Featured – Page 39 – SEDA Council of Governments

Public comment welcome on regional transportation issues

Posted on February 11, 2021 by DNS Admin

Residents in an eight-county area of central Pennsylvania are invited to give their input and share transportation issues to help shape the region’s next major transportation plan.

The SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is updating its Long Range Transportation Plan which proposes practical solutions to transportation safety, maintenance, congestion, and mobility needs for Clinton, Columbia, Juniata, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, and Union counties.

The plan identifies transportation needs, goals, projects, and policies for a 20-year planning horizon, and is required to be updated at five-year intervals. The plan establishes the vision and objectives that guide public decisions affecting transportation facilities and services in the region.

Jim Saylor, director of SEDA-COG’s Transportation Planning program, said one of the best ways the public can provide input is through SEDA-COG’s online transportation survey.

“The survey only takes about 10 minutes to complete but it provides valuable information for us. Are there issues we’ve missed? Does what we’ve gathered reflect your experience?” Saylor said. “This the first time we’ve asked for input using a tool like this and it will help us complete the plan and better focus on identifying transportation needs.”

The survey is open now through March 3 and can be found at a website dedicated to the plan: https://lrtp-seda-cog.hub.arcgis.com/

The website also features an interactive map that shows proposed projects, traffic volumes and congestion, bridge and pavement conditions, freight generators, safety problem areas, flooding and rockfall prone areas, and railroads.

Don Kiel, senior principal program analyst for SEDA-COG’s Transportation program, is leading the planning effort.

“We’ve added new data that people can look at and to help focus feedback on the region’s transportation system and proposed new approaches to ranking our regional transportation projects for priority funding. We are employing new and better data that is important in selecting or prioritizing projects,” Kiel said.

Additional public outreach will occur from March to April, along with plan finalization. The finalized plan will be up for adoption at the May public MPO meeting.

As a community and economic development agency, SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives. SEDA-COG also is an advocate for the interests of its communities at the state and federal levels. For more information, visit www.seda-cog.org.

Public Notice – Union County CDBG Budget Modification

Posted on February 5, 2021 by DNS Admin

RUN DATE: February 5, 2021
CONTACT: Rachel Radel, (570) 524-4491 ext. 7236

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Union County Commissioners intend to submit a budget modification for the FFY 2019 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (PA DCED). The Union County Commissioners will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the budget modification on February 18, 2021, at 11:00 AM. Keeping with federal and state guidelines regarding COVID 19, this hearing will take place as a virtual video web and tele conference. The public is invited to observe and participate in the hearing as follows:

To access via web video, type the link: https://meetings.ringcentral.com/j/8383951780. To access via telephone dial +1 (470) 869-2200 and enter Meeting ID: 838 395 1780. The hearing will be recorded. The hearing platform is accessible to persons with disabilities. If accommodations are needed for those with special needs related to language, sight, or hearing, please call (570) 524-4491 at least five days in advance. As an alternative, Union County will accept written comments on the proposed modification until 12:00 PM. on Monday, March 1, 2021. Written comments can be emailed to mgallagherlong@seda-cog.org or mailed to SEDA-COG at 201 Furnace Road, Lewisburg, PA 17837. The Union County Commissioners will then consider the approval of the modification request during their regularly scheduled meeting on March 2, 2021 at 2 PM.

The modified budget is as follows:

FFY 2019
Limestone (Bull) Run Area Flood Resiliency:
Current Budget – $89,707; Modification $(89,707); Modified Budget $0

Emergency Notification:
Current Budget – $0; Modification $89,707 ; Modified Budget $89,707

The Union County Commissioners will accept written public comments on the budget modification until Monday, March 1, 2021 at 12:00 PM. Union County will make every effort to make all programs and activities accessible to the learning, mobility, vision, hearing, and language-impaired persons. Therefore, if you are a person with a disability or limited English proficiency, and require an auxiliary aid, service, or accommodations to participate please contact Rachel Radel at SEDA-COG, 201 Furnace Road, Lewisburg, PA 17837, rradel@seda-cog.org, (570) 524-4491, or 1-800-332-6701, 1-800-654-5984 TTY, 1-800-654-5988 TDD to discuss how Union County can best accommodate your needs. Translators will be available upon request.

Any complaints should be written and submitted to Mitzi Gallagher-Long, at SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG), mgallagherlong@seda-cog.org. Written responses will be addressed within fifteen (15) working days, when practicable.

Übersetzer sind für die öffentliche Sitzung auf Anfrage erhältlich.

Traductores estarán disponibles en las reunions públicas por petición.

Cabinetry business expedites adding 150 jobs with SEDA-COG loan

Posted on February 4, 2021 by DNS Admin

FREEBURG – William Penn Cabinetry is ramping up production and will be hiring 150 employees sooner than expected thanks to a $500,000 loan from SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG).

With the SEDA-COG EDA COVID-19 loan, owner Maurice Brubaker expects to hire the employees over the next several months. They currently have 30 employees at their 401 E. Front St. plant.

