Greene commissioners accept $10,000 grant
WAYNESBURG – Greene County commissioners agreed Thursday to accept a $10,000 grant that will be used to construct a small fishing pier and scenic overlook along the Monongahela River in Greensboro. The commissioners said the county applied for state funding from the Port of Pittsburgh Commission to help pay for building the pier and deck, which is expected to be built at Mon View Park.
Jake Blaker, director of the county’s recreation department, said Thursday that the county had initially applied for $25,000 in funding from the agency, and the county was recently notified that it was awarded $10,000.
Blaker said the anticipated cost of constructing the pier and deck is estimated at between $20,000 and $25,000. The county hopes to obtain the remaining funding needed for the project through other matching state and/or federal grants, he added.
The pier and deck will not extend into the river but rather it will be built along the river’s edge and will serve as an overlook. It also will provide an area for people to fish, he said.
Blaker said the pier and deck would be a recreational attraction that will highlight Mon View Park, the river and the nearby Greene River Trail.
According to the Port of Pittsburgh Commission’s website, the commission has created a small grants program, of $5,000 to $20,000, for nonprofit groups and local units of government in southwestern Pennsylvania. The grants may be used for sustainable, port-related economic development projects.
Projects may be related to tourism, education, recreation and the environment or support some other economic development activities related to the rivers or streams of the 12-county Port of Pittsburgh district, which includes Greene, Fayette and Washington.
In other matters, the commissioners reorganized the county’s salary and retirement boards as well as the board of commissioners. The reorganization was required after former commissioner Dave Coder resigned from the position and Waynesburg attorney Charles Morris was reappointed to fill Coder’s seat.
Coder, a Democrat, resigned in the middle of his fourth consecutive term in July to accept a job as deputy district director for U.S. Rep. Mark S. Critz, D-Johnstown. Morris was appointed to serve the remainder of Coder’s term, which expires on the first Monday in January 2012. The terms of all three commissioners expire then.
Both of the county’s judges – William R. Nalitz and Farley Toothman – reviewed the letters of interest and decided to appoint Morris on Aug. 4. Nalitz swore Morris into office at the county courthouse on Aug. 10.
On Thursday, commissioners voted to appoint Pam Snyder as chairwoman, Archie Trader as vice chairman, and Morris as secretary for both the salary board and board of commissioners. For the retirement board, Snyder was elected as chairwoman, Trader as vice chairman and county controller Dave Balint as secretary.
The commissioners also agreed to accept Morris’ resignation from the Greene County Planning Commission and appoint Doug Lee, who is employed with Waynesburg University, to fill the vacant position. Snyder explained that Morris resigned because of an unofficial policy that states that commissioners should not serve as members on the planning commission.
The board also agreed to appoint Trader to serve as a member of the Southwest Regional Planning Commission and reappoint Marl Carlson to serve on the Southwest Corner Workforce Investment Board for a three-year term.