Commissioners Designate Money toward Kittanning Revitalization

by Jonathan Weaver

The Armstrong County Commissioners proclaimed yesterday to designate some State funding toward a local improvement project.

According to Marcellus Shale Coordinator Carly Cowan, money from the Marcellus Legacy Fund will be used toward the ongoing Downtown Kittanning Revitalization Project.

“The commissioners have decided to allocate $30,000 of the Downtown Kittanning impact project. And the first phase of that is the streetscape design services,” Cowan said.

Armstrong County received nearly $58,500 in the fund for 2012. The county as a whole profited by more than $500,000 in Act 13 Marcellus Shale impact fees – in a separate funding account – as well as distributing as much to municipalities.

Cowan said both funds will keep raising revenue as long as wells keep producing.

She said there is no deadline for spending the remaining nearly-$28,500.

“I think they have potential uses in-mind for the remainder of the money, but that’s yet to be determined or announced,” Cowan said.

According to a provision under Act 13, revenues from the Marcellus Legacy Fund for open space may be used for the planning, acquisition, development, rehabilitation and repair of greenways, recreational trails, open space, natural areas, community conservation and beautification projects, community and heritage parks and water resource management.

Funds may also be used to acquire lands for recreational or conservation purposes and land damaged or prone to drainage by storms or flooding.

Commissioners met with the Industrial Development Council Mike Coonley and Planning and Development Executive Director Rich Palilla.

Coonley was thankful for the contribution.

“We’re certainly thrilled the commissioners would decide to take the lead with the redesign of downtown,” Coonley said. “It’s very encouraging.”

Revitalization committee members have been monitoring the traffic study progression since 2011 before completing the final design and fundraising.

Whitman, Requardt & Associates engineers – led by Project Manager Scott Thompson-Graves – had a public meeting on four options for transportation study improvements along Market Street, Water Street, Jacob Street and South Grant Avenue in November.

Community Development Division Director Jennifer Bellas said the Project Advisory Committee has since evaluated those options and narrowed them down. After a draft report by the engineering firm, those options are to be discussed during a community stakeholder meeting tentatively scheduled for February.

“It’s a slow process, but we are moving,” Bellas said.

Those options are subject to review before being presented to Kittanning Borough Council.

Cowan anticipated seeing the progress made to keep moving toward the overall goal.

“Definitely. It fits perfectly along-the-lines of what the money’s intended for,” Cowan said. “There is a great need, especially (for some beautification) along Market Street of Downtown Kittanning. It’ll be nice to see (the project) come to fruition.”

According to a November 2011 revitalization meeting, business owners would have to raise about $1 million to utilize matching State grant funding

In other County news, commissioners recognized the 50^th anniversary of the Armstrong Conservation District.

District Manager David Rupert and several board of directors were at the meeting yesterday to commemorate the occasion.

“50 years ago, the Armstrong County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution declaring Armstrong County to be a soil and water conservation district that would be governed by a volunteer board of directors,” Rupert said.

That resolution was adopted January 26, 1963.

Of the seven board of directors, Commissioner Chair David Battaglia was also in-attendance.

“We’re kicking off this golden anniversary of conservation in Armstrong County, and I’d like to thank those present and past board members who served the conservation district and the conservation community in Armstrong County,” Rupert added.

The proclamation was read by Commissioner Bob Bower and unanimously approved.

Commissioners also signed a one-year agreement with Comcast Enterprises Services to allow the Armstrong 9-1-1 center to connect with Westmoreland County 9-1-1 for dispatcher training of the new system.

Some of that funding comes through a grant received via Kittanning Hose Company #6 and is to be slightly more than $600 per month, according to 9-1-1 Coordinator Ron Bausert.

Commissioner Rich Fink confirmed he has donated his net salary increase to the Armstrong County Children, Youth and Family Advisory Committee’s Special Fund, a fund designed for children at-risk or in neglect for emergency food and supplies. Commissioners approved a two-percent wage increase during the salary board’s first meeting of January.