Tyrone Borough continues to work on an effort to clear blighted properties in the municipality.
Last month, the borough held a public hearing regarding a proposal to reprogram Community Development Block Grant funds provided through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for the Fiscal Year 2003 CDBG program.
The borough’s finance director Phyllis Garhart said the hearing is required when the borough wants to divert the use of money from an already approved project to a proposed project.
The borough is proposing to reallocate $10,000 in funding that is currently allocated for recreation facilities for improvements to the borough’s pool. Instead, the borough wants to use the funds for the removal of dilapidated blighted properties.
According to a public hearing notice which was published in The Daily Herald prior to the hearing, the budgeted amount for pool improvements in the fiscal year 2003 CDBG program was $111,817. The borough is proposing to have that amount decreased by $10,000 to $101,817. The move would leave $10,000 available for the clearance activity to be used for the blighted properties. The clearance activity is designated as a new activity in terms of the CDBG funding from fiscal year 2003.
The notice from the borough explained the purpose of the hearing was to allow citizens to express their views and comments on the proposed modification. The borough also accepted written comments on the issue up to and including the day of the public hearing.
Garhart said the issue is expected to be brought up at the next council meeting on Dec. 13, 2004. After holding a special meeting about its proposed budget on Dec. 1, the borough has canceled its meeting which was scheduled on Monday, Dec. 6.
The proposal to divert funds for dealing with blighted properties is one of a number of moves made by and on behalf of the borough in an effort to secure properties for a proposed hotel in the downtown area.
Previously, the borough had applied for $650,000 from the DCED to help it acquire properties in the 900 block of Pennsylvania Avenue and have the buildings demolished.
Also, Altoona Blair County Development Corporation has requested $31,000 in funding from the Pennsylvania Financial Authority. The money is being requested through a new Business in Our Sites program.
Patrick Miller of ABCD said the request is expected to be considered by the authority in mid-December. The funds would be used for the purpose of appraisals for the properties the borough is attempting to secure for the purpose of clearing an area where the proposed hotel could be located.
Miller said his agency would also work on obtaining other needing funding if the project goes forward to the point where a site needed to be made “shovel ready” for a developer.
Mayor Patricia Stoner has previously said the 900 block area was chosen by a perspective developer after another area along Pennsylvania Avenue was first considered.
