CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield County Commissioners approved resolutions authorizing the submission of the 2016 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application at Tuesday’s regular meeting.
The county’s allocation is $241,420; of those funds, $197,965 will assist Decatur Township with a sewer line extension in the New Liberty area, said Lisa Kovalick, the county’s community development specialist.
According to her, Decatur Township officials conducted a sanitary study in November of 2015. It showed a 90 percent malfunction rate on the on-lot sewage disposal systems.
The study also showed most systems were “wild cat” or borehole/mine disposals. There’s “no doubt” the need exists for a public sewer collection system in order to improve the health and safety of residents in the area, she said.
Kovalick explained that Decatur Township officials will use these CDBG funds, and they will be supplemented by a $750,000 competitive application for additional CDBG funds.
The total project consists of around 4,800 feet of force main that will convey sewage to an existing manhole. From there, it will flow through the existing system to the Moshannon Valley Joint Sewer Authority’s treatment plant.
Decatur Township officials will apply to PennVEST for grant funds for the force main and pump station. The total project is estimated to have a cost of $2,412,699, said Kovalick.
Clearfield Borough’s CDBG allocation is $101,130; of those funds, $82,930 will be for flood protection, storm sewer and street improvements in the Census Tract area, which is a 70.67 percent low- to moderate income area.
According to Kovalick, the area is primarily residential and locally identified as “East End.” She said the borough must first sign a sponsorship agreement with the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
The borough had sought DEP’s assistance during the 1990’s after extensive flooding. It caused deterioration of roads, culverts, sidewalks and yards. A significant amount of the flooding was caused by a waterway known as “Stinky Run,” she explained.
Kovalick said flood studies have shown that most of the water from Stinky Run flows through an enclosed culvert system that passes through backyards and under the streets into the river. The existing system is inadequate and clog, which results in flooding.
Following the study, she said that DEP designed a flood protection project, which will be funded partly by the Department of General Services. The total cost of the project will be about $1.3 million.
Kovalick said the borough will work with DEP to remediate the storm sewers being over-filled by Stinky Run. The borough will need to relocate water, sewer and gas lines and obtain the permanent and temporary easements for the construction.
She said DEP will fund the flood protection project and the borough will use their CDBG funding for the utility relocation and obtaining the easements. Once the construction is completed, the borough will replace insufficient drainage systems and install new systems where they are needed, as well as remove and replace the damaged roads.
Lawrence Township’s CDBG allocation is $113,190; of those funds, $92,861 will be for storm sewer and street improvements in the Kerr area.
Kovalick said existing storm drainage systems, especially along Good Street and Bowman Hill Road, are insufficient and unable to handle stormwater run-off during wet weather and storm events.
In some areas, she pointed out that there isn’t any storm drainage at all. She said these two existing streets are deteriorating and are continuing to yearly by uncontrolled storm run-off.
The storm run-off has deteriorated the roadways and berm, which makes it dangerous for motorists. Because there aren’t any sidewalks, it’s created unsafe conditions for pedestrians; with Good Street being a bus route, there are safety concerns for children, as well, she said.
Kovalick said the township has prioritized and selected Good Street to be worked on first. As future funding becomes available, Bowman Hill Road will have work done. The township’s total project cost is $565,120.
