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By JOSH COTTON
jcotton@timesobserver.com
The Warren County Commissioners have awarded Act 13 funds to support a strategic planning initiative in Tidioute.
Both Tidioute and Youngsville were the recipients of the Heart & Soul grant program through the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, two of just four awards state-wide.
County Planner Dan Glotz told the commissioners during Wednesday's meeting that there was a "bit of a shortfall in the funding" to be able to award the program to both communities. He said this Act 13 funding -- from the greenways pot of the state's Marcellus Shale impact fee -- is a request to make up the balance.
Commissioner Ben Kafferlin said the request is for $12,500 as a match against a total of $37,500. He noted there's sufficient funding to meet the request.
Glotz said the program is a two-year program and will develop a "road map" for the future. "It's a lot about storytelling, the story of the community and how it developed."
He said it's also an "excellent way" to get youth involved in local government, noting that Tidioute Community Charter School students developed a logo for the group in Tidioute.
"(It is a) good way to get the community to come together," he said.
"Tidioute is a really beautiful place," Commissioner Jeff Eggleston said, that "need as much assistance as they can get" for redevelopment opportunities.
He said this program presents a good opportunity to do strategic planning.
"They're quite excited down there," Glotz said. "They are up and running and quite excited about the designation and the opportunities."
In other business, Kafferlin said the state Department of Community and Economic Development audited the use of the county's CARES Act funding -- the first major federal COVID-19 stimulus. He said the state "found no issues."
He also said that the Department of Environmental Protection also affirmed their decision to grant final closure certification for the Grunderville landfill.