Nine Municipal Projects across Erie County Included; EC Investment Leverages Local Funding

ERIE COUNTY, NY— Today, Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz announced the selection of nine municipal projects for inclusion in the Erie County Consortium 2014 Community Development Block Grant (“CDBG”) application. The application, which will be submitted to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development for approval, recommends a total Erie County expenditure of $1,023,172 for the projects, an investment which will leverage $2,022,298 in local funds and in-kind resources.

“The Community Development Block Grant awards are meant to spur communities to invest in projects that improve the infrastructure and quality of life in our cities and towns. These funds, leveraged with other funding secured by the municipalities involved, provide the impetus for improvements all around Erie County,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “As I said in my ‘Initiatives for a Smart Economy’ address, CDBG funds serve a critical role in revitalizing our area, and I look forward to the completion of the projects listed for 2014.”

The Erie County Consortium consists of 34 municipalities, generally located outside of the City of Buffalo and the first-ring suburbs. The selected projects are targeted toward a variety of municipal building improvements, public infrastructure, and park improvements which primarily benefit low- and moderate-income residents. The 2014 selected projects include:

• Town of Concord, Senior Center Construction: $100,000
• Town of Eden, Green Street Waterline: $100,000
• City of Tonawanda, Franklin/James Streets Sanitary Sewer Relining: $100,000
• Town of Grand Island, Senior Van Acquisition: $55,000
• City of Lackawanna, Second Ward Drainage Improvement: $100,000
• Town of West Seneca, Stephenson Road Reconstruction: $100,000
• Town of West Seneca, Town Hall and Senior Center ADA Improvements: $100,000
• Town of Evans, Kennedy Greenway Sidewalk Installation: $100,000
• Various Communities, Rural Transit Service: $268,172

The projects were recommended for funding by a 15-member Selection Committee, including 12 Supervisors and Mayors from Consortium communities and three members of the Erie County Department of Environment & Planning. The Committee reviewed a total of 37 projects seeking $2,789,151 in federal assistance.