Clarion County commissioners on Tuesday approved changes to Clarion Borough’s Community Development Block Grant plans for 2016 and 2018.
“They are basically switching projects,” county planner Kristi Amato said. The community park project is being moved to 2018 and the Main Street project will be moved to 2016, Amato said.
“They are in the process of purchasing new light poles. This will allow them to complete the light pole purchase,” said Amato. “The 2016 money has to be spent by July 2020. This switch will allow them to keep on track with this project. They have already purchased the park benches.”
The borough received $82,717 in fiscal year 2018 for the Main Street project.
In 2016, Clarion Borough decided to allocate the CDBG funding to improvements at the Paul A. Weaver Park.
The borough received $93,405 in CDBG funding for 2016 but 18% was designated as administrative costs, leaving $76,605 for project funds. Plans include a new pavilion, picnic tables, heavy-duty park grills and fire rings for a family cookout area.
Also under discussion were the installation of new park or playground equipment, a sand volleyball court and a basketball court.
Most of the improvements would be located on an undeveloped area of the lower park past the softball field.
Another possibility is the addition of a walking perimeter to the outside of the park.
“There is no impact on any of the county’s CDBG funds. This is strictly Clarion Borough’s CDBG money,” said Amato.
Clarion Borough and Clarion Township are entitled communities under the CDBG program. That means the municipality receives the funding directly from the CDBG fund.
The county administers the CDBG fund for both communities.