HARRISBURG — Sen. Chris Gebhard (R-48), Rep. Jamie Barton (R-124) and Rep. Eric Weaknecht (R-5) announced projects in Berks and Lancaster counties were awarded more than $3 million in Statewide Local Share Account (LSA) funds from the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) today.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Act allocates proceeds from online gaming revenue to support projects in the public interest across the commonwealth.
The following projects received funding through this program:
- Adamstown Borough — Elementary School Pedestrian and Vehicular Safety Upgrades — $250,000 for traffic signal upgrades and crosswalk enhancements along Main Street and Adamstown Road.
- Denver Borough — Utility System Vacuum Truck — $420,000 to purchase a utility system vacuum truck to clean, repair and maintain the borough’s public water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.
- Berks County — Hazmat Truck — $86,233 for the replacement of a hazardous materials vehicle.
- Berks County — Reading Regional Airport Terminal — $200,000 for building renovations and safety and security upgrades to terminal.
- Centre Township — Public Works Utility Tractor and Loader — $100,000 to purchase a new utility tractor and loader for mowing, cleaning debris from roads and loading salt in winter months.
- Hamburg Borough — Public Works Building Upgrades — $191,060 to make upgrades to its public works building, including replacing the roof, installing concrete flooring, updating restrooms and adding additional office space.
- Windsor Township — Hamburg Municipal Authority — $350,000 for the construction of a detached building to provide storage for authority-owned vehicles and water resource equipment, and space to make repairs to vehicles in a climate-controlled area.
- Heidelberg Township — Womelsdorf Fire Co. — $160,000 to purchase a work truck fully equipped with a service body package, which will allow a full tow and plow, a pressure washer and a de-icing sprayer machine.
- Lower Heidelberg Township — Western Berks Fire Department — $84,000 to purchase new portable radios to replace outdated units nearing end of life. Updated radios will provide improved audio, stronger signal performance and enhanced safety features.
- North Heidelberg Township — Skid Loader — $57,924 to replace a 50-year-old grader with a new skid loader to improve road and infrastructure maintenance.
- Robesonia Borough — Truck Upgrade — $140,000 to purchase a new multi-purpose municipal truck and dump body to improve operational efficiency, reduce long-term maintenance expenses and improve the borough’s capacity to maintain safe roads.
- Upper Bern Township — Shartlesville Community Fire Co. — $500,000 to purchase a new, more reliable fire engine with more room to carry equipment and an improved ability to serve the community.
- Upper Tulpehocken Township — Municipal Property Safety and Accessibility Improvements — $161,200 to pave the municipal office parking lot. The current parking lot consists of dirt and stone. The building is the main hub of the community and is utilized for all township meetings and the only polling location.
- Upper Tulpehocken Township — Municipal Road Repair — $215,841 to repave approximately 8,022 square yards and make other related improvements to a section of East Fort Road.
- Womelsdorf Borough — Womelsdorf Fire Co. — $265,000 to purchase crucial communication equipment for the Volunteer Fire Co. of Womelsdorf. The current radio equipment being used is no longer compliant.
“These grants ensure our residents won’t bear the cost of these upgrades. It’s exciting to see so many crucial projects move forward in Berks and Lancaster counties,” said Gebhard.
“I’m grateful this funding is coming back to our community, especially because it will strengthen some of the infrastructure we rely on every day,” Barton said. “These investments will help make our communities safer, more efficient and easier to access.”
“When we bring Local Share Account funding into our districts, we invest directly in the communities we represent,” Weaknecht said. “It’s great to see Berks County benefiting from this grant program.”
The CFA was established in 2004 as an independent agency of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to administer the commonwealth’s economic stimulus packages. The Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act of 2004 provides for the distribution of gaming revenue through the CFA.
GEBHARD CONTACT: Alex Gamble, 717-787-5708
BARTON CONTACT: Jake Gillespie, 717-772-9834
WEAKNECHT CONTACT: Novalea Eckenroad, 717-772-3161