SMETHPORT — The McKean County Commissioners approved a resolution Tuesday modifying the county’s 2016 Community Development Block Grant application modification to eliminate the $15,000 Eldred Park Improvement Project and use that funding to increase the $55,000 Foster Township Housing Rehabilitation Program to $70,000.
The 2016 CDBG application included $15,000 for the Eldred Borough Recreational improvements project that was to match a much larger project. The prospects of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Project being funded were thought to have been very good, however the borough’s project wasn’t funded, which left a balance of $15,000 that needed to be re-allocated to another eligible activity.
The Department of Community and Economic Development, which is in the process of reviewing the county’s 2016 CDBG application, has requested that an application modification be done before they can continue their review.
Gay DeGolier, community development coordinator for the McKean County Redevelopment Authority, who attended the meeting, said Foster Township originally requested $100,000 for the project, but this amount was cut to $55,000.
Eldred Borough could apply for future CDBG projects providing certain obligations were fulfilled.
In another commissioner-approved resolution Tuesday, the county will participate in the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance ordinance of Foster Township.
By enacting LERTA the county will provide tax exemptions for certain improvements to deteriorated commercial or industrial property and for new construction in deteriorated areas as allowed under the LERTA law.
This exemption is effective for five years, beginning in the 2017 tax year.
The commissioners have appointed machine inspectors to serve during the municipal Primary Election on May 16. “This is an annual appointment,” said Commission Chairman Al Pingie.
The county’s director of elections is to provide the necessary training for these appointees.
A resolution passed by the commissioners authorizes the county to enter into service provider agreements for the Department of Human Services.
The agreements are with Arc of Crawford County, Meadville; Milestone Psych services, Olean, NY; Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems, Bradford; Shippenville Project Point of Light, Inc., Shippenville; Wagner Behavioral Health Services, LLC, Titusville; McKean County Housing Authority and McKean County Redevelopment and Housing Authority, both of Smethport.
Commissioners have proclaimed May as Foster Care Month in the county. The proclamation recognizes the foster parents in Pennsylvania who are providing a safe, secure and stable home for about 13,000 to 15,000 children and youth in foster care.
There is a greater need for foster parents, according to the proclamation.
