$6.3 million in gaming grants awarded by Dauphin County Commissioners for critical projects like new police radios, equipment for first responders and affordable housing

HARRISBURG, PA (February 20, 2020) – The Dauphin County Commissioners yesterday awarded funding for more than 80 projects that help communities improve their residents’ quality of life without using local property tax dollars.

Funding for the $6.3 million in projects comes from the county’s share of gaming revenue generated from Hollywood Casino at Penn National in East Hanover Township.

“These projects have a direct, positive impact on our communities, from helping veterans find affordable housing and access to medical care to new radios for police and other equipment for first responders,’’ said board Chairman Jeff Haste. “Without these grants, townships would either have to delay work or raise local taxes.’’

The awards include $96,500 for Capital Area Transit’s new service taking county veterans to the Lebanon VA Medical Center. For more information, go to www.DauphinCounty.org

“The majority of these projects create jobs and further investment and make our county more attractive to companies looking to either expand or relocate to our area,’’ said Commissioner Mike Pries, who oversees the county’s Department of Community and Economic Development. “When we improve our roads, bridges and other vital infrastructure, we send a message to employers that Dauphin County is a great place to do business and offers an excellent quality of life for their workers.’’

In all, the projects are expected to attract almost $22.8 million in additional investment and create or retain more than 10,600 permanent or construction jobs.

“Our goal is to use the money where it will do the most good,’’ said Commissioner George P. Hartwick, III. “Affordable housing, help for agencies providing care to our most vulnerable residents, job training, equipment for first responders – all of these projects fill vital needs.’’

Among the projects receiving funding:

Public Safety and Technology Infrastructure

  • $148,000 to Derry Township to lease a total of 88 portable and mobile radios for police and public works employees.
  • $175,000 to Susquehanna Township for 40 police radios and 40 portable fire radios.
  • $62,371 for Lower Swatara Township to purchase six mobile (vehicle-mounted) and 10 portable (hand-carried) radios.
  • $15,000 for Lykens’ Liberty Hose Company No. 2 to purchase two mobile and six portable radios, allowing them to communicate with other responding departments.
  •  $75,000 for Hummelstown to purchase 11 portable, five mobile police radios and base station radios, allowing them to communicate with other first responders on different frequencies.

Affordable Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization

  • $75,000 for renovating and revitalizing the former Jackson Rooming House and Swallow Mansion in the 1000 block of North Sixth Street, Harrisburg, to create four market-rate apartments and one retail space in each building.
  • $25,000 to Veterans Outreach of PA to create 15 veteran housing units each 240 to 320-square feet veteran housing in south Harrisburg as part of a center that will include counseling and therapy rooms.
  • $125,000 to Tri-County Housing Development Corporation to construct 12 affordable townhomes on almost an acre in the 100 Block of Adams Street in Steelton.

Additionally, the Shalom House received $25,000 for construction on North 15th Street in Harrisburg, of an ADA-compliant emergency shelter for women and children, as well as 27 apartments for transitional housing.

Project requests are initially reviewed by the five-member Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board (GAB), which was created by the commissioners when local share money first became available in 2008. In addition to reviewing projects in a fair and open process, the GAB is responsible for tracking ongoing work to ensure the money is used as intended.

Under state law, the county must use the grant funds for projects that help human services; improve local infrastructure, such as water and sewer; enhance transportation; address health and safety needs; assist with emergency services; and further public interest initiatives.

The following is the complete list of projects approved by the commissioners:

Host & Contiguous

  1. East Hanover Township (Debt service for Public Works bldg., annual road maintenance, fire company breathing apparatus) - $745,000
  2. South Hanover Township ($175,000 municipal complex debt reduction; $25,000 PA State Police Museum construction debt, and $5,000 Antique Auto Museum expansion planning)  - $205,000
  3. Derry Township ($60,000 Fire Station construction debt reduction; $148,000 Police and Public Works radios; $24,000 The Vista School safety and security surveillance system; and $50,000 C&S Kray Real Estate Sand Hill Rd. relocation) - $282,000
  4. Middle Paxton Township ($124,000 Potato Valley Road Bridge debt; $56,000 Municipal building storage and elevator; and $61,000 Dauphin Borough sewer revenue bond debt) - $241,000
  5. Rush Township ($40,000 Route 325 mile marker signs; $11,500 Generator for Emergency Management Center; $44,000 Jefferson Township paving project) - $95,500
  6. West Hanover Township (Lease purchase of new fire engine) - $200,000

