Development funds

Pike disperses nearly $2M

By TOM KANE

MILFORD, PA - The Pike County Commissioners handled a full docket at their last meeting on March 4.

First, they discussed valuable information on the stimulus package on Senator Bob Casey’s website, www.casey.senate.gov .

They approved a $5,000 grant from the Scenic Rural Character Preservation (SRCP) program to help fund a four-day training session by Pace University Law School’s Land Use Leadership Alliance (LULA) on April 3 and 17 and on May 1 and 15 for municipal officials and community leaders. “They will be discussing a number of land strategies like conservation subdivisions, storm water management, various zoning issues and such things,” said Sally Corrigan, director of the county planning division. “We’re offering the training to Pike and Wayne County officials in Pennsylvania and in Sullivan and Delaware counties in New York. The training will be held at Eldred Preserve in Eldred, NY,” Corrigan said.

Attendance at the sessions is by invitation only.

The commissioners approved a grant of $1,304,392 from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) for the acquisition of 708 acres of the farm owned by the Polatnick family in Westfall, PA that will have a conservation easement. The property will be used for recreational purposes for county residents.

A forum on foreclosures will be held for residents who are in danger of losing their homes, offering advice on what resources they can utilize to keep their homes. The forum dates are Thursday, March 19 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and on Friday, March 27 from noon to 2:00 p.m. Seating is limited to the first 50 people. To pre-register, call 570/296-9980 or 800/306-6963.

The commissioners certified $133,077 to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture for use in the county’s Agriculture Land Preservation Program. The SRCP program provided $100,000 of the amount.

“For 2009, Pike County received an allocation of $226,902 from the state to assist in the purchase of agriculture conservation easements,” said Jessica Grohmann of the county planning department. “That gives Pike County a total of $359,047 for 2009 to be used for the agriculture land preservation.”

The commissioners also approved funds from the Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, which provides financial assistance to eligible communities. The county’s allocation of approximately $300,000 will fund $162,000 for Milford Borough for a parking lot acquisition; $41,000 for Greene Township to remove architectural barriers at the township building; $23,175 for Matamoras Borough for a generator for the fire house and $28,825 for a warning system. The remaining $45,000 will be required for the administration of the program.