News

November 20, 2009

Back Mt. getting cash

State money will be available for upgrades to municipal buildings, traffic signals.

REBECCA BRIA rbria@timesleader.com

DALLAS TWP. – Representatives of the Back Mountain Community Partnership learned Thursday afternoon during their monthly meeting at Misericordia University that three member municipalities were approved for a $239,000 grant.

The Back Mountain Community Partnership is an inter-municipal group composed of Dallas, Franklin, Jackson, Kingston and Lehman townships and Dallas borough.

According to Katie Feissner of NEPA Alliance, Kingston and Lehman townships and Dallas borough were approved for a full $239,000 they applied for from the Department of Environmental Protection Energy Conservation Grant.

The funds will be used for energy-efficiency improvements in the municipalities’ buildings including lighting, heating and door retrofits and door replacements.

Kingston and Jackson townships and Dallas borough applied separately for money for solar panels through the grant but were not approved for funding.

Dallas borough and Kingston Township were also notified they will also receive $494,400 through an NEPA Alliance project for upgrading traffic signals with LED bulbs.

In other business, partnership representatives engaged in a lengthy debate over how to handle administrative costs.

Phil Walter, of Dallas Township, suggested each municipality contribute $250. Dallas borough Mayor Tim Carroll felt the amount should be more than $250.

Partnership Vice President James Reino agreed that the municipal contributions should be kept to a minimum, but he believed the partnership needs an operating budget before the municipalities can put in any money.

Partnership President Al Fox said the group has a proposed $35,000 budget. Reino, however, wants a line-item operational budget.

The group approved a motion for Reino to create a line-item operational budget with the help of NEPA Alliance for the next meeting. In a separate motion, the partnership also approved each municipality, upon approval from their board of supervisors or council, to contribute $250 to an operating budget.

“All we’re trying to do is pay the postage stamps, pay the stationary and the legal ads that we’re going to incur together,” Fox said.

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