By Echo Menges
The City of Edina’s new backhoe has arrived. It was delivered to the City Barn on the south edge of Edina on Wednesday morning, December 9, 2020.
According to City Clerk Margaret Gibson, the total cost of the backhoe was $101,945. The city received a $74,000 USDA Rural Development grant and the city paid $27,945.
The process of applying for the grant began when Gibson attended a meeting in May 2019 of the Northeast Division of Missouri City Clerks. Cheryl Elliott, USDA Rural Development Area Specialist of the New London office, gave the program. Gibson learned Edina would be eligible for a grant and/ or loan and funds were currently available.
Former Edina Mayor Steve Peters and Edina Superintendent of Utilities Joe Dimmitt agreed that the city’s 1998 backhoe should be updated.
With the Board’s approval, Cheryl Elliott was contacted to pursue this application for funding.
During the long application process Cheryl retired and Debra Berry, the Area Specialist from the Chillicothe office, took over Cheryl’s position and completed our application.
According to Edina Mayor Alex Reel, John Bode spent a lot of time working on the application process doing an enormous
