Greene housing grants advance
WAYNESBURG – Greene County Commissioners approved the conditional award of $890,000 in housing grants Thursday from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.
The grant program is funded by impact fees on Marcellus Shale natural gas producers and will be used for housing projects throughout the county.
The grants, announced last week, include:
• $450,000 for the development of a second, four-unit apartment building in Jefferson Borough for people with disabilities by Accessible Dreams, a nonprofit developer.
• $165,000 to create senior housing at the former Rogersville Elementary School in Rogersville by the county redevelopment authority and Center Township.
• $150,000 to demolish a dilapidated house on Nazer Street in Waynesburg and to develop two, three bedroom single-family homes in the same community by Greene County Habitat for Humanity.
• $125,000 to provide rental and utility assistance to veterans who do not qualify for other assistance by Greene County Human Services.
At the meeting, the commissioners also approved a motion to begin condemnation proceedings to acquire property to extend the length of the Greene River Trail.
The property, an abandoned railroad bed at the south end of the trail, is 7,792 feet long and 20 feet wide and is owned by Leonard Svetz. The county was unable to reach an agreement with the owner on a purchase price.
The condemnation is being handled for the county by attorney Dave Pollock, who began working on the project years ago when he was a county solicitor. Commissioner Charles Morris, a member of the same law firm, abstained on the vote.
The commissioners approved $4,635 to the Greene County Veterans Council for the purchase of banners for the Veterans Day parade, for the group’s poster contest and administrative expenses.
The commissioners also approved a proclamation recognizing the Waynesburg Lions Club on its 75th anniversary.
During a salary board meeting that followed the regular meeting, the board:
• Accepted the retirement of Linda Ackney Moore, first deputy in the clerk of courts office, effective Oct. 30. She has been employed by the county for 14 years.
• Accepted the resignation of Candace Tustin, secretary in the tourism office, effective Oct. 1.
• Accepted the resignation of Warren Dickerson, environmental specialist in the conservation district, effective Oct. 14
• Hired Holy Riffle as an administrative assistant in probation at a wage of $13.53 an hour.
• Hired Jessica Huggins as a social service aide I in Human Services at a wage of $12.48 an hour.
• Promoted Amber Gauthier to regular full time caseworker supervisor in Children and Youth Services at a salary of $44,280.
• Rehired Siara Johnson to regular full-time fiscal operations officer in CYS at a salary of $44,316.
• Accepted the resignation of Andrea Foster, family support partner in Human Services, effective Oct. 16.
• Accepted the termination of court reporter Alyssa Puskarich by the court.
• Increase the hours for Maureen Maher, secretary in the district attorney’s office, by up to five hours a week to assist with victim-witness duties to be paid by a grant.
• Corrected the pay rate for Ryan Koffler, sheriff deputy II, to $16.04 an hour by union contract.