Kittanning Campbell Street Reconstruction Scheduled for Next Year
Community Planning and Development Assistant Director Carmen Johnson answers a question posed by Kittanning Borough Council President Andy Peters during yesterday evening’s short meeting continuation.
by Jonathan Weaver
More than 20 families along a Kittanning Borough road will benefit from the community’s next grant project.
During a resumed council meeting last night, Kittanning Borough council members approved to use more than $82,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds toward reconstruction of Campbell Street in the borough’s second ward.
The motion was made by First Ward Councilwoman Betsy Wilt and seconded by First Ward Councilman David Croyle before being unanimously approved by the five council members present.
County Planning and Development Assistant Director Carmen Johnson led the second public hearing about the use of the funds before the October 5 regular monthly meeting, and council members did not object to the use of the funds then, either.
Local residents also did not object, nor did they submit any written complaints until the October 13 deadline.
Council President Andy Peters asked Johnson when the project would begin, to which she said it might not be until mid-to-late 2016.
“It might not be until next year at this time because the application is actually due in December, and then by the time the State reviews the application and gets us a contract, and there’s no set time frame for that.
“And then we have to do an environmental review and so forth. We usually tell people it might not until a year from now to get started.”
Senate Engineering projected the cost would be less than the grant funding, but if need be, council members can re-allocate funds from their 2014 allocation.
Last year, council members allocated their total grant amount $82,161- or about $67,400 if not counting money to account for County administrative fees - into housing rehabilitation.
“(Kittanning Borough has) the entire allocation because we put it into housing (rehabilitation) because we couldn’t find an activity,” Johnson said. “After we actually have the executed contract in-hand, then we can make modifications.”
That money was set-aside in-case enough income surveys returned to the Planning and Development office to pave Fair Street.
The Campbell Street residents who completed the surveys meet the low-to-moderate income requirement.
Johnson explained that there is a deadline to use that grant funding.
“The grant contracts are for five years, but the State wants (entitlement communities) to spend that money within three years,” Johnson said.
Borough Council members have approximately 20 other project proposals on their three-year plan –including renovating the Community Park playground, reconstructing several streets, sidewalks or curbs, and constructing a roof to cover the John P. Murtha Amphitheatre.
Since 1984, Kittanning Borough has received more than $3 million in grant funds. Grant funds have been reduced regularly since its incorporation.
Kittanning Borough | jweaver October 15, 2015
