Rockdale County officials are working on another round of improvements for the historic Milstead community. Officials from the county’s Road and Drainage Department presented a proposal today during the Board of Commissioners’ work session seeking $75,000 in matching funds for a $500,000 federal grant to install a new drainage system in the community.

The drainage project would be the second major improvement to the community. Late last year, Rockdale began renovating dilapidated housing in Milstead with a $300,000 federal grant.

Milstead is located in Census Tract 603.09, an area that has Rockdale’s second-largest poverty rate. Alice R. Cintron, Rockdale’s grants administrator, say many seniors who live there are on fixed incomes and cannot afford to make repairs or renovate their homes. The housing is some of the county’s oldest, dating back to the early 1900s when the community was built for the families who worked at the local cotton mill. Cintron said no swales were built for run-off in the community, and as a result, flooding occurs regularly with heavy rains.

Board Chairman Richard Oden said today that a new drainage system is sorely needed in the community.

“This project is really going to enhance this community in a huge way because now they will no longer have to deal with flooding and the low water pressure in this community,” Oden said.