MERCER COUNTY COG delays decision on plan for parks, waits on study cost

The agency still wants part of a regional federal transit grant.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- A proposal for a seven-municipality comprehensive plan for recreation, parks and open space has been put on hold until study costs can be determined.
The Mercer County Regional Council of Governments is looking at applying for a state grant to conduct the study, but Melissa Koch, COG recreation and park specialist, said the final study numbers aren't available yet.
That prompted the COG executive board to table a request Wednesday for approval to file the grant until the numbers can be finalized.
There will be a local match required for any state aid and the board wants to know what that might be, said James DeCapua, COG executive director.
Koch said the study could involve Hermitage, Sharon, Farrell, Wheatland, West Middlesex, Shenango Township and Sharpsville.
DeCapua said Hermitage recently completed its own recreational study while Sharon had one done several years ago and Farrell completed one in 1999. A consultant hired for a new study could use those documents to help formulate a joint plan, reducing the extent of research required, he said.
The board wants that issue to be examined as well before allowing a grant application to be filed, he said.
Other action
In other business, DeCapua said he is still negotiating with the Western Reserve Transit Authority of Youngstown for the release of a federal capital/operating grant for the Shenango Valley Shuttle Service run by COG.
Because of population declines, the Federal Transit Authority linked Mercer County with the Youngstown-Warren metropolitan area beginning last year for funding purposes.
Previously, both the Shenango Valley Shuttle Service and the WRTA got their own direct federal allocations of capital and operating grants.
Mercer County was getting $409,000 a year and WRTA was getting about $2.9 million, DeCapua said.
When the two areas were merged, the FTA allocated total funding of $2.7 million.
DeCapua said WRTA got about $2.3 million of that amount last year and the shuttle service got $410,000.
Funding for this year hasn't been finalized and negotiations with WRTA on a agreement on the split have been difficult, he said, noting the WRTA has offered the shuttle service $240,000 of the $2.7 million allocation.
DeCapua said he will try to enlist the aid of the FTA in getting negotiations moving again. Time is important as the shuttle service is more than two months into its fiscal year, he said.