Local share grant applications received
For the second year in a row more than 100 applications have been submitted for grants from Washington County’s Local Share account, including applications from California University of Pennsylvania, West Brownsville and the Southwest Regional Police. The money in the local share account comes from a portion of the revenue from The Meadows Casino and is distributed through the state’s Department of Community and Economic Development. Last year Washington County received $11.2 million to give out for its Local Share grants.
Brenda Williamson, the county’s community development senior director, said the exact amount available for grants this year won’t be known until after March, when the funding year ends, but the review committee will have a rough estimate by January.
Last year 104 grant applications were received, with $47.6 million requested.
This year, Williamson said, 108 applications have been received, with the requests totaling $43.2 million.
“Sometimes projects get scaled back a little bit and they may get partial funding if the project can still be completed,” Williamson said.
Williamson said it’s important that applicants realize the time frame involved in the grant process. The grants approved by the state last July are just now starting to draw down funds. Washington County designates one-third of its grant money for municipal projects and two-thirds of the money for water, sewer and economic development projects.
The Mon Valley Progress Council is seeking a grant for $60,000 that executive director Joe Kirk is hoping will result in major financial gains for the region by working with area economic development organizations to develop the Washington County portion of the Mon Valley/Fayette Expressway.
“We’ll be looking at the expressway in terms of looking at its economic development opportunities and energy initiatives,” Kirk said. “Interchanges for interstate grade highways are an attraction for development.”
Kirk said the grant is to allow organizations to systematically look at interchange areas on the expressway to best position them for development by making certain that the building codes, zoning and other regulations for the areas are right for development.
Another proposal is to install solar panels along the expressway to supply power to the energy grid.
“In some European communities they’ve been placing solar panels along expressways because they are already public lands,” Kirk said. Kirk noted that the location of the Mon Valley/Fayette Expressway along ridges makes it ideal for solar collection.
Other applicants include Cal U, which is seeking $750,000 for advanced technology for an executive conference center; Centerville Borough, which applied for $26,450 for a co9mmunity park; the Center-West Joint Sewer Authority, which wants $1.5 million for its sewerage project; and East Bethlehem Township, which is asking for $86,000 for downtown sidewalk replacement.
West Brownsville submitted two grant requests: one for $385,000 for the Middle Street storm sewer project and one for $140,311 for playgrounds. Center in the Woods in California Borough wants $285,000 for parking lot expansion, while California Borough itself is seeking $674,755 to resurface Technology Drive.
The Southwest Regional Police Department wants $15,290 toward a new police car.
The Tri-County Joint Municipal Authority is seeking more than $1.2 million for the Vestaburg waterline project and the Mon Valley Career and Technology Center requested $121,155 to upgrade its welding program.
Williamson said the Local Share review committee will review all of the applications over the next two months, with the finalists approved by the county commissioners. Those recommendations then go to the state for final approval.