Smithfield council seeks residents’ support in quest for $75,000 grant
SMITHFIELD – Residents on Church Street will be asked to fill out surveys to help the borough obtain a grant to repair the road. John Over, the borough’s engineer, said Tuesday that he applied for a $75,000 grant that would pay to have the roads resurfaced after they are fixed.
“We applied for $75,000,” Over said. “That doesn’t mean the borough will receive all of that money.”
Council President Jack Frith said Church Street must be repaired because abandoned mines have caused the street to sink.
Frith also said sewage lines cannot be put in until the mines are filled. “We have nowhere to lay the lines, because the ground is hollow,” Frith said. “The mines are empty.”
Frith said he wants to have the road repaired and the sewage lines laid by the end of summer. He said the borough has been in contact with the U.S. Office of Surface Mining and said he hopes they will be willing to fill in the mine.
“I don’t know what we’ll do if the Office of Surface Mining won’t agree to fill in the mine,” said Frith. “The borough doesn’t have enough money to do it.”
In other matters, the council also decided to buy a salt- and ash-spreader for next winter and will accept bids for the purchase.
Frith said the borough’s old spreaderis in bad condition.
Council also:
– Indicated it will consider signing a lease agreement with Fay-Penn that would allow the Little League to build another field along Fox Hollow Road.
– Announced that recycling will be held Monday.
– Announced that library story time will be held April 17. Children age 4 to those in grade three are welcome to attend.