Southold Town seeking more COVID-19 grant funding

Southold Town could receive over $300,000 as part of a third round of COVID-19 related grant funding.

But before the application is submitted, officials have set a hearing for Dec. 15 to solicit community input on how the funding should be applied.

According to town government liaison Denis Noncarrow, the Suffolk County consortium, which encompasses several municipalities, is slated to receive another $1.9 million through the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Mr. Noncarrow has brainstormed several projects the next round of funding could help achieve, including upgrades to restrooms at Town Hall and a new truck for the Department of Public Works, which he says is logging more miles due to more frequent cleaning and disinfecting needed across town facilities.

“We asked if it’s possible to do the bathrooms here because they’re all touch,” Mr. Noncarrow explained. “They’re not Covid friendly.”

He proposed additional grant money be allocated to Community Action Southold Town and also to the Family Service League, which are also struggling as a result of the pandemic.

“They continue to hire additional people to run food around and help with the community,” Mr. Noncarrow said of CAST.

In the first round of Covid-related grants, Southold received $150,000 that was used for a new van for the Human Resource Center and a donation to CAST. In total, the town has requested $329,000 and is open to additional ideas from the community.