Center Township supervisors unanimously approved two resolutions for the Community Development Block Grant Entitlement Program (CDBG) on Monday for a road and storm sewer project in Luciusboro. Supervisors approved resolution 24-3, authorizing the Indiana County Office of Planning and Development (ICOPD) to apply for and administer 2024 CDBG grant funding “on behalf of the township,” according to board chairperson Matthew Housholder. The second resolution, 24-4, was to enter a similar agreement with Indiana County Commissioners.
Both resolutions are to seek approximately $97,587 in CDBG funds to eventually pave and repave roads and construct storm sewer drainage within Luciusboro. “(We’re) going to put new drainage in,” Housholder said. “(And we’re) resurfacing the roads.
There’s like four streets — two of them are dirt and gravel right now, and we’re going to pave them plus repave the two (other) streets.” The $97,587 Center Township is seeking is part of a three-year plan in which the township will apply for CDBG monies each year, through 2026, to acquire funds needed to pursue the paving/sewer project. This is the same approach Center Township used for a similar project in Coy, in which the township accumulated roughly $300,000 in CDBG funds from 2021, 2022 and 2023 to install new drainage and repave roads, according to Housholder.
Although there’s no set timeline, the township is looking to start work on Coy this year, Housholder said. “(The village of Coy) needed new drainage,” Housholder said. “And (we’re) going to repave the two streets up there, Bear (Drive) and Coy Street.
” As for Luciusboro, the 2024 CBDG grant application is the first installment of grant monies the township is seeking over the next three years to pursue the project. To qualify for the CDBG entitlement program, at least 51% of residents within the service area must be at low-to-moderate income levels. Housholder said residents should fill out the ICOPD income surveys mailed to their properties so the township is eligible.
“(ICOPD) sent out income surveys to every property owner in the town,” Housholder said. “If you don’t fill it out, then they’ll put you in a higher (income bracket), which means we can’t (receive) the money because (we won’t meet that) 51% (threshold). .
.. It’s very important (residents) get those surveys filled out.
” In other news Monday, supervisors gave an update on the solar ordinance the township is looking to put in place. Housholder said the township and its solicitor have made progress developing the ordinance’s language, which will regulate and apply fees to commercial and residential solar installations. “I believe we want to get a price-per-square-foot for commercial (installations),” Housholder said.
“And there’s a fee for residential (installations), but it’s just going to be a flat fee of so much money.” Housholder said the ordinance will also regulate the disposal of solar systems once they meet the end of their lifespans or are no longer in use. He added the ordinance is “pretty close to done” and that supervisors will likely provide a first reading of the ordinance during a special voting meeting later in August.
Also Monday, supervisors unanimously approved putting a diesel International truck motor and a 1999 Ford F350 service vehicle up for auction. Housholder said the township no longer needed the F350 because it received a 2018 F550 with a utility bed in June. Those interested in purchasing the motor and/or F350 can submit their sealed bids to the township at 1212 Neal Road, Homer City, by Aug.
30. Each item will go to the highest bidder..
