Washington County commissioners approve 67 projects for LSA grants
More than $10 million in gambling revenue released
Mike Jones/Observer-Reporter
Scores of projects both big and small in Washington County will be receiving a portion of more than $10 million in Local Share Account gambling revenue this year after the commissioners voted unanimously Thursday to award 67 grants.
The grants ranged from $500,000 for renovations at Wild Things Park and the same amount to the Canonsburg Education and Cultural Institute to convert the former Canon-McMillan middle school auditorium into a community center, to the smallest allocation of $12,785 to the Bradford House Historical Association for museum improvements.
No matter the size of the individual grant, the overall economic impact of the projects is expected to bring an additional $68.38 million in investment to the county.
“I am thrilled to see these funds making a meaningful difference across projects of all sizes in both our towns and rural communities,” Commission Chairman Nick Sherman said in a written statement following the vote. “From vital infrastructure enhancements to the revitalization of downtown areas to new developments, we are committed to driving economic growth and enriching the lives of our residents.”
Sherman and fellow Commissioners Electra Janis and Larry Maggi agreed to the same list of 67 projects recommended last month by the LSA committee, which reviewed 119 applications requesting a total of $37 million in requests. It’s the 15th year of the LSA program, which has become a vital source of revenue from the gaming industry that has provided countless grants to community improvement, economic development, job training and sewage infrastructure projects.
The LeMoyne Community Center in Washington received $400,000 for its classroom and administrative offices expansion project that leaders there are hoping will begin soon and be completed in a year. The center also received a $300,000 grant from LSA in 2023 and another $350,000 from the federal American Rescue Plan Act to help get the project underway.
“This money is helping us tremendously,” LeMoyne Center Executive Director Teresa Burroughs said. “We’re really growing at a rapid pace and doing some good things here, so I’m excited about it.”
The center is building another classroom to help with after-school and summer programs that are growing to offer even more students educational opportunities, such as one-on-one tutoring, test preparation and other enrichment programs that include guitar lessons, STEM classes and art murals.
“With an additional classroom, we’ll be able to bring more students in because we do have a wait-list of students with parents trying to get their children in,” Burroughs said. “There are a lot of enrichment opportunities, and as we grow, so do those enrichment programs. … This LSA money is allowing us to bring more opportunities into these kids’ hands.”
One of the smaller projects – but just as worthy – to receive LSA funds is the $17,077 going to the city of Monongahela’s “Stayin Alive” initiative that is purchasing 20 automated electronic defibrillators for the department’s police cars and stations.
“This is a huge win for our city,” said Dorothea Pemberton, who serves as Mon City’s director of communications and administration.
The city’s police department also provides protection in New Eagle, Finleyville and Union Township, so those municipalities will also benefit from having a police car with an AED in the trunk ready to help if someone goes into cardiac arrest. They will place 20 AEDs in vehicles, the city building in Monongahela and the substations in their contracted community.
“A lot of times in an emergency, our police officers are first on scene,” Pemberton said, adding their police officers recently had training on the devices and will be able to use them in an emergency. “It makes a huge impact and benefits the community and the boroughs and municipalities we serve. … I’m excited about it because I think it was a great win for our city.”
Projects such as those are exactly what the commissioners want to see, Sherman said, adding that they thanked the LSA committee for their work to recommend which applications should receive grants this year.
“These LSA funds are designed to empower economic development, job training, community improvement and public interest projects throughout Washington County,” Sherman said.
LSA – 67 projects recommended to receive $10 million in funds
Community Improvement
Recommended Funding $3.889 million
Bentworth Athletic Stadium Parking Improvements
Bentworth Community Athletic Stadium Initiative
Recommended Funding: $38,690
Bradford House Museum Improvements
Bradford House Historical Association
Recommended Funding: $12,785
Canonsburg Area Senior Center Door Replacement/Attic Renovation
Aging Services of Washington County
Recommended Funding: $85,000
Cecil Auditorium Development Project
Canonsburg Education and Cultural Institute
Recommended Funding: $500,000
Donora Borough Public Works Facility
Donora Borough
Recommended Funding: $250,000
Dreamers Headquarters Renovation Phase 2
The Dreamers Company
Recommended Funding: $200,000
Ellsworth Community Park Exercise Trail
Ellsworth Borough
Recommended Funding: $30,000
Heist Spirits Distillery Expansion
Ramsey Real Estate Co.
Recommended Funding: $25,000
HVAC Project
Low Cost Spay Neuter Washington County Inc.
Recommended Funding: 24,780
Jim Welch Multi-Purpose Event Center
Shkinah Youth Ranch of the Mon Valley
Recommended Funding: $300,000
Classroom/Administrative Expansion Project
LeMoyne Community Center
Recommended Funding: $400,000
Little A Town Arena Improvements Project
Little A Town Arena
Recommended Funding: $250,000
Long Branch Borough Building
Long Branch Borough
Recommended Funding: $207,936
McGuffey Senior Center New Roof & Repair Siding
Aging Services of Washington County
Recommended Funding: $47,500
Meadowcroft Rockshelter Lighting Upgrades
Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
Recommended Funding: $135,000
Multi-use Borough Building Roof Replacement Project
Marianna Borough
Recommended Funding: $150,000
North Charleroi Kids Park Rehabilitation
North Charleroi Borough
Recommended Funding: $35,000
Pony League Operation Facility
World Series Tournaments Inc.