“This loan allows us to get the company the resources it needs to further ramp up our production much more quickly than our original estimate of a year. If it wasn’t for this loan, we wouldn’t be able to hire people as fast,” Brubaker said.

He expects to add a second shift in the next six to eight weeks.

The loan will fund inventory, equipment, rent, payroll, utilities, benefits, payroll taxes, and purchases.

Brubaker said working with SEDA-COG’s staff met an urgent need just when he needed it.

“The SEDA-COG staff understood the need and urgency for this. Everybody really pulled together to facilitate that. The attitude of all the staff was above expectations – they are very friendly and a delight to work with. I would recommend anybody to work with SEDA-COG,” Brubaker said.

Brubaker also is expanding to open a company storefront in the next few months. They currently have a designer who works one-on-one with homeowners in their houses to design their cabinetry products. The regionally located showroom will be owned by the company which Brubaker plans to make “a destination” by hosting wine tastings and special events all while creating a homey feel. Other showrooms will be located throughout the country but independently owned by dealers.

RATHER THAN RETREAT, MARCH FORWARD

Brubaker formed and registered William Penn Cabinetry LLC in July 2019 after he saw the abrupt closure of Wood-Mode. His company started production last March.

“It was hardworking people who lost everything in the blink of an eye. I felt it was our duty to help the community and help these people to get back to work. I think it’s good to have manufacturing in the area and those are normally good-paying jobs with benefits,” Brubaker said. “I understood the trickle-down effect of 900-plus people being out of work and possibly losing homes, not putting food on the table.”

Out of 30 total staff, 15 are former Wood-Mode employees.

He was glad when Wood-Mode reopened and said that this gives the region multiple manufacturing options.

Only days after opening, however, the COVID-19 pandemic hit hard, and the company had to close from March 19 to May 8 last year due to the statewide business shutdown.

“Rather than retreat, we marched forward – we hired a vice president of sales and a sales director. We took this as an opportunity to grow,” he said. “It was to help out the region; it gives manufacturing jobs. We have a benefits package that’s extremely competitive and it’s to help the area.”

While they haven’t been able to scale as they first wanted to, SEDA-COG’s loan helps put them in a better position to do so.

“We do what we have to do to put the employees first,” Brubaker said.

As a professional accountant based in Lewisburg, he has no prior experience in the cabinetry business – but he did apply a wise lesson: “Hire people who are smarter than I am. That’s what we did – hired the best people, and they have a lot of freedom. I trust them implicitly,” Brubaker said.

William Penn Cabinetry manufactures cabinets for residential and commercial businesses. The plant consists of cutting rooms, sanding rooms, finish rooms, assembly rooms and a warehouse.

What sets their company and product apart? “We have a well-made product and very good employees. We’ve all come together to make our company a success,” he said, adding that they also have antibacterial cabinetry that inhibits bacterial growth.

For more information about the company, visit williampenncabinetry.com. For more information about SEDA-COG’s loans, contact Mike Morrison at mmorrison@seda-cog.org.

As a community and economic development agency, SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives. SEDA-COG also is an advocate for the interests of its communities at the state and federal levels. For more information, visit www.seda-cog.org.

Homelessness prevention grant open to Bloomsburg residents

Posted on January 26, 2021 by DNS Admin

Residents at risk of losing their housing in the Town of Bloomsburg may be eligible to receive up to $5,000 to prevent homelessness.

The Resident Subsistence Program is being offered in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to support hard-hit residents and is funded with a $119,770 entitlement Community Development Block Grant-CARES Act (CDBG-CV).

The grants can be used to pay utility payments to prevent cutoff of service and rent/mortgage payments to prevent eviction. Applicants must live within the municipal limits of the Town of Bloomsburg. The need for assistance must be directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic – loss of income caused by the shutdown or mitigation efforts.

Each eligible family may receive up to $5,000, paid directly to the mortgage holder, landlord, or utility company on their behalf. Funds will not be given directly to families. Assistance is available for up to 100 days per family.

Applications will be accepted starting Feb. 1. While there is no deadline to apply, the program is on a first-come, first-serve basis and ends when the funds are spent.

AGAPE will provide the grants to Bloomsburg residents, as allocated by the Town of Bloomsburg. AGAPE is managing the program on behalf of the town. SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) is administering the CDBG funds and ensuring compliance.

Applicants must be at risk of losing their housing. Homeowners must provide documentation from the mortgage holder showing payments in arrears and renters must sign the self-certification eviction form. Assistance can be made to families whose income is at or below the HUD Section 8 income limits for Columbia County at the time of application. Applicants must complete an income verification interview to qualify for this program.

For more information or to set up an appointment to apply, Bloomsburg residents may contact Karen Heap at 570-317-2210.

SEDA-COG’s Community Development program administers 14 CDBG contracts for 28 communities. Over 35 years, the program has secured $120 billion for over 1,000 projects with its 12 dedicated staff.

As a community and economic development agency, SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives. SEDA-COG also is an advocate for the interests of its communities at the state and federal levels. For more information, visit www.seda-cog.org.