MERCER COUNTY COG seeks free help from state inmates

The multigovernment agency has six projects where it can use some manpower.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- The Mercer County Regional Council of Governments is looking for some free state prison inmate labor to improve public facilities.
The state Department of Corrections offers a "Community Service Manpower Assistance" program, sending out supervised inmates to work on projects for municipalities and nonprofit groups.
James DeCapua, COG executive director, told his board of directors Wednesday that he has filed separate applications for six projects. If the state approves them, inmates from the minimum-security State Regional Correctional Facility at Mercer will provide the manpower, he said.
Priorities: Grading, raking, infield resurfacing and painting of buildings at the COG Softball Complex in Shenango Township is at the top of the list, DeCapua said.
Raking and grading the sand beach and doing some landscaping at the Chestnut Run Swim Beach on Shenango River Lake is second, while painting the bathhouse and fence at the Lackawannock-Shenango-West Middlesex swimming pool is third.
The other projects, in order of importance, are: Painting and some carpentry at the Shenango Valley Animal Shelter in Hermitage; power washing the interior and parking lot of the Shared Vehicle Storage Building and Farrell City Garage; and interior painting and some landscaping at the Shenango Valley Shuttle Service bus garage in Hermitage.
Also on agenda: In other business, the COG board authorized DeCapua to apply for $45,000 in state aid to be used as a matching grant for a state Weed and Seed program, should the cities of Sharon and Farrell decide to pursue that program.
The two municipalities are looking at targeting a high crime area along their shared George Street border and may decide to apply for a $185,000 Weed and Seed grant to do it.
The money would be used to crack down on drug trafficking and other illegal activities and the development of community revitalization programs such as job training and after-school children's programs.
The Weed and Seed grant requires a local match, and DeCapua said COG can apply for $30,000 through the state's Shared Municipal Services program and $15,000 through the state's Community Revitalization Grant program to provide the local share.
Both Sharon and Farrell city councils are expected to make a decision on the Weed and Seed program next week.