NEWS
MONTGOMERY COUNTY OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
COURT HOUSE, NORRISTOWN, PA., BOX 311, 19404-0311
PHONE (610) 278-3061 FAX 278-5943
COMMISSIONERS:
JAMES R. MATTHEWS, Chairman, JOSEPH M. HOEFFEL, Vice Chairman, BRUCE L. CASTOR, JR, Commissioner
RELEASE: IMMEDIATELY 02/20/09 PR#09-08
Montgomery County Commissioners Funding Host Community Block Grant
NORRISTOWN — Montgomery County Commissioners Chairman James R. Matthews presented Norristown Council with a $506,250 check for the Host Community Block Grant.
The Host Community Block Grant comes from the County’s general fund and is a combination of six items the County had previously funded separately.
It includes a $100,000 local service grant the County has provided to Norristown for a number of years and a $240,000 Safe Streets grant for 75 percent of the cost of four full-time police officers, which the County began funding several years ago.
It also includes $61,750 for the George Washington Carver Community Center $47,500 for the Montgomery County OIC, $19,000 for Norristown PAL and $38,000 for the Greater Norristown Society of the Arts.
There are other County programs to help municipalities on the horizon as well, Matthews said.
A new $107 million county-wide economic development program will target boroughs in particular over the next seven years, with $60 million is targeted to Pottstown and Norristown, he said.
The County Commissioners will also be coming to voters this November asking them to support another $150 million program to improve traffic flow on area roads, Matthews said.
The state and federal governments have clearly indicated that all of their transportation dollars for the foreseeable future will be used to fix existing roads and bridges that are wearing out.
“Montgomery County and its municipalities are going to have to get together and fix some of our own problems,” Matthews said. “Little things like fixing intersections or coordinating traffic signals can make a big difference.”
left to right, Montgomery County Commissioners Chairman James R. Matthews and Norristown Council President Cathy Lawrence.
