Grants help improve fire, police services in Uniontown
Herald-Standard
In this 2022 file photo, Uniontown Councilman the Rev. Vincent Winfrey (left), city planning and community relations director Laura Kutek (center) and city Mayor Bill Gerke (right) were all “Team Uniontown” at the city’s Community Days at Bailey Park.
The Herald-Standard’s Founding Day Festival raised $2,931 for Uniontown’s Marshall Park rejuvenation fund in 2022. Pictured, from left, are Herald-Standard Publisher Michael Scott, Laura Kutek, director of planning and community relations in Uniontown, and city Mayor Bill Gerke. The festival celebrates the city’s birthday.
Submitted
Last year, an American Flag Retirement Box was placed outside of the Uniontown Fire Department’s Central Station. Pictured (from left) are Lawrence Curry, U.S. Air Force veteran and retired Uniontown police detective; Joe Sanker, U.S. Army veteran and PA American Water Uniontown OPS; Steve Visocky, Uniontown councilman, U.S. Air Force veteran and PA American Water Uniontown OPS; Mayor Bill Gerke; Brent Robinson, city government affairs manager; Laura Kutek, city planning and community relations director; Tim Berdar, OPS superintendent; Eric Yarbrough, U.S. Army veteran and PA American Water Uniontown OPS; Dave Dunn, U.S. Marine Corps veteran and PA American Water Elizabeth OPS, and Randy Burkholder, U.S. Navy veteran and PA American Water Elizabeth OPS.
Public safety, recreation and community togetherness all helped to make Uniontown a better place last year.
In 2022, officials said, the city received multiple grants that have helped to fund both the police and fire departments. Uniontown Mayor Bill Gerke said the funding helps both departments continue their mission to keep the city safe.
Among the funding were an Assistance to Firefighters grants in the amount of $461,904 to purchase a new fire truck, $113,700 for the purchase of new radios and hoses for the Uniontown Fire Department, and a $16,000 for rescue tools.
Gerke said while that funding certainly helped the city’s firefighters, the grant he found most exciting was one from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency for technology upgrades to the Uniontown City Police Department. One of the upgrades included the purchase of body cameras for the department’s officers.
“I think that one speaks for itself,” Gerke said. “It’s good for the police department and good for the citizens.”
On the recreation end of things, Gerke said the city was able to complete the first phase of the Sheepskin Trail on Beeson Avenue, and $459,132 from a SMART Grant will go toward the second phase of the project.
“I really want to commend the city’s street department,” Gerke said. “They did the majority of the work.”
Gerke said the public response to the progress of the trail has been positive and exciting. Once Uniontown’s portion of the trail is completed, he said he believes it will bring more people into the city, strengthening Uniontown both socially and economically.
In 2022, Uniontown played host to various community events including two successful Clean Up Days in the spring and in the fall.
“They went excellent,” Gerke said. “Our city is looking clean and neat.”
Gerke said the city also partnered with Nemacolin Woodlands and 84 Lumber to hold a Community Day event at Bailey Park.
“We had a softball game that pitted the Nemacolin softball team against our public service team,” Gerke said.
Although it rained during the event, Gerke said they had a good turnout, and they’re planning a second Community Day at Bailey Park in August of this year.
Gerke said Bailey Park received private donations for beautification work, including upgrades to the parking lot, tree removal and planting, and lights for the baseball field.
He added that more improvements for Bailey Park are on the horizon including a new scoreboard that will be installed sometime in this spring.
Other noteworthy community events and improvements included a farmer’s market every Thursday at Storey Square along with the summer concert series, securing fiber optic installation with Omni Fiber for additional internet services throughout the city, PA American Water giving $5,000 in donations for a flag box that was placed at the Uniontown Fire Department for collection of American Flags that need to be disposed of, obtaining a grant to purchase new recycling containers for residents, partnering with the Fayette County commissioners to upgrade signage throughout the city with use of the hotel tax funds, and partnering with the Herald-Standard for the Founding Day Festival. Proceeds of the festival benefit the Marshall Park Fund.