Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

Tyrone Borough is seeking to have residents return an income survey to help it qualify for grant money from Community Development Block Grant funding for an infrastructure project on Washington Avenue.
Previously, the borough conducted a survey borough-wide to determine the income status of its residents. Those findings showed just more than 54.5 percent of the homes were of a low to moderate income status.
Mayor Patricia Stoner explained if a municipality is seeking funding for a specific area such as the Washington Avenue Project, it needs to submit surveys specific to residents in the affected area.
She indicated not only are Washington Avenue residents affected but the project will also affect some residents on Park Avenue and at least one other street.
Stoner said the original letter which went out did not get as good as a response as a second more personalized letter, which detailed how important the project is for the community. The second letter came directly from the mayor and was addressed to residents by name.
Tyrone is seeking funding for the project which is estimated to cost about $1.5 million. The project is designed to replace sewer lines, waterlines, drains and manholes along a section of Washington Avenue.
PENNDOT has agreed to pave the road once the infrastructure portion is completed.
At a special borough council meeting on May 18, Mayor Stoner requested the scope of work for the project be extended to include Third Street. Council unanimously approved the request according to the minutes of the May 18 meeting which were approved on June 7.
The mayor made the request after speaking with the borough’s sewer superintendent who wanted Third Street included so the department will be able to install some manholes. The project will now extend from Third to Ninth Street on Washington Avenue.
Mayor Stoner also requested an adjustment to the March 8, 2004 minutes at the May 18, 2004 meeting. She advised council the March 8 minutes indicated she was directed to seek a request for proposal (for engineering and funding) for the Washington Avenue improvement project.
According to the minutes of the May 18 meeting, the March 8 minutes were amended. The May 18 minutes indicated the March 8 meeting minutes showed incorrect information about the matter in regard to her being directed to seek the rfps.
The March 8 minutes do show she had asked council for their approval to seek requests for proposals after having distributed a memo for council’s review.
It was not made clear in the March 8 minutes or the May 18 minutes notation, who, if anyone other than the mayor was supposed to follow up on seeking the rfps.
Earlier in the March 8 meeting, the mayor explained there was possible funding available for the project.
However, yesterday the mayor said the borough will be missing out on a source of potential funding. The application period for an Elm Street grant expires on Wednesday. The mayor indicated the borough wouldn’t be able to submit necessary information in time.
Yesterday, the mayor explained that IDA (Blair County Industrial Development Authority) is being used for the request for proposal. It will include both engineering and funding information to write the grant which will be used to attempt to obtain other possible funding.
The mayor also said it’s possible if the second letter doesn’t generate enough income survey responses, a door-to-door survey might be necessary in the Washington Avenue area to obtain the required amount of responses.

By Rick