News – Page 37 – SEDA Council of Governments

Plan GoShamokin Recognized by 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania

Posted on January 10, 2022 by

During the 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania Commonwealth Awards, held virtually on December 15, 2021, the Plan GoShamokin project received the 2020 & 2021 Plans and Policy Initiative Award.

As stated on the 10,000 Friends website, the Commonwealth Awards honor projects, plans and initiatives that demonstrate smart growth, community resilience, and equity principles in action. The awards recognize individuals, businesses, and organizations with the vision to find new uses for vacant and underutilized land, increase opportunities and access for all in communities on the rise, and breathe new life into older neighborhoods.

According to The Shamokin Area Implementation Plan, “GoShamokin responds to a community driven desire to proactively reinvent itself. The plan focuses on a combination on of public/civic realm investments in infrastructure and public spaces combined with programs and resources that can be tapped to partner with the private sector to stimulate building rehabilitation and business expansion. This layered approach to economic development emphasizing ‘placemaking’ fosters the greatest potential for creating jobs, reducing crime, enhancing community pride, and elevating the overall quality-of-life for all of Shamokin’s residents.”

Sean Garrigan, the Principal with Stromberg Garrigan and Associates (SGA) – the lead firm contracted with the City to prepare the plan, submitted the plan for consideration of an award. “SGA was honored that 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania awarded our Plan GoShamokin project a Commonwealth Award. SGA was supported by Urban Partners and the KSA Group on the effort; Plan GoShamokin was completed in October 2020 for SEDA-COG on behalf of the City of Shamokin and provided a 5-year implementation plan for economic revitalization in downtown Shamokin. SGA is currently working to create a pocket park in Shamokin called Illumination Station, a direct result of the recommendations in the plan. Thank you to 10,000 Friends for the honor,” said Garrigan.

“The GoShamokin plan has provided direction for the momentum of many different organizations at work in the city. The recognition is a huge honor and it’s exciting to see so many aspects from the GoShamokin Plan happening – including the Illumination Station Pocket Park, Hydrology & Hydraulic (H&H) Study, U.S. EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant, Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Book Rewrite, and more,” said Betsy Kramer, Revitalization Coordinator at SEDA-COG.

SEDA-COG is a community and economic development agency in Lewisburg and is one of seven Local Development Districts in Pennsylvania. SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in the 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives.

For more information, please contact Elaine Stauder, communications coordinator, SEDA-Council of Governments, at 570-522-7429 or estauder@seda-cog.org

New Hire in SEDA-COG’s Community Development Program

Posted on January 4, 2022 by

SEDA-COG recently welcomed Sarah Biddle as a Program Assistant in their Community Development Program.

Biddle has over five years of experience planning and coordinating community events and programs and team management. She was previously the Rail Trail Coordinator and Program Director for the Buffalo Valley Recreation Authority. She was also the Assistant Manager at Iron Front Events in Lewisburg, PA. She currently serves as the field hockey coach at Danville Area School District. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Sport Administration and Sport Management from Lock Haven University in 2015.

SEDA-COG is a community and economic development agency in Lewisburg and is one of seven Local Development Districts in Pennsylvania. SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in the 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives.

For more information, please contact Elaine Stauder, communications coordinator, SEDA-Council of Governments, at 570-522-7429 or estauder@seda-cog.org.

SEDA-COG Offers Two Programs at No Cost for Home Heating Assistance

Posted on January 3, 2022 by

With colder weather upon us, SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) is continuing to offer Crisis program to residents who qualify for fuel assistance, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP.) This program repairs malfunctioning heating units at no cost.

Additionally, American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) stimulus funds are being used to offer a new service, the LIHEAP Clean and Tune Pilot program for residents. Clean & Tune is a benefit available to assist homeowners and residents in cleaning and tuning their primary heating equipment and avoiding interruptions to their heating service. It will provide general service with the goal of preventing crisis calls due to loss of heating. Homeowners and residents must qualify for fuel assistance.

