DUBOIS – Lisa Kovalick, county planning and community development specialist, updated the Clearfield County Recreation and Tourism Authority on projects that she has been working on from January through October at Wednesday’s regular meeting.
Kovalick said she has been working directly with individual municipalities and associations in order to help their respective communities move forward. She said she has worked alongside these entities to obtain grant funding for their projects. She, however, noted that in some cases, they’ve been asked to re-submit applications due to the lack of available funding.
“I believe in perseverance. I’m not going to give up,” she told the board. “It’s not bright and shiny, but I’m not giving up. I won’t give up.”
In her report, Kovalick said she has been working closely on the Mahaffey Borough Boat Launch. She said in mid-March, she met with their mayor, council members and a representative from the National Wildlife and Fish Office. She said they discussed alternative ways to reduce the cost of the project.
She said in late April, she submitted the Mahaffey Borough C2P2 development application in the amount of $34,000 to the Department of Conversation and Natural Resources. She said the grant would help the borough with its funding gap from the PA Fish & Boat grant sent the previous fall.
She said she received notification from the PA Fish & Boat Commission that the grant application would not be funded. She said they encouraged them to apply again this year. She said she then planned to meet with Mahaffey Borough to discuss options for the boat launch.
Kovalick said she assisted Sandy Fink-Barrett, executive director of the CCRTA, with site plans and parking for the Mahaffey Borough Boat Launch in August. She said she prepared the 2009 PA Fish & Boat Commission Boating Facilities Application for the borough council meeting on Aug. 19.
In her report, Kovalick indicated she attended the Curwensville Lake Authority meeting at their request in late March. She said they discussed grant funding opportunities. She said as a result, the lake authority planned to request that the county apply for DCNR obo authority in order to fund a master site plan.
Kovalick said in late April, she submitted the Clearfield County C2P2 planning application in the amount of $50,000 to DCNR. She said this grant would assist the new Curwensville Lake Authority with a master site plan.
She said in early August, she submitted the lake authority’s CCRTA Marketing Grant application in the amount of $15,000 for match funding required. She said it was for the development of the master site plan at the lake. She said the funding would be matched for the DCNR application submitted in April 2009.
In October, Kovalick said that the lake authority reviewed the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission for Boating Facilities grant. She said they did so as part of their consideration of upgrading its restroom facilities. She said they would also like to provide new picnic tables.
Kovalick also said she met with members from both the CCRTA and the Bilger’s Rocks Association in late March. She said the association is interested in receiving help with grants and planning for the park. Afterward, she said she contacted Rich Hughes regarding a master site plan for Bilger’s Rocks. She reported that he is willing to help them free of charge.
She further noted that in early April, she met with members of the BRA. She said they discussed plans for the Clearfield County Promotional Grant. She said she later submitted a CCRTA Recreation and Tourism Promotion Grant to the authority for the association. She said it was in the amount of $5,000 to assist them with signage for the park.
Board member Nancy Micks asked Kovalick if she felt that municipalities were unaware of the opportunities that exist for them. She said municipalities are often staffed with volunteers who don’t have the training and information readily available.
Kovalick said many come in with their blinders up because they are unfamiliar with the process. She said they don’t send these entities to the county, as its already operating under a tight budget situation. She said they do utilize those opportunities presented by the CCRTA.
Kovalick said that she’s offered seminars and provides informative materials. She said she directs some entities to small business centers in the local area. She said she is open to hosting more information sessions in the future. She requested that the CCRTA continue to communicate existing needs to her office.
Kovalick said municipalities and associations aren’t currently charged for assistance from her office.
Joan Robinson-McMillen, board member and county commissioner, said many small municipalities contact Kovalick due to their limited budgets. She told the board they wouldn’t believe the financial situations that these entities are operating under.
“It’s a service that the county offers to them,” she said.