TOWER CITY - Two years ago, a stormwater culvert collapsed outside the home of John S. and Marlene M. Lodish, according to borough Councilman Robert M. Shuey.
"When it rains, the water backs up there and you have a big puddle," Ralph Keim, a neighbor at 144 W. Grand Ave., said Wednesday.
"When the cars hit it, it splashes up on my windows," Marlene Lodish, 131 W. Grand Ave., said Wednesday.
"And when they hit the water, they end up in the other lane," Keim said.
"It's really been a problem. It's a wonder somebody hasn't hydroplaned," Lodish said.
The Schuylkill County commissioners recently earmarked $60,000 in federal funds to help the borough repair the area, Gary Bender, county CDBG administrator, said Wednesday.
"If all goes well, we should get that money in January or February and these projects can be bid for spring," Bender said.
"We'll have our engineer come up with a plan. We're hoping to have it repaired sometime next year," Shuey said Wednesday.
Schuylkill County expects to receive $276,838 in CDBG funds as part of its 2013 Community Development Block Grant Program, Bender said.
The county plans to use the funds for the following projects:
- Replace culvert on the 100 block of West Grand Avenue, Tower City, $60,000.
- Stormwater improvements on Macomb and Wiggan streets in New Philadelphia, $18,700.
"The culverts are failing, resulting in water entering basements and flooding along the pavements. The project is to replace the existing culverts and associated piping at this intersection," Bender said Wednesday.
- The installation of curb ramps for handicap accessibility at the intersections of North and Pine streets and Cherry and Pine streets in Port Carbon, $29,500.
- Improvements for handicap accessibility at the municipal building in Girardville, $58,000.
"Girardville is to remove restrictive barriers to persons with disabilities that exist in their municipal building. This would involve doorways and bathrooms," Bender said.
- Demolition at various sites in the county, $60,808.
"This year's anticipated projects so far are in Ashland, Girardville, Tremont and Coaldale. No amounts are specified. Bidding will be in October," Bender said.
- And $49,830 will be set aside for "expenses for administering the program, advertising, salaries associated with the program," Bender said Wednesday.
Federal CDBG funds are distributed through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Eligible activities include demolition; rehabilitation of residential and non-residential structures; construction of public facilities and improvements, such as water and sewer facilities, streets and neighborhood centers; and the conversion of school buildings for eligible purposes, according to the HUD website.
Nine of the 67 municipalities in the county that have populations of more than 4,000 receive entitlement funds through the program.
Meanwhile, the Schuylkill County commissioners distribute federal CDBG dollars to the other 58 municipalities through a competitive grant program.