LAPEL — To make a stronger case for its grant application to the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, Lapel town leaders are asking residents to attend tonight’s public hearing at the Lapel Eagles, 110 E. Ninth St.

The hearing begins at 7 p.m., prior to the regular town council meeting.

This is the town’s second attempt to acquire a $600,000 state grant to help take care of asbestos and well house problems.

It was denied during the first attempt because grant funding ran out.

The town scored well enough (481, higher than a needed 450, out of 700 on the grant scoring method) to be eligible, but grants are assigned on priority basis by score.

Mike Kleinpeter, the grant writer from Kleinpeter Consulting Group LLC, said input from the town on specific water issues can be added to the grant application to bolster chances to receive the needed aid.

The grant is to help pay the cost of repairs for the Ford Street Well House renovation, rehabilitation for an elevated storage tank (northeast side of town) that has silt buildup and rust problems, and replacement of some known locations of asbestos cement mains.

The town would provide $160,000 for improvements, for a total project amount of $760,000.

“You’ve got to have voices from the community to why you are really wanting to do this,” town council President Deb Wainscott said. “A lot of people may think it won’t make a difference if they write a letter (to the town, or come to the public hearing), but it does.”

Tonight’s public hearing is the second of two required for the grant application. The first hearing was April 18.

At the initial public hearing, Kleinpeter encouraged residents to let the town know of any brown water, filter issues or other problems they may be having with water.

Last week, the town reached out on its Town of Lapel Facebook page asking residents to come to tonight’s public hearing to voice concerns.

The social media account post included the statement, “Your thoughts and input will be added to our application which in turn will be used for our scoring efforts with the Office of Community and Rural Affairs. The more a community is willing to provide their input the better chance we have of making a higher score for the grant application. The Public Hearing is a chance to make Lapel’s grant application a stronger case documenting our need of funds in order to provide the repairs and projects for Lapel that will constitute a better water utility.”

The grant application is due June 28. Awards announcements are set for Aug. 15.