MERCER COUNTY COG asks commission to renew beach lease

The old lease expired a year ago.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- The Mercer County Regional Council of Governments wants the county commissioners to renew a 25-year lease for the Chestnut Run Swim Beach on Shenango River Lake.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers owns the site, off Pa. Route 846, and leased it to the county in 1976 for development as a public swim beach.
The county agreed to the deal on the condition that COG run the facility.
No action yet
The lease expired in November 2001, and though the facility was open to the public this year, the county has yet to renew its lease, saying it didn't want to have to continue contributing $10,000 a year toward the beach operation nor bear the responsibility for 75 percent of any annual operating deficit.
James DeCapua, COG executive director, said his board of directors voted Thursday to ask the commissioners to renew the lease with the corps for another 25 years with two new stipulations: an escape clause allowing the county or the corps to cancel the lease with 12 months' notice and an agreement by the corps to take over the operation and financial responsibility for the water well and sewage lift station at Chestnut Run.
Also, the county would not be responsible for any operating deficits, DeCapua added.
Additional funds
He came up with a source of additional funds this past summer that increased revenue for the operation and public use of the facility. COG, through the county, the Mercer County Housing Authority and the municipalities of Hermitage, Sharpsville and Farrell, was able to tap $41,000 in federal Community Development Block Grants to provide free transportation to low-income county residents to visit the beach and to cover some operating expenses, DeCapua said, adding that COG hopes to be able to tap that revenue source again next year.
The county leases the land rent-free. DeCapua said COG couldn't take over the lease because COG is made up of about two dozen individual municipalities, all of which would have to agree to financial responsibility for the beach operation.
Most would be unwilling to do that, he said.