Requests in Chambersburg exceed available money for block grants

March 25, 2008|By DON AINES

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Requests in Chambersburg for Community Development Block Grant funds for 2008 totaled $408,136, about $155,000 more than is available to the borough this year from the federal program.

The requests were reviewed Monday by the Chambersburg Borough Council. A public hearing will be held on April 14 before council votes on how the money will be spent, Council President William McLaughlin said.

Chambersburg has a CDBG entitlement of $252,677 this year and the borough administration requested more than is available - $333,000. That includes $152,000 for street improvements; $75,000 for the Mike Water Park project; $50,000 for the Elm Street Community Program; $36,000 for handicapped accessible curb ramps in the Fourth Ward; and $20,000 for a pedestrian crossing system on South Second Street at the Waters Park.

The Application Review Committee is recommending the Borough Council approve $75,190 for streets; $50,000 for Mike Waters Park, $20,000 for the pedestrian crossing and $32,487 for the curb ramps.

The borough has $50,407 in 2004 funds from its Housing Rehabilitation Program to reallocate. The borough administration is requesting that $25,000 go to the Waters Park and $25,407 to the Elm Street Community Program for public improvements.

That money became available for reallocation after the borough received a federal grant for the housing program, Borough Secretary Tanya Mickey said.

Under public services, the committee is recommending against funding a $45,136 request from Maranatha for its transitional housing program.

The committee recommends approval of a request from PIRHL Developers for $30,000 toward its 40-unit Chambersburg Family Townhomes Development. Mickey said this would be the second year of CDBG funding for that project.

The amount of money to dole out has been getting smaller in each of the past several years, down from $324,060 in 2003, according to borough figures. With less funding, the trend has been to spend more on public facilities and improvements and less on public services, Mickey said.

The committee also is recommending reallocating $3,227 left over from a 2003 program to the borough's curb and sidewalk program, a fund to help low- and moderate-income homeowners pay the cost of repairing, replacing or installing sidewalks in front of their properties.

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