The Springfield City Council has authorized Mayor Barton Alderman to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Georgia Department of Transportation for a transportation enhancement grant.

“It says what we will do, what the state will do,” Alderman said. “This is something that we have to have approved and signed before we can get any money from the state.”

The TE grant, as it is known, will be used for downtown enhancement. The grant is for $300,000 and the city must match 20 percent.

“We’ve already done some preliminary work,” Alderman said.

The plans include brick sidewalk, handicap accessibility, lampposts, trees and bushes.

City Manager Brett Bennett said the agreement would be signed by Springfield and sent to the state. After the Department of Transportation signs it, will be sent back to the city.

He said speaking with the engineers for the project, he has been told that the clients who have sent the agreement have not received it back from the state.

Alderman said the city was awarded the grant early in the year, but has yet to receive any money for it.

“This is strictly an agreement just laying out what our responsibilities are and what the state’s responsibilities are,” he said.