May 8, 2024
Good Governance
ICYMI: Spanberger Joins Madison, Greene, & Culpeper Leaders to Celebrate Nearly $2.3 Million in Federal Funding Secured for Community-Requested Projects
The Congresswoman Worked Directly with the Counties & Localities to Secure Federal Funding to Update Carver Center Auditorium & Upgrade Lenn Park, Buy a Critical Incident Vehicle for the Culpeper Police Department, Improve Greene County Community Park & Secure a New Virtual Reality Training System for the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, Purchase New Equipment for Reliable Emergency Radio Coverage in Madison County Public Schools
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger yesterday joined Madison, Greene, and Culpeper officials and community leaders to celebrate the federal funding successfully secured for local projects as part of a U.S. House and U.S. Senate-passed fiscal year (FY)2024 appropriations bill. The major investments in these community-requested projects total nearly $2.3 million that is now headed to Virginia’s Seventh District.
Spanberger worked directly with Central Virginia officials and local law enforcement to solicit these requests, move these projects forward, and ensure they were included in the final package. These investments will help make much-needed updates to the Carver Center, improve Lenn Park’s accessibility for all area residents, purchase a critical incident vehicle for the Culpeper Police Department, make improvements to Greene County Community Park, purchase a new virtual reality training system for the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, and expand emergency radio coverage to cover Madison County Public Schools buildings.
“Since I first came to Congress, one of my top priorities has been to bring federal resources home to address the unique needs of the communities I serve. County officials, local leaders, and area law enforcement officers know better than anyone else the specific, on-the-ground needs of their communities. The strong advocacy and dedicated work of these Virginians helped my office successfully secure federal dollars that will help bring these community-selected projects to life,” said Spanberger. “This federal funding will improve community spaces, allow more Virginians to appreciate this region’s natural beauty, and help local law enforcement keep residents and communities safe. I look forward to seeing these investments deliver for Culpeper, Greene, Madison, and Virginians across Central Virginia.”
Spanberger secured $500,000 for Culpeper County to make improvements to the auditorium at the Carver Center, previously George Washington Carver Regional High School. The necessary improvements — such as additional fixed seating, lighting, stage repairs, and audio-visual improvements — will allow for the existing main school building to be fully utilized to hold educational and community events both for current users of the Carver Center and expand use of the space to all of Culpeper County.
Additionally, Spanberger secured $132,777 for Culpeper County to bring Lenn Park and its surrounding areas up to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. This investment will allow the county to grade and pave the parking lots and the trail loops around the softball fields, dog park, fitness equipment, amphitheater, pollinator garden, and shelter to upgrade the spaces to current ADA standards. The paved trail network will offer connecting access to all the amenities in Lenn Park for use by community members.
Spanberger secured $380,000 for a new critical incident vehicle for the Culpeper Police Department. This investment will allow the Town of Culpeper to secure the vehicle to provide a platform for law enforcement to safely conduct operations during critical or emergency situations within the community, while providing real-time intelligence to keep community members and visitors safe.
Spanberger secured $750,000 to make safety, security, and access improvements to Greene County Community Park. These improvements will include building an overflow parking lot, paving the main parking lot, lighting both parking lots, bringing public water to the park’s concession stand and restroom building, winterizing the concession stand and restroom building for year-round access, installing a programmable electronic gate at the entrance, and installing lighting at the playground.
Spanberger also secured $70,000 for the Greene County Sheriff’s Office to acquire a new virtual reality training system. The new system will provide deputies the ability to experience realistic simulations that increase proficiency in de-escalation and crisis intervention skills. This investment will improve safety for law enforcement and the community while reducing use-of-force incidents.
Spanberger secured $450,000 for the Madison County Sheriff’s Office to purchase new equipment to provide reliable emergency radio coverage at Madison County Public Schools. This investment will allow for the purchase of a new bi-directional amplifier system to install inside Madison County’s four public schools for use by law enforcement and first responders to improve communication between the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the emergency dispatch center to keep students, faculty, deputies, and other first responders safe in an emergency situation.
BACKGROUND
For FY2024, the U.S. House of Representatives allowed for specific Community Project Funding requests — as it did in FY2023. Spanberger worked directly with community leaders in localities across Virginia’s Seventh District to gather community-focused requests for her submissions. Click here for the full list of her submissions.
The Community Project Funding process was created to ensure that Members of Congress — in concert with the communities they represent — may submit direct applications for federal funding to support locally planned projects as part of the yearly appropriations process.
To be eligible, projects must be sponsored by local or state government entities or non-profit organizations and must be projects that would otherwise meet the qualifications to apply for federal grant funding. The purpose of Community Project Funding is to ensure direct, local engagement as part of the federal appropriations process. In line with this goal, funding applications needed to demonstrate significant local support for the projects.
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