole City Council that the project’s cost has increased to $1.35 million, leaving the city with a nearly $600,000 gap.
North Pole applied for $952,412 in 2023, with DOT awarding $752,142 the following year. Because of the higher cost estimates for six projects, Glidden advised prioritizing the more important ones.
Glidden later clarified that the engineer’s cost estimate was $1.4 million, but the city only applied for the $952,412 amount.
“I don’t know why they applied for only that amount,