Grants are unexpected boon

The nursing home director said funds slated for the facility were given to other projects.

By MARY GRZEBIENIAK

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

MERCER, Pa. — Smiles abounded at the Mercer County commissioners’ meeting as several municipalities and nonprofit agencies received grants they did not expect or larger amounts than they had expected.

Commissioners approved $259,206 in Community Development Block Grants for local projects and programs and redistributed $89,392 in leftover 2004 funds for projects that otherwise would not have been funded.

The only unhappy note at the Thursday meeting was struck by Tim Jablon, president of the board of directors of Woodland Place, the nonprofit nursing home that operates out of the former Mercer County Home.

Jablon came to the public hearing that preceded the meeting to ask commissioners to reconsider their intent to take away $76,000 in CDBG funds awarded to Woodland Place in 2004 for dining room renovations and give it to applicants for 2008 projects instead.

Jablon, who was named to the Woodland Place board two years ago, said the dining room project had been dormant for awhile because nursing home officials mistakenly believed the funds had to be matched and were not aware they were an outright grant.

He said that after he came on the board, Woodland Place representatives made inquiries and were told that architectural and engineering plans as well as permits and insurance had to be submitted to get the project going.

He said that all the paperwork was submitted in November and that he thought everything was in place for the project to begin. He said he was surprised this week when he read published reports that commissioners were giving the money to other groups.

Commissioners, however, would not reconsider.

Commissioner Kenneth Ammann remarked the money “sat there for 31⁄2 years unused,” and said the public will be better served in the redistribution to other projects.

Commissioner Brian Beader said the final deadline for spending CDBG money is June 2009, after which the funds would have to be returned to the federal government.

Beader said he repeatedly warned Woodland Place representatives the money had to be spent.

Jablon said after the meeting that for now, the project, which would have replaced windows in the nursing home’s dining room for energy efficiency, will have to be postponed.

He said he will resubmit the project for funding.

The list of projects that will receive the CDBG funds are: $140,550 for South Pymatuning Township for a water system; $138,800 for storm sewers in Wilmington Township; $24,448 for storm sewers in Mercer borough; $25,000 for road and street improvements in Jamestown to serve a high-rise for the elderly; $6,000 for continuation of food programs at Community Food Warehouse; $13,800 for continuation of Literacy Council programs in rural areas; and $3,000 to solve a hard-water problem at the McQuiston Center, a senior center in Sandy Lake operated by the Mercer County Area Agency on Aging.