Bus tour in Madison highlights impacts federal money has made on the city

MADISON, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - On Thursday, Madison and state leaders along with many business owners, toured the city to see how federal funds can be important to the growth of rural communities and small towns.

“United Today, Stronger Tomorrow” organized the tour, while Mayor Roy Lindsay served as the guide.

You might remember when Mayor Lindsay had a conversation with former President Joe Biden about the city of Madison finally getting connected to the Lewis and Clark water pipeline.

That became possible thanks to a 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law providing $152 million to the project.

“To see the difference from the small business to the larger ones and not only that to the community infrastructure that the funding brings to the area, it’s also crucial for these small towns, being in the area for 30 years, Madison is on the grow,” Kory Rawstern, the Vice-President for the AFL-CIO said.

Another massive project for the city of Madison is the Madison Early Learning Center, which was achieved through a community development block grant.

While no cuts have been announced in the area of childcare, Mayor Lindsay is urging the federal government to consider the real impact funding reductions could have on small towns like Madison.

“It’s very important to Madison and other small towns that congress takes a look at it and says, ‘without this, what’s going to happen to our small towns, what’s going to happen to our businesses where is going to leave people with their futures,” Lindsay said while standing in front of the construction.

Mayor Lindsay said by far the two most important aspects to getting people to want to live in a small town are #1 Housing and #2 Childcare.

Barring any setbacks, the childcare center is expected to be completed in October 2025.