Other Awards

  1. Dauphin County Parks & Recreation Department (Fort Hunter Station adaptive reuse) - $160,000
  2. Penbrook Borough (Sewer Interceptor replacement) - $75,000
  3. Swatara Township (Paxton Street sidewalk construction project) - $170,000
  4. Susquehanna Township ($175,000 Portable radios replacement; $14,000 Susquehanna Township High School baseball safety expansion; and $10,000 Susquehanna Township High School Alumni Association Building Champions Field House project) - $199,000
  5. Jackson Township/Fisherville Vol. Fire Co. (Fire Station addition construction debt) - $19,000
  6. Lower Swatara Township ($133,000 Annual DCIB loan payment and police radio upgrades; and $62,400 Lower Swatara Volunteer Fire Co. Tanker 59 debt reduction) - $195,400
  7. Millersburg Borough (Municipal Building ADA upgrade project) - $59,000
  8. Millersburg Area School District (Security and accessibility upgrades at schools) - $48,000
  9. Steelton Borough/Steelton Vol. Fire Dept. ($90,000 Phase II Skate Park conditioned on obtaining full funding for Skate Park; $12,265 Fire Department equipment) - $102,265
  10. Capital Area Transit (Transportation services for veterans) - $96,500
  11. The Salvation Army (New generator at main facility) - $25,000
  12. Dauphin County Library System (Patron computer upgrades) - $40,000
  13. Keystone Service Systems, Inc. (Capital Area Head Start outdoor education space) - $43,000
  14. Londonderry Township (Debt service for bridge replacements) - $94,886
  15. Harrisburg Rugby Football Club (Design and construction of rugby fields with lights) - $35,000
  16. Royalton Borough (Roadway rehabilitation project) - $180,000
  17. D&H Distributing (Construction of new training center) - $90,000
  18. Berrysburg Municipal Authority (Sewage Treatment Plant System project) - $34,000
  19. Elizabethville Borough/Area Authority (Replacement of Smith Avenue Wastewater Pump Station) - $70,000
  20. Elizabethville Borough/Reliance Hose Co. No. 1 (Apparatus debt reduction) - $30,000
  21. Churchville Cemetery Association (Cemetery mower equipment conditioned upon not applying for one year) - $10,000
  22. Lower Paxton Township ($47,000 Resurfacing of Friendship Center gym floor conditioned upon Township resurfacing leisure pool; $20,000 Koons Memorial Park Swim Club pool area improvements; $350,000 Linglestown Fire Co. No. 1 Air Unit replacement conditioned upon donating old unit to northern Dauphin Co. fire company and not applying for two years) - $417,000
  23. Dauphin County Industrial Development Authority (Solar Farm project debt service) - $137,000
  24. Court Administration for Magisterial District Judges (Debt reduction on construction of new MDJ facilities) - $150,000
  25. Dauphin County Redevelopment Authority (Marketing and advertising costs for acquisition and redevelopment of Commonwealth property) - $116,000
  26. Lykens Borough/Authority ($90,000 Lykens Borough Phase II replacement of water distribution system; $15,000 Liberty Hose Co. No. 2 mobile radio upgrades) - $105,000
  27. Halifax Borough ($15,000 ADA compliance improvements at historical society building; $63,000 Halifax Area Water and Sewer Authority waterline improvements; $25,000 Halifax Swim Club new sliding board) - $103,000
  28. Hummelstown Borough (Purchase of replacement police radios) - $75,000
  29. Harrisburg City ($75,000 Bureau of Engineering urban meadow extension design; $250,000 Bureau of Fire purchase and installation of new bay floors at Stations 1 and 2) - $325,000
  30. Campus Cinema LP d/b/a Midtown Cinema (Renovations to theater lobby and facade) - $50,000
  31. Gamut Theatre (Debt reduction on building renovation) - $35,000
  32. Tri-County HDC (Phase II of 6-unit townhouse project) - $125,000
  33. Open Stage of Harrisburg (Phase III renovation project) - $50,000
