Commissioners approve $8 million in LSA grants for 45 projects
The Washington County commissioners have signed off on plans to use $8 million in gambling revenue to fund 40 local projects in the county.
The commissioners voted unanimously during their Thursday meeting to approve the 45 projects recommended by the Local Share Account committee, and will now send the list to the state Department of Economic and Community Development for final approval.
After Thursday’s meeting, Commission Chairwoman Diana Irey Vaughan thanked the LSA committee for its work to review the scores of applications and provide a list of numerous projects to be funded to help the community.
“Once again, the Local Share committee spent hours and hours poring over requests for projects in their community,” Irey Vaughan said. “Our recommendations will now move on to the DCED for their review before formal approval and release of funds.”
Of the $8 million, the majority will go to projects earmarked for community improvement and public interest focusing on water and sewage upgrades. The grants ranged from $10,000 to both the Daisytown Community Center and Literacy Council for education programs to the largest grant of $700,000 to the Washington Business District Authority for its “Washington Rising” revitalization plan.
While water and sewage projects have usually been the focus of the LSA funds in the past, this year’s list also was intended to help several small town revitalization projects through grants to demolish dilapidated buildings or improve Main Street business districts.
“One of the priorities we’ve been emphasizing is we want to see greater investment into our small towns,” Irey Vaughan said. “Individuals are choosing to live in our small towns or in close proximity, and we believe it’s time to invest and revitalize in them.”
The LSA held two public hearings in January reviewing a total of 87 grant applications requesting a combined $25.25 million before whittling down the list and making its recommendation to the commissioners.
The committee voted Jan. 24 to recommend the list of projects to receive a portion of the gaming money last year from the Hollywood Casino at The Meadows in North Strabane that is earmarked by the DCED for distribution.
The final grant amount the county will receive from the state won’t officially be known until next month, but the committee felt comfortable with the estimated number that was slightly higher than recent years after higher than usual gambling revenue statewide. The list has to be sent to the DECD by March 31 for final approval.
Community Improvement – $3,085,705
Washington 7th Ward Park – $50,000
Beallsville Borough Building Rehabilitation – $160,000
West Brownsville Municipal Building Space – $229,000
Burgettstown Senior Center Roof – $55,000
Canonsburg Façade Improvement – $193,750
Center in the Woods Inc. Sidewalk Upgrades – $120,000
Charleroi Demolition and Blight Initiative – $180,000
Daisytown Community Center Restoration – $40,000
Washington Business District Façade Grant – $125,000
Finleyville VFD Training Facility – $170,000
Independence Township Community Park – $120,000
LeMoyne Community Center Renovation and Expansion – $300,000
McKean Avenue Demolition – $225,000
Centerville Borough Police Vehicle Safety/Security – $65,450
Little Lake Theatre Company – 75-Year Anniversary – $75,000
Speers Bridge Arentzen Boulevard – $128,505
Washington Co. Fairgrounds Improvements – $629,000
North Franklin Waterside Park Greenway – $220,000
Economic Development – $1,450,000
Washington Downtown Rising Revitalization Project – $700,000
W&J College Ignite Business Incubator – $300,000
Chapman Properties Ridge Road Industrial Park – $250,000
Washington Co. Marketing & Workforce – Chamber of Commerce – $200,000
Public Interest (Water/Sewage) – $2,532,805
New Eagle Municipal Authority – $100,000
Carroll Township Authority – $200,000
Beallsville Vacuum Sewer System Rehab & Upgrade – $150,000
Municipal Authority of the City of Monongahela – $50,000
Centerville Borough Sanitary Authority – $58,300
Center West Joint Sewer Authority – $25,455
East Bethlehem Township Municipal Authority – $200,000
Authority of the Borough of Charleroi – $130,000
Mon Valley Sewage Authority – $219,050
West Pike Run Township – $200,000
Authority of the Borough of Charleroi – $300,000
Bentleyville Municipal Authority – $250,000
Tri-County Joint Municipal Authority – $500,000
Marianna Borough – $150,000
Public Interest (General) – $761,490
Washington County Transportation Authority/Freedom Transit Garage – $297,110
Daisytown Community Center Tutoring Program – $10,000
Donora VFD Fire Boat – $47,606
Literacy Council GED/HiSET Test Voucher/Scholarship Program – $10,000
Blueprints Home Ownership Center – $100,000
Penn Highlands Mon Valley Hospital Neurosurgical Services – $150,000
WCHA Nathan Goff Jr. Apartments Public Transportation Safe Bus Route – $146,774
Job Training – $170,000
WHS Enhanced Simulation for Education and Workforce Development – $80,000
Trinity High School Rehab Aide/Athletic Training Facility/Veterinarian Tech – $90,000