Vandergrift hopes block grant money will cover paving costs

Vandergrift officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the borough can obtain more than $200,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant money next year.

The only money available this year went toward paving Oregon Avenue.

Work to improve drainage on Oregon started Monday, and milling and paving work is expected to be done next week by C.J. Nagy Co. of Plum. The project is projected to cost more than $100,000.

As for next year, the borough request money so it could pave the following streets:

• Franklin Avenue from St. Gertrude Church to First Street
• Sherman Avenue from Franklin to Hamilton
• First Street from Route 56 to Sherman Avenue
• Grant Avenue from Columbia Avenue to the concrete seam on Washington Avenue
• Pennsylvania Avenue from LaBellevue Road to Delaware Avenue, to Indiana Avenue and from Virginia Avenue to the bend
• Center Avenue from California Avenue to Oregon Avenue
• 13th Street from Lincoln to Washington Avenue and from Custer to 13th
• Fourth Street from Sherman to 11th Street
• Seventh Street from Sherman to Hamilton Fifth Street from Sherman to 11th Street
• Lafayette from Sherman to Franklin Avenue

Borough officials will meet at a later date to decide whether more streets should be added.

CDBG money is funneled through the Westmoreland County Planning Division to eligible municipalities.

New council member

Tom Holmes, 59, was appointed to council to fill the unexpired term of Peter Basile.

Basile stepped down last month because of health concerns.

Holmes, a 25-year borough resident, is holding political office for the first time.

“The opening had come to my attention and I applied,” Holmes said. “I believe in putting something back into the community that you live in.”

Holmes will serve on the recreation committee. The term Holmes is filling expires in December 2021.