ELLENDALE, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development awarded a total of $298,200 in four grants for different areas.

-$112,000 to the City of Barnes to purchase two motor graders for the Barnes County Highway Department to grade unpaved county roads in the summer months and snow removal in the winter months.

-$107,000 to the City of Ellendale to purchase a payloader for street maintenance, landfill maintenance, snow removal, and other miscellaneous city needs. It will be used for street maintenance, landfill maintenance, snow removal, and other miscellaneous city needs. This project will benefit 1,394 rural residents that live in Dickey County.

-$72,400 to Elgin-New Leipzig School District to complete an envelope restoration project to make repairs to the exterior of the Elgin/New Leipzig School.

-$6,800 to Finley-Sharon School District #19 to purchase playground equipment for the school district.

USDA Rural Development also awarded a $12,000 loan to Wishek Home For The Aged to purchase a transit van. The new transit van will be smaller and more efficient than the existing one, and will be equipped to provide services to individuals needing mobility accommodations, along with other seniors who require transportation to medical and other appointments outside of the Wishek Living Center.

The transit van will enable up to four or more individuals to be served at one time and it will be equipped with a retractable track set, a manual ramp, seat belts for wheelchairs, ratchet tie downs for wheelchairs, ADA lighting and a side entry ADA conversion, and will be much safer and more efficient.