Franklin County to get stimulus funds for public, private sector projects

September 06, 2010|By JENNIFER FITCH

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. -- Stimulus funds are available in Franklin County, Pa., through actions taken by the county commissioners last week.

The commissioners designated all of Franklin County a "recovery zone" so that the county may receive up to $3.9 million from the federal government. The money is to be split between the private and public sectors.

The allocations are bonds for capital projects, so the borrowers will be required to pay back the money they receive. However, the federal government will pay 45 percent of the interest, County Administrator John Hart said.

For the public sector, the county commissioners may set aside bonds for the county's capital projects. Hart recommended they consider addressing issues with windows, boilers and the electrical system at Falling Spring Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

"It is original equipment from back into the '60s," he said.

What is left of the $1.56 million for the private sector after the commissioners' projects will be distributed by the Franklin County Industrial Development Authority, according Phil Tarquino, the county's planning director.

Entities like water and sewer authorities and school districts may apply for that money, he said.

About $2.35 million is designated for the public sector. Tarquino said the Franklin County Area Development Corp. was asked to handle that portion of the funding.

"The funds need to be allocated by the end of this year," Tarquino said.

"The intent is for the funds to be invested as soon as possible," said David Keller, chairman of the county commissioners.

The commissioners voted unanimously to create the recovery zone.

"I think it's a good way to leverage funds to stimulate growth in the public and private sectors," Commissioner Robert Ziobrowski said.

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