  34. ModernRugs.com (Demolition of blighted buildings) - $60,000
  35. Vice Capital (Jackson Square historical site revitalization project) - $75,000
  36. PA Esports Coalition (Traveling esports learning space conditioned upon purchasing a van in 3 years) - $25,000
  37. Reed Township (Contribution to debt payment on aerial fire apparatus) - $47,000
  38. Shalom House (Construction of ADA compliant emergency shelter units conditioned upon securing all financing) - $25,000
  39. Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts (Updates and improvements to STEM learning gallery) - $100,000
  40. Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (Retro-fit aircraft rescue firefighting equipment for Harrisburg International Airport Fire Department) - $19,500
  41. Panther Ram Foundation (Central Dauphin School District Nutri-packs program) - $50,000
  42. Harrisburg University (HUE Invitational security services and technology) - $75,000
  43. The Nativity School (New school facility renovation) - $50,000
  44. The Homeland Center (Security infrastructure improvements) - $24,000
  45. St. Stephen’s Episcopal School (School safety and security improvements) - $20,000
  46. Phase 4 Learning Center, Inc. (After-school STEAM program) - $30,000
  47. Center for Independent Living of Central PA (Purchase of two accessible vehicles) - $42,000
  48. Penn State University (Harrisburg Innovation Park planning project conditioned upon obtaining full project funding within 3 years) - $35,000
  49. Ghost Brewing Company d/b/a Rubber Soul (Phase I construction of brewery) - $75,000
  50. Ecumenical Community of Harrisburg (Building 2 roof replacement project) - $25,000
  51. Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania (Construction of tiny homes community for veterans) - $25,000
  52. Iron Workers Joint Apprenticeship Training Center (Training Center roof and equipment upgrades) - $42,700
  53. Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 520 (Roof replacement project) - $44,700
  54. Heat & Frost Insulators Local 23 (Parking lot upgrades and new lighting) - $43,200
  55. Oasis Community/Living Water Church (Phase II playground project) - $10,000
  56. Elevator Constructors Local 59 (New boiler and HVAC system) - $28,000
  57. Wiconisco Fire Engine Co. (Debt reduction on new fire rescue) - $40,000
  58. Upper Paxton Township/Millersburg Area Senior Center (Senior Center updates and renovations) - $1,700
  59. Halifax Township/Camp Hebron (Cabin replacement project) - $8,800
  60. Capital Area Soccer Association (Ranger Field upgrades and beautification) - $15,000
  61. Catholic Charities (Safety and security upgrades) - $3,500
  62. Central Penn Crusaders Youth Football (Youth football all-star tournaments) - $2,500
  63. Downtown Daily Bread (Installation of air-conditioning in Day Shelter) - $10,000
  64. Farm of Hope (Development, construction and transportation at farm serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities) - $15,000
  65. Midtown Action Council (Historic Marker revitalization expansion project) - $5,000
  66. The National Civil War Museum (Reduction of long-term debt) - $16,000
  67. Sankofa 21 Institute (Student technology initiative) - $6,000
  68. Tri-County OIC (Mobility access for workplace readiness) - $13,000
  69. Vision Resources of Central PA (Purchase of commercial grade facility freight lift conditioned upon obtaining full funding within three years) - $10,000
  70. American Literacy Corporation (Dauphin County Reads Program) - $15,000
  71. Grandparents Involved From The Start (Purchase of tablets for grandparents) - $5,000
  72. Dauphin County Industrial Development Authority to administer the following project: The Foundation for Enhancing Communities/IIPT Harrisburg Peace Promenade (Commonwealth Monument Project) - $100,000