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Johnsonburg Borough Council questioned on rejection of $100,000 grant for streetscape project
By TIM HOH
Era Correspondent
newshound08@yahoo.com
JOHNSONBURG — Johnsonburg Borough Council was questioned at Monday’s meeting by a borough resident who wanted to know why council members rejected a $100,000 grant for a streetscape project at last month’s meeting.
The grant would have required a $68,000 feasibility study to be funded by the borough, and the council members rejected it for that reason with a vote of 4 to 3.
Krista Zameroski of Third Avenue wanted to why this $100,000 grant was turned down. She said she saw the need for a feasibility study in order to secure future grants or financing.
Even though the borough would not be reimbursed for the initial $68,000, they would have been able to spend the $100,000 in the community, on projects such as replacing deteriorating street lights. The lights need to be replaced, and officials have said there will most likely be a tax increase to cover the costs of replacing two or three of the lights.
Zameroski pointed out the $100,000 was guaranteed, no forms need to be filled out and no other action would have been needed.
Councilman Ron King explained to council and the attending public that the $100,000 previously offered is already gone, as other agencies were ready to apply for the funding the next day.
Councilman Robert Dunworth told the public he thought $68,000 was too much to pay for a feasibility study. Meanwhile, Councilman Louis Imbrogno didn’t see the need for a new study, saying there were two others done, the first of which was done in the 1950s. An artist was brought in to do conceptual drawings of the town.
King did wonder aloud how this action might affect the borough’s reputation in the future, especially when it comes to finances, whether it be grants or loans.
In other council news, Johnsonburg Fire Department member Jim Reinsburrow of Willow Street questioned council if anything could be done regarding the southbound traffic on U.S. Route 219 in connection with the bypass work being done.
Reinsburrow said vehicles tend to stop too close to the temporary traffic light, blocking the flow of northbound traffic off Main Street.
He asked if the traffic signal could be moved closer to the former Keystone gas station. Reinsburrow was informed by Police Chief Bryan Parana that the borough has no say in the matter, since the project is on a state road. Parana suggested the borough and fire department send letters to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation explaining their positions.
Also, council granted permission to close Market Street, from Cobb to Bridge streets, twice — one time for the annual Halloween parade on Oct. 31 and the second for the Santa parade on Nov. 30. Both parades end at the Johnsonburg Community Center building.
Council renewed the borough’s contract with Veolia Waste Haulers. It will be for three years beginning on Jan. 1, 2009, and ending on Dec. 31, 2011. Rates are to stay the same with no increases in fees. However, Veolia may seek a slight increase for the vehicles’ fuel, should the prices climb.
Johnsonburg has been doing business with them since 1999.
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