Projects Include $778,440 in Grants for Community Facility Projects
United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) State Director of Pennsylvania Bob Morgan today announced that USDA is investing $1.19 million to build and improve critical community facilities in Pennsylvania.
“When we invest in rural health care services and infrastructure, we invest in the people of rural America,” Morgan said during a tour of the St. Luke’s Carbon Hospital today in Lehighton, Pa.
This community infrastructure funding will benefit approximately 109,000 people in rural Pennsylvania.
The 15 projects range from new law enforcement vehicles to community library renovations:
- Park City will use a $44,200 grant to purchase a new dump truck. The new truck will replace the city's dump truck that is almost to the end of its useful life making maintenance costly. This truck will allow the rural city to keep the roadways safe by having a reliable vehicle to plow and salt the roads in winter and remove debris year-round.
- Shippensburg Borough will use a $41,000 grant to purchase a new patrol interceptor with additional equipment and a security system for the patrol department. The current equipment is essential but outdated so the new equipment will ensure the safety of the public and patrol officers.
- Jordan Township will use a $48,900 grant to purchase a new tractor and loader. Currently, the township owns a tractor and loader that has reached the end of its useful life. The new equipment will allow the township to provide more reliable maintenance to the roads in the service area.
- Newport School District will use a $417,900 loan and $44,200 grant to pave and re-line the parking lots in the Newport High School and Newport Elementary School. The parking lots have not been repaved in years and need new lines.
- Coaldale Borough will use a $35,840 grant to purchase a new patrol SUV interceptor with additional equipment. The new vehicle is needed to replace one of the borough's patrol vehicles that is nearing the end of its useful life.
- The Animal Care Fund will use a $38,200 grant to purchase various medical equipment and furnishings including but not limited to computers and electronic devices, veterinary surgical items, and animal care instruments. The equipment will be stored and used at the main animal care facility in Smithfield Township, Pa.
- Northern Columbia Community and Cultural Center will use a $27,000 grant to resurface the driveway, parking lot and landscaping at the center located in Benton, Pa. The facility provides essential community services as well as a health and wellness center for Columbia County.
- Cummings Township will use a $50,000 grant to purchase a new street maintenance truck with equipment. This will replace the township’s 2008 Dodge Ram 5500 truck that is unreliable and is reaching the end of its useful life. The new truck will be equipped with plow and spreader accessories. The equipment will be used mainly to maintain the streets and roads within the township.
- The City of Warren will use a $21,200 grant to purchase a new Ford Interceptor utility vehicle. This new vehicle is needed because one of the city’s current unmarked vehicles is nine years old and has extensive mechanical issues making it unsafe for use. This purchase will allow the city to safely transport citizens for various events and allow them to keep all marked cars for the patrol unit.
- The Amelia S. Givin Free Library will use a $14,300 grant to paint the exterior trim of the library and purchase new materials for the library. The exterior has not been painted in 12 years and is in poor condition. New materials such as books, books-on-cd, magazines, CDs and DVDs are needed because their current materials are outdated. The library serves Mount Holly Springs Borough and surrounding communities.
- The Municipal Authority of the City of Sunbury will use a $18,700 grant to purchase a new Ford F-250 to be used for flood control. The city of Sunbury is protected from flooding by a federally authorized flood protection system. This system is over five miles long and requires continuous monitoring and maintenance. The purchase of a new 4x4 pick-up truck ensures that this can be accomplished and particularly during flooding events.
- Westfield Borough will use a $29,400 grant to purchase a new F-350 truck with plow to be used by the public works and the sewer department. The truck will be used for snow removal, cinder, haul gravel or patch for roads, haul sewer flusher and mowing equipment as well as many other uses. They are replacing their 2013 GMC Sierra which is aging and too costly to maintain. The new vehicle will maximize time and safety for the borough’s roads.
- Mansfield Borough will use a $26,500 grant to purchase a new patrol vehicle with additional equipment. The new vehicle is needed to replace one of the borough's patrol vehicles to avoid costly maintenance repairs. This vehicle will allow the patrol department to have a more reliable vehicle for the officers to safely respond to calls.
- The Innes Hose Company in Canton, Pa., will use a $144,500 grant to purchase a Spartan Fire truck and Chevy 3500 Rescue truck which will be outfitted as a brush truck with accessories.
- Burnside Township will use a $50,000 grant to purchase a new Ram 5500 chassis which will be configured as a dump truck with plow. The current maintenance truck is a 1998 dump truck that has become very costly to maintain and is at the end of its useful life. The purchase will benefit the township and its citizens and appears quite necessary since the township now only has one useable service vehicle.
As part of National Rural Health Week, USDA announced investments of $222 million through the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program across the nation. This funding includes $132 million to support health-care-related improvements, emergency response services and food security. These health-care-related improvements will benefit nearly 850,000 rural residents in 36 states.
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