Residents should contact their local county assistance office to see if they qualify for these programs. It is not guaranteed that this clean and tune service will be offered next year, so it is highly encouraged to take advantage of the program while it’s available. The application period is open now through May 6, 2022.

Mandy Fox, chief of SEDA-COG’s Weatherization program, said, “With the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on employment, people who normally wouldn’t qualify for the Crisis program might this year. We encourage people to contact their local county assistance office to see if they qualify.”

SEDA-COG’s Weatherization program serves a seven-county area: Columbia, Juniata, Mifflin, Montour, Perry, Snyder, and Union.

If residents don’t qualify for LIHEAP or Crisis assistance, they may still qualify for SEDA-COG’s Weatherization services. SEDA-COG’s Weatherization services may provide furnace repair, although it is not immediate help, as it would be through Crisis. SEDA-COG’s Weatherization program can be reached at 570-522-7219.

Crisis Income Eligibility Guidelines

Family size: 1 – $19,320; 2 – $26,130; 3 – $32,940; 4 – $39,750; 5 – $46,560; 6 – $53,370; 7 – $60,180; 8 – $66,990.

County Assistance Offices
Columbia: 570-387-4232
Juniata: 717-436-2158
Mifflin: 717-242-6095
Montour: 1-866-410-2093
Perry: 717-582-5038
Snyder: 570-372-1721
Union: 570-524-2201

SEDA-COG is a community and economic development agency in Lewisburg and is one of seven Local Development Districts in Pennsylvania. SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in the 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives.

For more information, please contact Elaine Stauder, communications coordinator, SEDA-Council of Governments, at 570-522-7429 or estauder@seda-cog.org.

SEDA-COG… Building Strong Economies & Strong Communities www.seda-cog.org

Snyder County Market Opens with SEDA-COG and Mifflinburg Bank & Trust Partnership

Posted on December 29, 2021 by

SEDA-COG Local Development Corporation recently assisted Beaver Valley Country Store, LLC with an SBA 504 loan for the purchase of Saylor’s Market on Route 522 in Beaver Springs, Snyder County. The proud new owners of the store are Steve Witmer, Aaron Witmer, Rick Maloyed, and John Anthony.

SEDA-COG Local Development Corporation partnered with Mifflinburg Bank & Trust Company on this project. The SBA 504 loan program offered the borrower a 25-year low interest fixed rate loan for 35% of the total financing need.
John Reichard, SEDA-COG Business Relationship Manager and Tina Showers, SEDA-COG Principal Program Analyst worked with the four partners and Amber Gabrielson, Commercial Lender at the Selinsgrove Branch of Mifflinburg Bank and Trust Company, to bring this financing package to fruition.

Rick Maloyed said they couldn’t have done this without Mifflinburg Bank & Trust and SEDA-COG. “We felt like we had a great team going into the project and both Mifflinburg Bank & Trust and SEDA-COG were very helpful in guiding us through this process.”

Beaver Valley Country Store will be offering new products in the future. They now have a bakery, which offers donuts, pies, full, half, and quarter sheet cakes as well as round cakes and cupcakes that can be custom made for any occasion. They also offer fresh produce, meats, frozen foods, a deli, and other various items. You can like and check out their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/beavervalleycountrystore for weekly flyers and events at the store.
For more information about SEDA-COG’s loans, please contact John Reichard at jreichard@seda-cog.org or 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.

Mifflinburg Bank & Trust Company is a full-service commercial bank servicing customers from eight locations in Mifflinburg, New Berlin, Lewisburg, Selinsgrove, Shamokin Dam, Millheim and Milton. The bank has 15 ATMs in Union, Snyder, Northumberland and Centre counties, and, as a member of Moneypass®, customers have access to over 37,000 ATMs nationwide. For more information on Mifflinburg Bank & Trust, visit mbtc.com.