Recommended Funding: $50,000
Project 47
Mel Blount Youth Home of Pennsylvania
Recommended Funding: $300,000
The Sprowls Building Complex Renovation Project
Claysville Area Preservation and Revitalization Initiative
Recommended Funding: $250,000
Washington Park Amenities Rehabilitation Project
City of Washington
Recommended Funding: $70,000
West Bethlehem Township Park Improvements
West Bethlehem Township
Recommended Funding: $27,958
Wild Things Park Upgrades
Washington Wild Things
Recommended Funding: $500,000
Economic Development
Recommended Funding: $800,000
Epi-Center
Epi-Center LP
Recommended Funding: $300,000
Fort Cherry Development District – Phase 1B
Imperial Land Corporation
Recommended Funding: $300,000
Lincoln National Bank Renovation and Business Incubator
Independence Township
Recommended Funding: $200,000
Public Interest
Recommended Funding: $5.041 million
Brush Run WWTP Equipment Upgrades and Replacements
Peters Township Sanitary Authority
Recommended Funding: $250,000
CIPP Repair Program Project F
New Eagle Municipal Sewage Authority
Recommended Funding: $150,000
Treatment Plant Control System Upgrades
New Eagle Municipal Sewage Authority
Recommended Funding: $110,000
Act 537 Plan Update
Blaine Township
Recommended Funding: $34,000
Beryl Acres EQ Tank Upgrade
North Bethlehem Township
Recommended Funding: $63,700
Blower Replacement Project
Mon Valley Sewage
Recommended Funding: $100,000
Cherrybrook Sewage Lift Station Improvements Project
Cecil Township Municipal Authority
Recommended Funding: $200,000
Composite Sampler Procurement & Replacement Project
Hanover Township Sewer Authority
Recommended Funding: $15,000
CTA Ginger Hill Sewer Authority
Carroll Township Authority
Recommended Funding: $438,000
MACM WWTP Digester Upgrades
Municipal Authority of the City of Monongahela
Recommended Funding: $111,440
Chartiers Interceptor Sewer Rehabilitation Project
Washington-East Washington Joint Authority
Recommended Funding: $300,000
Vestaburg Pump Station
Vestaburg New Hill Joint Authority
Recommended Funding: $37,770
Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements Project Phase 2
Mid Mon Valley Pollution Control Authority
Recommended Funding: $160,000
Roscoe Borough Stormwater System Improvements
Roscoe Borough
Recommended Funding: $58,000
Second Street Extension and West Grant Street Drainage Project
Houston Borough
Recommended Funding: $32,000
Always B Smiling City Water
Always B Smiling
Recommended Funding: $228,883
Banker Hill Road Water Extension Project
Amwell Township
Recommended Funding: $150,000
Burgettstown Health Center Water System Improvements
Cornerstone Care Inc.
Recommended Funding: $96,161
Burkhart, Astrid and White Street Waterline Replacements
Bentleyville Municipal Authority
Recommended Funding: $160,000
Fallowfield Waterline Replacements
Authority of the Borough of Charleroi
Recommended Funding: $200,000
High Road Waterline Replacement
Municipal Authority of the Township of Washington
Recommended Funding: $270,000
Remote Water Meter Installation Project
Donegal Township
Recommended Funding: $94,225
Adult Literacy Initiative
Literacy Council of Southwestern Pennsylvania
Recommended Funding: $70,000
Bus Maintenance and Storage Facility
Washington County Transportation Authority/Freedom Transit
Recommended Funding: $225,000
Catfish Creek Tributary Stream Restoration Project
East Washington Borough
Recommended Funding: $100,000
Food Helpers Facility Campus Improvements
Food Helpers
Recommended Funding: $70,000
Gunny’s Ridge Veteran and First Responders Mission
Gunny’s Ridge Veteran and First Responders Mission NPO
Recommended Funding: $348,959
Human Service Support
Washington County Department of Human Services
Recommended Funding: $125,000
Centerville Clinics Radiology Equipment Improvements
Centerville Clinics Inc.
Recommended Funding: $298,986
McBurney Road Flood Mitigation Project
Canonsburg Borough
Recommended Funding: $90,000
Morris Township VFD Building Efficiency and Weatherproofing Project
Morris Township Volunteer Fire Department
Recommended Funding: $104,764
Multi-Municipal License Plate Reader Cameras
Chartiers, South Strabane and Houston
Recommended Funding: $140,505
Pike Street Crosswalks Project
Canonsburg Borough
Recommended Funding: $67,187
Serenity Farms Computer Lab
Serenity Farms Inc.
Recommended Funding: $42,970
Stayin Alive AED Project
City of Monongahela
Recommended Funding: $17,077
Municipal Building ADA Restroom Renovation and ADA Renovation Project
Twilight Borough
Recommended Funding: $81,510
Job Training
Recommended Funding: $294,264
Classroom to Career Readiness STEAM Robotics
Charleroi Area School District
Recommended Funding: $18,497
Facility Instruction Lab Extension
Mon Valley Career and Technology Center
Recommended Funding: $90,000
Community Innovative Technology Advancements and Vocational Career Enhancements
Trinity Area School District
Recommended Funding: $26,170
WACTC Health Assistants Equipment
Western Area Career & Technology Center
Recommended Funding: $100,000
STEAM Project
Washington School District
$59,597