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Grants
In
2001, WBCOG received a Shared Municipal Services Grant from the Department
of Community and Economic Development. The $21,000.00 grant is to be used
for operating expenses through the end of 2002. This grant enabled the
newly-formed Council of Governments to hire a part-time Administrator.
The funds were also used to purchase equipment and office supplies for
the new office in the West Lawn Borough Hall. WBCOG's office space is
an in-kind service contribution to WBCOG on behalf of West Lawn Borough
as part of the required matching contribution portion of the SMS grant.
In March of 2002, WBCOG applied for a Community Revitalization Grant from
the Department of Community and Economic Development. This grant request
has been approved, and the grant money will be used as matching funds
to purchase a commercial-grade wood chipper that will be shared by the
member municipalities. WBCOG will apply for another grant that will allow
the COG to purchase the wood chipper without any cost to our member municipalities.
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Projects
- Fire
Hydrant Adapters
Three member municipalities have identified the need for Stortz fire
hydrant adapters for the hydrants in their municipalities. The hydrant
adapters are an asset to the operations of each municipality's fire
company. These adapters make it possible to standardize the hydrants
so that any apparatus from anywhere (in the county or in the nation)
could hook up to any given hydrant. Additionally, with the adapters
in place, the connection is a ¼ turn type, not a fully-threaded connection.
This saves valuable time in making connections, decreasing the emergency
response time. WBCOG is pursuing funding to purchase these adapters
at no cost to the member municipalities.
- Wood
Chipper
All six member municipalities are working through WBCOG to purchase
a commercial-grade wood chipper. A WBCOG-owned wood chipper would be
shared by the member municipalities. The municipalities hope to fully
fund this purchase through two grants.
- Park
and Recreation Enhancements
WBCOG will be working with the PA Department of Conservation & Natural
Resources on behalf of the municipalities that have identified the need
to develop park and recreation areas. Two member municipalities-Heidelberg
Township and Robesonia Borough-are cooperating in an effort to develop
the field in front of the Heidelberg Township Municipal Building. This
open space is ideally suited for a soccer field, and WBCOG will assist
their efforts to fund this project through a grant offered by DCNR.
- Uniform
Construction Code Enforcement
Members of the Western Berks Council of Governments are taking the necessary
steps to be a leader in Berks County with regard to the impending Uniform
Construction Code. When Act 45 of 1999 is implemented in January of
2003, WBCOG will utilize the inspection services of Building Inspection
Underwriters, Inc. to provide member municipalities with options regarding
UCC inspection requirements. WBCOG is hosting a UCC information workshop
for our member municipalities. The workshop will be held in the West
Lawn Borough Hall on Wednesday, August 28, 2002 beginning at 7:30 PM.
For more information on how WBCOG can be of assistance to municipalities
in Berks County with respect to the UCC, view the "Future
Plans" page of this website, or contact our office: (610) 685-4929
or wbcog@countyofberks.com.
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