Masontown seeking Main Street improvement grant
MASONTOWN — Borough council on Tuesday authorized its engineer to prepare a preliminary design needed to apply for a grant for a Main Street improvement project.
An intermodal transportation grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) would cover the estimated $1.46 million cost of upgrading sidewalks, storm and sanitary sewers, water lines, trees, benches and lighting on Main Street between Spring Avenue and High Avenue, said engineer Bill Johnson of Sleighter Engineering.
The borough’s required match would be $349,000 and July 31 is the deadline to apply, Johnson said.
The cost to prepare the preliminary design, which must be included in the application, will not exceed $36,000, he said.
“It’s a wonderful plan, but it’s predicated on grants,” Johnson said.
He said the state Department of Transportation (PennDOT) also has an intermodal grant program, but applications aren’t accepted until October.
If the DCED approves only part of the application, the same preliminary design can be used to apply to PennDOT to fund the rest of the project, he said.
Municipalities can apply for grants of $100,000 to $3 million in the intermodal transportation program, Johnson said.
Council unanimously voted in favor of authorizing Johnson to prepare the design contingent on having enough money in the capital expenditure fund for the match.
The 15 percent match for a $393,688 grant from the Commonwealth Financing Authority’s Small Water and Sewer Grant Program must come from the same fund, Council President Frank McLaughilin said.
Council is using that grant to replace water lines.
In unrelated business, council voted 4-1 to advertise a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance ordinance, which would offer real estate tax exemptions for new businesses or additions to existing businesses.
Responding to questions from Councilman John Stoffa, solicitor Gary Monaghan said business owners would have to apply to council for the exemptions, but council can’t exclude certain types of businesses.
Stoffa voted against the motion. Councilmen Bruce Cochrane and Edward Gulino were absent.
In addition, council approved an Eagle Scout project from Boy Scout Stephen Duranko of Troop 643 of Masontown. He said he plans to sand and repaint the bleachers and landscape the entrance to German-Masontown Park.