The commissioners voted, 2-0, to award $100,000 to Woodward Township Sewage and Water Authority (WTSWA), $46,330 to Osceola Mills Borough, $27,023 to Chester Hill Borough and $25,000 to Bigler Township. The county will retain $43,540 for administrative costs, according to Lisa Kovalick, community development specialist.
She said the WTSWA will use its allocation for a private sewage laterals assistance program for eligible low-income homeowners who need help connecting to the sewage collection line. Due to malfunctioning on lot systems in Woodward and Gulich Townships, the WTSWA has proposed to install sewage collection lines for approximately 250 Equivalent Dwelling Units (EDU) in three areas.
The designated areas included:
- The Sterling area located immediately east of Houtzdale Borough in Woodward Township and generally along Sterling and Clara avenues and St. James Street.
- The Franklin area located immediately south of Houtzdale Borough in Woodward Township and generally along Moran, Emery and First avenues and Don Street.
- The Whiteside area located south of Houtzdale Borough in Woodward Township and a small portion of Gulich Township and generally along state Route 153.
Kovalick said that Chester Hill Borough lies within the Moshannon Creek drainage basin, and it’s surrounded on the north, east and southeast boundaries by the Philipsburg wetland. She said the borough has been burdened with faulty storm water drains for some time, and with any amount of rain, residents experience flooded yards, basements and streets. She said the borough will use the grant to improve drainage along Clover, Rowland, Florence and Presqueisle streets.
Osceola Mills Borough will continue its Phase II of the storm water project to rectify safety issues with vehicular and pedestrian travel within the borough, according to Kovalick. She said improvements will be made along Lingle, Hale, Prunner and Trcziyulny streets.
She said that Bigler Township will remove the old Madera High School building with its CDBG funding. The building has been identified by code enforcement officers as beyond repair and poses a safety threat to the community. When asked by Commissioner Mark B. McCracken, she said the township intended to develop the area after the building’s demolition.
The commissioners approved the general grant CDBG application as well as the accompanying documents, including the county’s statement of goals national program for Minority and Women Business Enterprises, approval of a resolution and a CDBG Disclosure Report. Kovalick was named as the county’s Fair Housing Officer.
Commissioner Joan Robinson-McMillen was absent from the meeting.