Panel recommends 3 of 6 CDBG requests

One group that received funding last year was shut out this year.

By MARY GRZEBIENIAK

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

MERCER, Pa. — It’s decision time for Mercer County officials as they wrestle with how to fund 10 pounds of projects with a 5-pound bank account.

Representatives from the Mercer County Literacy Council told Mercer County Commissioners that the group’s “Living Room Learning” program in rural areas cannot continue without Community Development Block Grant funds.

Commissioners must decide at their Feb. 28 meeting which projects will receive the 2008 funding.

The Mercer County Regional Planning Commission already has reviewed the requests and recommended the Literacy Council’s $28,724 request not be funded. The group received $17,900 last year.

Commissioners do not have to follow the recommendation but requests for 2008 funding amount to $403,714 while only $259,160 is available for projects.

Only 15 percent of the grant may be used for public services as opposed to construction projects.

Geraldine Moore, coordinator of the Literacy Council’s Sharon Center, told commissioners that although the group receives some funding from the United Way and other sources and does fundraising, it could not continue the outreach to rural areas without the CDBG money.

She said participants in the rural outreach program are found by going door to door and by agency referrals. Most clients are on public assistance and many are able to move into the work force once their literacy problems are resolved, she said.

Since July, 45 people have participated in the program, with many going on to find jobs, enter educational programs, earn driver’s licenses, and obtain their General Education Development diplomas as well as employment.

Only three of six requests for the CDBG funds were recommended for funding. They were $140,550 for a South Pymatuning Township water main for 15 homes; $114,610 for a storm sewer system for Wilmington Township that would benefit 17 homes; and $4,000 for the Community Food Warehouse to meet increasing hunger among the working poor.

In addition to the Literacy Council, other projects not recommended for funding were a $34,640 street construction project in Jamestown and $55,000 for replacement of sanitary sewer laterals for 12 homes owned by low- and moderate-income residents in Mercer.

Borough officials told commissioners that sewer lateral replacements are needed to help residents experiencing sewer backups on the aging sewer system there.

Mercer Councilman Jerry Johnson reminded commissioners that the borough’s tax revenue is affected because one-third of Mercer’s land is occupied by government buildings and is therefore tax-exempt.