Westmoreland commissioners pressed to take public opinion into account when spending relief funds triblive.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from triblive.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Some area municipalities were scrambling this week to submit applications for federal pandemic relief funding, with an initial deadline looming Wednesday.
They got a break from that crunch when officials extended that deadline by a month.
The state Department of Community and Economic Development “started urging municipalities to apply as soon as possible once the (American Rescue Plan Act) funding was available just after Memorial Day,” department spokesman Casey Smith said Tuesday, noting email blasts, letters and postcards were used to reach out to communities.
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Westmoreland commissioners said a plan to borrow about $140 million this year to bolster the county’s pension fund could prevent a future property tax increase.
Commissioners on Thursday signed off on the preliminary work to hire financial advisers, lawyers and underwriters who will finalize the plan that officials said will ensure the fund that pays benefits to more than 1,300 government retirees remains solvent over the next three decades.
“This will reduce the general fund burden,” Commissioner Sean Kertes said. “We’re saving general fund expenditures that we can use for other means.”
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Tribune-Review file
Cheryl Graves, of Peters Township plays “The Bohemoth,” slot machine at The Meadows Casino in Washington County.
Louis B. Ruediger | Tribune-Review
The newly constructed casino Live! Casino at Westmoreland Mall has 750 slot machines and 30 table games with room for another 10 tables to be added later. The grand opening is scheduled for Nov 24th.
Louis B. Ruediger | Tribune-Review
All games cards, chips and dice are locked until the opening of the newly constructed Live! Casino at Westmoreland Mall. The grand opening is scheduled for Nov 24th.
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Jason Cato | Tribune-Review
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More than $615,000 in covid relief grants were handed out Tuesday to local volunteer fire departments and emergency medical service units as Westmoreland County exhausted its share of federal stimulus money to help struggling businesses, nonprofits and municipalities amid the ongoing pandemic.
Commissioners awarded 24 volunteer fire departments and 10 emergency medical service companies grants to restore lost revenues and cover expenses related to the coronavirus response. Grants to fire departments were capped at $25,000 and emergency medical service awards were limited to $15,000.