Luzerne Times

Senator Lisa Baker and Representatives Mike Cabell, Aaron Kaufer, and Alec Ryncavage have announced that over $2 million in grants have been awarded to school districts and municipalities in Luzerne County. These funds come from the Local Share Account (LSA) and Public School Facility Improvement grants provided by the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA).

"We commend local officials for submitting good projects for state funding consideration. These are locally determined priorities that help to make our communities more livable and enjoyable," said Baker.

Cabell highlighted the importance of these grants for smaller townships and boroughs with limited budgets. "We know our smaller townships and boroughs have limited budgets and rely on grant funding like this to finish projects and buy equipment that they simply could not otherwise afford. I’m particularly pleased that Wycallis school will get a new roof and ensure that our children can continue to learn in a safe, comfortable environment," he stated.

The LSA funding has been allocated as follows: Dallas Area Municipal Authority received $185,000 for sewer system maintenance equipment; Dallas Township was granted $200,000 for a police station construction; Fairmount Township obtained $33,529 for a roof replacement project at Izaak Walton Farm Inc.; Harveys Lake Borough secured $75,000 for pole barn construction at the road department yard; Kingston Township got $64,299 for police equipment; Larkesville Borough received $75,142 for a new Veteran’s Memorial Park; Lehman Township was awarded $125,000 for a road maintenance truck; Newport Township gained $261,191 for sidewalk improvements along Glen Lyon; Pringle Borough obtained $65,409 on behalf of the Pioneer Volunteer Fire Department for fire department equipment purchase; West Wyoming Borough was granted $125,000 to purchase a dump truck.

School districts benefiting from Public School Facility Improvement grants include Dallas School District with $300,000 to replace a roof at Wycallis Primary Center; Wyoming Area School District with $250,000 earmarked for safety upgrades at the Secondary Center facility; Wyoming Valley West School District receiving $300,000 also aimed at safety upgrades at Dana Street Elementary School.

Kaufer expressed satisfaction with securing these funds: "I’m pleased we have been able to bring back these state dollars to fund important projects throughout Luzerne County. In particular, these projects will help to keep our children safe and secure at school and increase public safety around our community."

Ryncavage emphasized the significance of today's announcement: "Today's announcement marks a crucial advancement as we secure funding to finish long-standing projects like the Newport Township Streetscape and kick off new initiatives including the Larksville Veteran’s Memorial Park. We're not just completing existing efforts but also building a foundation for a brighter future in our communities."

The CFA is an independent agency responsible for managing programs and investments aimed at Pennsylvania's economic growth.