Westmoreland doles out almost $800K in federal money to municipalities

Forty municipalities in Westmoreland County are splitting about $780,000 in federal grant funds to offset expenses related to the coronavirus pandemic.

But, for many, the money won’t cover every cost or alleviate all concerns about the pandemic’s impact on future revenue.

In Hempfield, revenues for 2020 are $750,000 below where they were at this time last year, said manager Jason Winters. The township will get the maximum municipal allotment from the CARES grant — $30,000 — but it won’t cover the revenue lost from earned income and other taxes, fees and services, he said.

Still, the money will be a help to many.

“That’s definitely going towards expenses we had to pay for but weren’t expecting,” Winters said. “On top of having the revenues down, we had additional expenses now that we had to pay for.”

The Westmoreland County commissioners on Tuesday approved municipal support grants to the 40 municipalities and $30,000 to the Westmoreland Conservation District. Westmoreland County Community College also is set to receive $30,000 after being missed in a round of grants to nonprofits last month.

Commissioner Sean Kertes said county officials reached out to all 65 municipalities in the county multiple times seeking applications for the funding.

“A lot didn’t apply,” said Commissioner Gina Cerilli.

Finance Director Meghan McCandless said municipalities had to prove they incurred expenses related to the pandemic for any department, such as costs for sanitizing and personal protective equipment.

Lower Burrell is another of the 20 municipalities getting the maximum allotment. There, the money will cover measures taken to ensure social distancing at city hall and the addition of technology for virtual conferencing and public meetings, said Mayor John Andrejcik.

“Also included might be the improvements in our council chambers meeting room to allow for proper social distancing,” he said.

Westmoreland County received $31.5 million through the federal CARES Act earlier this year. The money is designated for local governments, towns, cities and boroughs to cover costs associated with the coronavirus responses, grant programs to support economic development organizations, behavioral health and substance abuse treatment services, small business relief programs and nonprofit organizations.

More than 260 small businesses and 77 nonprofits got funding. A $5 million grant was awarded to Excela Health to help cover losses attributed to the coronavirus. Fire departments will be next and another round of grants will be available for small businesses and nonprofits.

Murrysville also got $30,000. Finance director Diane Heming was already making adjustments to the 2020 budget in May, anticipating shortfalls in areas that typically had steady revenue. Scaling back capital project spending got the municipality on a good footing for 2020 and officials there don’t expect to raise property taxes in 2021.

However, the extra cash certainly is welcome.

“It will be used to cover revenue shortfalls,” said Chief Administrator Jim Morrison.

In addition to Hempfield, Lower Burrell and Murrysville, municipalities receiving $30,000 were: Arnold, Derry Borough, Greensburg, Jeannette, Ligonier borough and township, Manor, Mt. Pleasant Borough, Delmont, Scottdale, Trafford, Vandergrift, West Newton, Allegheny Township, North Huntingdon, Rostraver and Unity.

Other municipalities got smaller amounts: Avonmore, $4,994; East Vandergrift, $2,516; Export, $2,018; Irwin, $21,540; Latrobe, $28,424; New Kensington, $27,325; North Belle Vernon, $4,400; Smithton, $8,835; South Greensburg, $7,074; Southwest Greensburg, $13,404; West Leechburg, $16,213; Youngwood, $2,038; Derry Township, $2,041; Mt. Pleasant Township, $2,912; Penn Township, $8,909; Salem, $14,538; Sewickley Township, $3,605; Washington Township, $4,914; New Stanton, $3,474; and Laurel Mountain $744.