AULANDER – It won’t be long now.

After voting in favor a $50,000 commitment towards its water and wastewater treatment updates, members of the Aulander Town Council will soon be able to start applying $400,000 in grant money from the Rural Center to get the ball rolling.

The decision came after a letter of congratulations from the Rural Center, addressed to Mayor Joe Jernigan Jr., stating that funds from the grant would be contingent upon receiving written confirmation from the town, verifying the jurisdiction received a commitment for the remaining funds necessary to undertake the project.

The town is required to confirm its commitment and provide an updated project schedule, project budget and conflict of interest statement by April 29 before funds can be officially transferred to the town’s disposal.

&uot;We still need to advertise the work,&uot; said Aulander Town Administrator David Overton.

According to Overton, engineers from the Wooten Company, a Raleigh-based firm, will be assisting the town through the process.

The project, which will address water improvements along Highway 305 by hooking up citizens in the southern part of the town to an updated water infrastructure, will also help to replace slip lining in the sewer lines to prevent further infiltration problems.

Overton said the town’s commitment would not place any additional burden on the citizens since the money will be taken from the existing water/sewer fund.

The funds will come out of the upcoming budget, which begins July 1. The town applied for the grant late last year, following up on a capital outlay suggestion two or three years ago to perform upgrades to the town’s sewer system.

Overton estimates the project could take three to four months to begin after the town selects a contractor to perform the work with a tentative completion date sometime in the fall of 2007.

The town is currently working with the Wooten Company to compile the necessary information to advertise the work.