FAIRMONT, W.Va. — With the passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, the City of Fairmont was officially awarded $1.5 million in Congressionally Directed Spending dollars.
“I want to thank Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Senator Jim Justice, and Congressman Riley Moore for their support in these requests. These federal dollars returning to the citizens of Fairmont will deliver critical improvements to local businesses and to our fire protection services,” City Manager Travis Blosser said. “This allocation is just the start of our aggressive strategy to seek federal contributions to projects that make a difference in the lives of our citizens.”
$1 million of the funds will be used in major renovations to the Watson Fire Substation on Mary Lou Retton Drive.
“The Watson Fire Substation was officially opened in 1980, and it hasn’t received a lot of attention since. It needs some serious renovations,” Fire Chief Brian Starn said. “Our firefighters deserve the best, and we want all our facilities to be at the level of our new East Side Station that opened in 2022. With this grant, that becomes much more doable.”
This allocation was made possible by the support and partnership of Senator Capito and Congressman Moore.
“Securing real wins for West Virginians is my top priority. I am proud to share that I was able to secure $1 million in Community Project Funding dollars for the City of Fairmont’s Watson Fire Substation. Mountaineers deserve to know that when they call 9-1-1, first responders have everything they need to answer the call.” Congressman Riley M. Moore said. “These critical investments in the Watson Fire Substation will make Fairmont safer and deliver on my promise to always put West Virginia first.”
“I am thrilled that, with President Trump’s signing of the recent appropriations package into law, the City of Fairmont will receive funding to renovate the Watson Fire Station,” Senator Shelley Moore Capito said. “This investment will deliver long-overdue upgrades and ensure our firefighters have the modern facilities and equipment they need to serve the community safely and efficiently.”
The total renovation project is expected to cost around $3 million, with the remainder of the cost to be shouldered by the City.
The remaining $500,000 – which was allocated thanks to support from Senator Justice – will be used to fund another round of the City-sponsored façade grant program. The details are still under discussion, but the grant will function similarly to the façade grant program the City ran in 2024, using funding from the American Rescue Plan. It is expected that the funds will be used to grant $100,000 per year for five years.
Businesses that apply can seek funding to repair the façade of their building, repair entryways, or seek to make accessibility upgrades to their entrance or the sidewalk outside of their storefront. More details will be released on this opportunity soon.
“This federal funding will help us facilitate a grant opportunity that will make a big difference to our small business owners across the city,” Director of Planning & Development Shae Strait said. “Funds like these will be especially impactful for businesses in older buildings that may need some updates to accessibility or just a facelift to their entryway. It’s our goal to provide opportunities to make Fairmont a beautiful, welcoming and accessible community for all our residents.”