Each year, Adams County and its jurisdictions vie for grant money and state funding for various projects. Yesterday, District 33 Senator Doug Mastriano gave those attending the Adams County County of Governments (ACCOG) meeting some advice about getting it.
Earlier this month, Mastriano announced a $300,000 grant would be awarded to Conewago Valley Township to restore the Plum Creek watershed. But it’s just not enough to apply. “You need to emphasize why your project is the most important,” he said. “There’s lots of competition.”
Mastriano said obtaining funding for $100,000 or less is relatively easy but that acquiring amounts in the millions of dollars can be more problematic. If a township or borough is looking for that kind of funding, they need to include the minimum they can use in their application.
Adams Economic Alliance Director Robin Fitzpatrick also spoke to the ACCOG members about acquiring funding. She said many municipal representatives have asked how funding is granted. “The majority of grants have a political aspect to them. It’s less about the value and more about the representation,” she said. Fitzpatrick said larger jurisdictions have the advantage of hiring a grant writer or consultant to work for them. “They’re the ones getting the grants.”
Mastriano, who represents Adams and Franklin counties, reminded the council that he has coordinated grant training in the past and “would happily do it again.” In the meantime, he directed municipalities and boroughs to find help through his office in Gettysburg. Mastriano introduced two new employees at the Gettysburg office: Melissa Cruz, District Director, and Raphael Diaz, outreach specialist.
In other council business, Lt. Jason C. Haines, Pennsylvania State Police Commander in Adams County, assured members and visitors that state police are “not just on the highways.”
Haines said state police provide several municipalities with full-time police coverage, particularly those that do not have the tax base to support a police department. In Adams County, the state police provide 17 municipalities with full coverage and an additional 13 with partial coverage. The state police offer criminal investigation assistance, crash reconstruction and forensic services, vice units, a special emergency response team, canine units, intelligence units, and community services and engagements.
Some community services include Camp Cadet, a week-long, no-cost summer event for local youth, aged 13 to 15 who are interested in the state police. “It is state police academy lite,” Haines said.
The state police also offer outreach at schools and other community organizations. At the Gettysburg station, residents can take advantage of child seat safety inspections on the second Wednesday of every month. The unit helps with coverage during Gettysburg Bike Week in July, and officers get personal through such positive encounters as Coffee with a Cop and Shop with a Cop.
Haines said many community members wonder about crime incident trends. Two of those trends, distracted drivers and property crime investigations, have necessitated increased enforcement. “Crimes against persons remain relatively low in Adams County,” Haines said. However, he did warn citizens to stay alert to cyber crimes and crimes of opportunity, such as vandalism or theft from unlocked cars.
The Gettysburg detachment is part of Troop H, which has six stations throughout Adams, Dauphin, Cumberland, Perry, and Franklin Counties. The Gettysburg detachment led Troop H with 578 driving under the influence (DUI) arrests, an area of continued focus in the coming year. “DUI remains a priority,” Haines said.
New ACCOG Leadership
Ron Harris, Carroll Valley Mayor, was elected ACCOG President, with Shaun Phiel elected vice president. Harris asked the representatives to provide suggestions for future presentations that would benefit them.
ACCOG comprises representatives from the county government, municipalities and boroughs, school districts, and community organizations such as Destination Gettysburg, At Home in Adams County, and the Adams Economic Alliance. The next meeting will take place on Feb. 22 at 8:30 a.m. at the Emergency Services Building on Granite Station Road.
Judith Cameron Seniura is a freelance reporter. She began her journalism career in the early ‘70s and has written for newspapers, magazines, and other media in Ontario, Canada, Alaska, Michigan, Nebraska, San Antonio, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.