$7.2M in LSA grants available for Washington County projects
Part one of the list of applicants for Washington County's LSA funding
Part two of the list of applicants for Washington County's LSA funding
The amount of Local Share Account money the state has allocated to Washington County through gambling revenue is rebounding after dropping slightly last year when gaming figures slid during the 2020 pandemic shutdowns.
A total of $7.2 million is available for funding this year with 65 applicants vying for a piece of the LSA grant money for various projects across the county.
The amount available is nearly 10% higher than last year when only $6.6 million was allocated after separate shutdown orders in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily closed casinos across the state. But revenue has rebounded at the newly-renamed Hollywood Casino at The Meadows in North Strabane, bringing the 2022 LSA funding in line with past years, which have averaged about $7 million since 2015.
“We’re really glad to see the figures are continuing to increase so we can provide more money to the community,” Washington County Commission Chairwoman Diana Irey Vaughan said about the amount of grant money available from the state Department of Community & Economic Development.
Bill McGowen, executive director of the Redevelopment Authority of Washington County, which processes the applications and administers the grants for the projects once they’re awarded, also was pleased with this year’s allocation, which will allow them to fund more projects.
“That’s good,” McGowen said.
The 65 applications proposed by various municipalities, sewer and water authorities, schools, hospitals and non-governmental organizations are requesting a total of $15.873 million in grants.
Applicants will appear at one of two LSA review committee hearings later this week to state why they should be considered for the grants. The meetings, which are scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Friday, are open to the public and will held in the first-floor meeting room at the county’s Courthouse Square building in Washington. The hearings will be streamed live online on the Washington County Commissioners Facebook page.
Jeff Kotula, chairman of LSA review committee, said the program has been a “tremendous asset” for the county since it began 15 years ago.
“It provides us with the ability to invest in economic, infrastructure and community development projects from across the county-with every community benefiting from the funding,” Kotula said in a written statement.
The LSA review committee will then make recommendations on which projects should receive funding, and the county commissioners will make the final decisions on the grants at a later date.
For the full list of the 65 project applications for LSA funding, visit www.observer-reporter.com.
2022 – $7.2 million
2021 – $6.6 million
2020 – $6.9 million
2019 – $7.45 million
2018 – $6.7 million
2017 – $6.75 million
2016 – $8.1 million
2015 – $6.5 million