The Center for Rural Pennsylvania is currently sponsoring research, Broadband Availability and Access in Rural Pennsylvania, to analyze and assess broadband availability in Pennsylvania, and is asking Pennsylvania residents to participate in the research by taking the broadband speed test at http://broadbandtest.us. The test results will help Pennsylvania State University researchers, led by Professor Sascha Meinrath, to measure actual internet speeds. The test will also provide participants with information about their broadband connection. If you’d like to help the Center for Rural Pennsylvania and our research partners at Penn State University map broadband access in Pennsylvania, please visit http://broadbandtest.us/ and take the broadband speed test. Thanks for your help.
Author: DNS Admin
SEDA-COG Technology Assessment Available to Local Government
SEDA-COG Technology Assessment Available to Local Government Municipalities and local governments in an 11-county region can get a technology assessment and action recommendation that includes a free computer from SEDA-Council of Governments. This service assesses existing computer software, servers, network and connectivity, storage and backup, hardware, and more. SEDA-COG’s Information Technology Group then makes a recommendation based on the assessment. Recommended changes may be implemented by another vendor or SEDA-COG. The technology assessment and recommendation will be provided for $450, which includes a free computer while supplies last. For more information and to learn about other services, contact SEDA-COG’s Scott Kramer at 570-524-4491 or skramer@seda-cog.org.
Low-interest loans available for Clinton County businesses
New or expanding businesses in Clinton County can apply for fixed low-interest-rate loans that have helped create 1,300 jobs in the county since 1985.
The Clinton County Revolving Loan offers a 3 percent fixed interest rate with terms typically at seven or 10 years.
This frees up cash flow, said Roxanne Greising, director of SEDA-Council of Governments’ (SEDA-COG) Business Finance Department. SEDA-COG reviews these loan applications and makes recommendations to the loan board.
“These are very attractive interest rates that help business owners – they get to keep the money they would’ve paid and use it for working capital, etc.,” Greising said.
The loans usually cover one-third of the project or a $250,000 maximum.
Full Body Health and Fitness Center in Lock Haven previously leveraged a $100,000 Clinton County Economic Development Administration/Revolving Loan Fund (EDA/RLF) loan to purchase their building, converting it from a skating rink to their gym.
The owners, Brian and Lori Hoy, also used two $33,390 loans for equipment: a Clinton County Enterprise Zone loan and a Lock Haven Commercial Loan Program fund.
SEDA-COG, on behalf of the Clinton County Loan Administration Board, partnered with M&T Bank of State College to finance the project.
Because of the nature of the new venture, SEDA-COG’s partnership helped spread the risk for the bank and helped make their dream a reality.
“Without SEDA-COG’s partnership with the project, a bank would not have taken the risk alone to finance our project,” Brian Hoy said.
The revolving loan fund, which is over 30 years old, was started by the county as a final piece of a financing puzzle for any business located in Clinton County.
For more information, contact SEDA-COG’s Roxanne Greising at 570-524-4491 or rgreising@seda-cog.org.
Bloomsburg awarded $2M grant to expand flood mitigation system
Bloomsburg’s flood mitigation system can now expand, thanks to a $2 million grant.
Before the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Relief funds were awarded, only 40 percent of the design for the town’s flood wall expansion project was funded. Now, this grant funds the final engineering design, permitting, property acquisition, and initial construction costs. Total project cost may be around $15 million.
The proposed project footprint is expected to be an almost mile-long levee system on the town’s southern edge along the Susquehanna River, and includes the Bloomsburg Area School District’s athletic complex, the middle and high schools, around 125 homes, 30 businesses of varying size, and the town’s public works and fire department. It also entails significant storm water and sanitary sewer improvements.
Bloomsburg Mayor Sandy Davis called the grant “great news,” and thanked all who made the grant come to fruition.
“We have been working diligently on behalf of our Bloomsburg residents to secure the funding for a flood wall that will protect homes, our school, and essential services,” Davis said. “At this time of Thanksgiving, we are truly thankful for the efforts of everyone who provided assistance in this next step toward full funding of Bloomsburg’s flood-wall project.”
Bloomsburg Town Manager Lauren Martz said the project will provide vital protection.
“We are incredibly thankful to be awarded this critical funding which will help us to provide crucial protection to numerous residences and businesses within the Town of Bloomsburg. Flood protection has been a dream for Bloomsburg, and we are thrilled to see this starting to become a reality,” Martz said.
In an issued press release, PA Sen. John R. Gordner said, “This significant grant to the Town of Bloomsburg sets the stage for a major expansion of the current flood wall. I am very pleased that Gov. Tom Wolf and DCED Secretary Dennis Davin have agreed to support this crucial project for Bloomsburg.”
SEDA-Council of Governments’ (SEDA-COG) Community Development has been assisting the town in developing the project and prepared the grant application. SEDA-COG Project Coordinator Tyler Dombroski thanked the parties involved.
“We had a real team effort from a lot of different people at the Town of Bloomsburg, the Columbia County Water Mitigation Authority, the Bloomsburg Area School District, engineer Borton Lawson, PA Sen. John R. Gordner, PA Rep. David R. Millard, U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and many others,” Dombroski said.
HUD allocated over $27 million to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through CDBG Disaster Recovery funds. These funds are allocated by DCED to Pennsylvania communities impacted by Tropical Storm Lee and Hurricane Irene in 2011.
This project expands on the almost $30 million flood wall that protects about 700 jobs in Columbia County and the former Windsor Foods site. It was dedicated in October 2016. At 1 mile long and up to 16 feet high, it is the largest public works project in the history of Columbia County. The height is 1.5 feet above the highest flood on record, Tropical Storm Lee of 2011, and 3 feet above the Hurricane Agnes level in 1972. Tropical Storm Lee cost Autoneum North America’s Bloomsburg facility over $60 million in damages.