MANNINGTON, W.Va. (WBOY) — On Wednesday, the City of Mannington received approval for two grants thanks to Senator Joe Manchin and congressionally directed spending requests.

One grant originates from the U.S. Department of Justice for $66,000. This money will be used to upgrade and extend existing security cameras throughout the downtown area and on the community’s trails.

The second grant totals $229,000 and comes from the U.S. Department of Energy. The city of Mannington plans to distribute new water meters that will detect water leaks in real-time. These meters will assist consumers with more accurate water bills and refund pricing.

12 News spoke with Mannington’s mayor, Lora Michael, who was initially a little intimidated by the idea of applying for congressionally directed spending, as this process was new to her. Since her approval, Michael is encouraging more small communities to apply and utilize for government funding.

“Grants are huge. Anytime you can use federal or state money and not money from your municipality, it spreads your money a little further so you can do more in these communities. It’s hard for a small community that doesn’t have a large income base to survive. So, it’s imperative that small communities try the right grants and get as much funding through the state and federal government that they can,” said Michael.

Officials with the City of Mannington said that they are thrilled to start implementation once materials are received.