Published: May 26, 2009 11:08 pm      

Somerset Co. projects get more than $247G boost in federal funds

SOMERSET — More than $247,000 from the federal economic-stimulus program will help pay for projects including water improvements in Jenner Township and road construction in Windber Borough.

Officials on Tuesday said the cash will be used in conjunction with Somerset County’s annual appropriation of Community Development Block Grant money from the federal government.

Taken together, the regular block grants and stimulus funding represent an investment of nearly $1.2 million throughout the county.

“It is important money for the communities,” county Commissioner Pamela Tokar-Ickes said.

The stimulus money will be distributed in six communities.

The biggest allocation, $80,320, will be spent on a sewer project along Paint and Main streets in Paint Borough.

Steven Spochart, Somerset County Redevelopment Authority executive director, said the remaining stimulus cash will be distributed evenly among five municipalities: Conemaugh, Jenner and Somerset townships and Somerset and Windber boroughs.

Each will receive $33,470.

Those same five municipalities, classified as “entitlement” communities because of their population, also will receive varying block-grant allotments this year:

• Conemaugh Township: $136,793 to help eligible homeowners pay for sewer laterals in connection with sewer-system improvements in the Benscreek area.

The township’s stimulus money will fund a minimum of two housing-rehabilitation jobs.

• Jenner Township: $97,217 for a water project in the village of Gray. The township’s stimulus allocation will help pay for water-service laterals on Griffie Road.

• Somerset Borough: $128,757 for a sewer project along South Columbia Avenue. The borough’s stimulus cash will go toward the same job.

• Somerset Township: $179,142 to help fund a sewer project along Berlin Plank Road and the Garrett Shortcut, a job that also will be paid for with stimulus money.

• Windber Borough: $101,188, along with the borough’s stimulus allocation, for road construction along 17th and Railroad streets.

Some of those projects already are under way, Spochart said.

Additionally, the county’s regular block-grant allocation of $300,206 will be distributed among Benson, Confluence, Hooversville, Meyersdale, Paint and Rockwood boroughs.

That includes $50,000 for sidewalks in Benson and $51,000 for a streetscape project in Meyersdale.

Though the block-grant and stimulus money already has been appropriated by the federal government, Spochart still must file applications to access the funding.

He expects that the cash will be available by August or September.