Schuylkill areas get $4.5M grant

Pine Grove is flooded again – this time with money.

Pine Grove Borough and Pine Grove Township have been awarded a combined $4.5 million in grant to alleviate flood problems, which include a $3.5 million “Disaster Recovery” Department of Community and Economic Development Grant, and a $1.5 million DCED Growing Greener grant.

Schuylkill County Administrator Gary Bender will advertise for the Swatara Creek Floodplain Restoration project.

“It’s the largest flood control project DCED has even undertaken,” Bender said. He credited the collaborative work by the county’s conservation district, citizens Bill Reichert and Wayne Lehman, and the legislative delegation which represents Schuylkill County, in attaining the grant monies. “I never thought I’d be here asking permission to advertise for this project,” he added.

Bids will be due in the Controller’s Office by 4 p.m. June 10 and opened at 9 a.m. June 12. After the meeting Bender explained that the project will involve removing “a lot” of soil around the Guilford Mills company, near the borough’s sewage treatment plant.

Bender said that the project will greatly alleviate flooding issues in the area, although the Guilford Mills plant will still flood, “it will be much less,” he said.

Commissioners also:

• Approved amendments to the 2017 and 2018 state Homeland Security Grant program. The agreement is provided by the state Emergency Management Agency.

• Approved a budget adjustment of $33,063 in the liquid fuels department. “We incurred expenses when county-owned traffic signals were damaged,” County Finance Director Paul Buber explained. The signals were located at the intersection of Routes 61 and 895 in Molino. The money was reimbursed from the state.

• Approved a $50,000 budget adjustment on behalf of the Economic Development department. Buber said the monies were received from the state based on the county’s assessment for gaming revenue, and are earmarked for economic development.