LSA grants to fund Westmoreland County projects
The CFA issued 38 grants throughout the county.
Local Share Account funding has been secured for several Mon Valley communities, state Rep. Eric Davanzo, R-Smithton, and state Sen. Patrick Stefano, R-Bullskin Township, announced recently.
Davanzo said the Commonwealth Financing Authority has approved nearly $700,000 for community improvements in his district.
“Safety and public works are routinely the highest priorities for our local officials, who work hard to keep taxes as low as possible while still providing the residents with the highest level of services possible. Grant funding is one of the ways Harrisburg can help with those priorities,” Davanzo said. “I was happy to work with my colleagues, Sen. Pat Stefano and Sen. Kim Ward, to see this kind of investment in the 58th District.”
State grants totaling more than $1.3 million were awarded for infrastructure and public safety projects, funded by tax revenue from Pennsylvania’s legalized casino industry.
The latest round of awards for Westmoreland County comes from taxes collected at Live! Casino Pittsburgh in Hempfield Township.
The state distributed 38 grants to municipalities and government agencies, including several novel local projects:
• East Huntingdon Township – $165,000 to retrofit an existing building used for vehicle storage.
• Economic Growth Connection of Westmoreland – $50,000 for a bucket truck for use by Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center’s Powerline Program, which provides students training on utility line work.
• Hunker — $56,855 for stormwater improvements on Locust Street.
• Monessen — $27,000 to purchase a utility vehicle for public safety purposes.
• Mount Pleasant Township — $100,000 for a new municipal truck.
• North Belle Vernon — $90,000 to purchase a new electric police vehicle.
• Rostraver Township — $61,000 to purchase a mobile column lift for improved vehicle maintenance and service.
• South Huntingdon Township — $50,000 to purchase and install a generator at its municipal facility.
• West Newton — $45,000 to purchase a brush chipper for the public works department.
• Scottdale — $45,000 to purchase six new mobile radios for use in fire trucks and two base radios for use in station operations. Also awarded was a $60,000 grant to purchase a new public works truck.
“We’re looking at fuel savings and lowering our maintenance costs,” North Belle Vernon police Chief Eugene Lipari said.
The new vehicle will join
the North Belle Vernon Police Department’s existing fleet of three patrol cars used by two full-time and six part-time officers. Lipari said his officers travel about 75 miles each day across three shifts, well within the range of an electric battery. The project will include the installation of a charging station and specialized training for officers.
Rostraver Township Commissioners President Jeffrey Johnson said the new mobile column lift will help maintain their vehicles.
“This investment will significantly enhance our ability to safely and efficiently maintain our fleet, ultimately improving the services we provide to our residents,” Johnson said. “Upgrading our equipment is a critical step toward ensuring reliability, safety, and long-term cost savings for our community.
“We would like to specifically thank Eric Davanzo and Kim Ward for their continued support and advocacy. Their commitment to our township and their efforts in securing this funding are greatly appreciated.”
Monessen Mayor Ron Mozer said the funds will be used for a new utility vehicle for the fire department.
“We put in an LSA grant for some UTVs, where they can get into alleys and things like that, which are more difficult to do with their big fire trucks,” Mozer said. “It’s just fire equipment, safety equipment and vehicles that we got for them, and we’re always there to support our fire departments. I want to make sure that’s made very clear.
“Davanzo and Kim Ward were both very instrumental in it, and we thank them for all their support.”
Funding for LSA grants is collected through gaming revenues. The grants are awarded and approved by the CFA, an independent agency that holds fiduciary responsibility over Pennsylvania’s economic growth programs and investments.
Under state law, gambling tax revenue is distributed through two annual grant programs: one available statewide and another reserved specifically for the host county of a casino. Since 2023, Westmoreland communities have received more than $10 million directly from taxes collected at the local casino, according to the Department of Community and Economic Development.
Late last year, more than $13 million was doled out to 55 Westmoreland communities as part of $175.6 million awarded across the state.
TribLive contributed to this article.
