Commissioners accept $83,400 grant
WAYNESBURG – Greene County commissioners accepted an $83,400 federal grant Thursday that will be used to buy technological equipment for the county sheriff’s office and two local police departments. The one-time technology program grant, which was secured by U.S. Rep. John P. Murtha, D-Johnstown, through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), will enable the sheriff’s office and police departments in Waynesburg Borough and Cumberland Township to buy various pieces of equipment that will better assist their respective departments.
Janice Lahew, department clerk of the county’s sheriff’s office, said the grant will be shared by the three entities and the money will pay for new technological items that should greatly improve each department’s services.
Lahew said the sheriff’s office and the two police departments provided “wish lists” of what new technology was needed. The county then applied for the federal grant on behalf of the sheriff’s office in August.
The county first learned of the grant when Murtha met with various sheriff departments throughout his district earlier this year and encouraged them to apply for the grant. The commissioner’s official acceptance of the grant Thursday was the final step in securing the funding for the county.
The grant will enable the sheriff’s office to purchase a wide array of new items, including laptop computers for the officers’ vehicles, navigational and intercom systems, portable radios for deputies, narcotics kits and various computer software programs.
The Cumberland Township Police Department will use its portion of the grant to purchase signal boosters, portable radios, a new thermal-imaging camera and a data master Breathalyzer.
Also through the grant, the Waynesburg Borough Police Department will purchase mobile digital camera systems, digital portable radios and a new security camera system.
Waynesburg police Chief Tim Hawfield said the new technology will enhance the department’s efforts in preventing crime.
“This new equipment will greatly improve our security, assist in our officers’ safety and help keep our community technologically current,” Hawfield said. “This will enable us to better serve our residents. We are deeply appreciative of the county for pursuing this grant.”
In other business, the commissioners agreed to direct County Chief Clerk Gene Lee and solicitor Dave Pollock to look into renewing the county’s property tax abatement ordinance, which is set to expire at the end of the year.
The current ordinance – which was last reviewed three years ago, when all of the school districts and all but one municipality approved it – offers a five-year tax abatement for new agricultural buildings that are on parcels of land over 10 acres and commercial or industrial structure.
The ordinance also offers a three-year abatement for new homes, garages, additions, decks, porches; renovations to parts of an existing structure; and agricultural or storage buildings that are on parcels of land of less than 10 acres.
Commissioners said Thursday they are looking into possibly making changes in the ordinance that would provide additional tax breaks for new businesses interested in setting up shop in the county. They are also contemplating extending the abatement for an additional five years for new businesses that would employ and retain at least 100 employees; under this plan, the new businesses would also have to have a new building valued at a minimum of $500,000.
Commissioner Pam Snyder said an improved ordinance would give the county “more leverage in competing with other counties” as far as enticing new businesses to the area.
Lee said the county will advertise the proposed ordinance for public comment and the commissioners might be able to approve it at their next regular meeting, which has been scheduled for Oct. 22.
After the county approves the ordinance the school boards in all five school districts and the municipalities will have to decide whether or not to go along with it. If any level of local government and/or school districts would not approve the new ordinance, then the applicable abatement would not apply, Lee explained.
Tax abatement has been available for businesses and residents in Greene County since 1993, Lee said.
In other matters, the commissioners presented the Greene County Women’s Center with a proclamation recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Greene County.
The proclamation encourages all county residents to raise their awareness about domestic violence and increase efforts to transform despair into hope for families who suffer violence at home.
Linda Moon, program coordinator for the center, thanked the commissioners for their continuing support of the center and for helping raise awareness about domestic violence. She presented the commissioners with large purple bows as part of the center’s countywide campaign to distribute purple bows and ribbons, which symbolize domestic violence awareness.
Moon also encouraged local communities to help spread the importance of awareness.
“We would like to bring awareness to the issue of domestic violence through the help of individuals, churches and organizations that are willing to decorate a small tree with purple ribbons, or a large tree or pillars on houses with a big purple bow,” Moon said.
Greene County Women’s Center, a satellite office of Washington Women’s Shelter Inc., offers empowerment counseling, legal advocacy and support groups to the victims. The center also promotes domestic abusive prevention by offering services to the community such as education for community groups, organizations and churches and prevention education in the schools.
Last year, Washington Women’s Shelter Inc./Greene County Women’s Center provided domestic violence-related services to 1,414 new victims, children and significant others, and provided 12,063 hours of counseling to victims, children and significant others.
For more information about the Purple Ribbon Campaign, call the Greene County Women’s Center at 724-852-2463.