Greene commissioners seek $3 million for Wisecarver improvements
Garrett Neese
As part of its improvements to the Wisecarver Reservoir, Greene County is looking to add more ways to reach it.
The board approved an application for up to $3 million in state Multimodal Transportation Fund grant money, which would be used to develop a path of four to five miles connecting Wisecarver to the borough of Waynesburg.
Clerk Jeff Marshall said the county would be seeking bids for design and engineering work for the trail.
“This is designed to see what a path would look like, and how much money it would take to do that,” Marshall said at Thursday’s meeting of the Greene County commissioners.
Grant applicants will learn if they are successful next year.
The trail would follow other recent improvements to Wisecarver, including tree clearing and the installation of new kayak launches.
“They’re getting ready to blacktop a place where you can park to go put in for your kayak,” said board Vice Chairwoman Betsy McClure. “It’s really beautiful.”
In other action the board:
• Approved proposals received for the county’s Barriers to Workforce Study. The county had received proposals from seven consultants, spanning from the Pittsburgh area to Virginia and Ohio.
“We’re just looking to see what that would be so that we as a county can help with those to encourage people to live, work and play,” McClure said. “And a lot of times, those studies are important when you are trying to attract business here, and even going after certain grants.”
The county is scheduling follow-up interviews with all seven to determine how it will move forward.
• Approved bids for the first phase of the Waynesburg Commons Improvement Project and selected the low bidder, Michael Facciano Contracting of Pittsburgh, pending solicitor, contractor and engineer approval.
The first phase will include sidewalks and lighting improvements in Monument Park, then continuing west through Fountain Park as funding allows. The second phase of the project will then pick up and continue through the other city parks.
Commissioners approved the base bid and applicable alternates to bring the project up to the grant amount of $550,000.
Marshall said the commissioners would put out bids for another $1 million in work for the second phase next year.
• Approved an ordinance adopting the provisions of the state’s Clean Air Act banning indoor smoking of electronic cigarette devices in county-owned properties, including fairgrounds properties such as the arena barn and grandstands.