Two area communities, Coaldale and Schuylkill Township, were among the few who received grant monies awarded by the Schuylkill County commissioners from the county's proposed 2012 Community Developmenmt Block Grant at a public meeting held Wednesday at the courthouse in Pottsville.

Commissioner chairperson Mantura Gallagher told the audience the county expected to receive a grant in approximate amount of $340,000, however, the final passage of a budget by Congress cut the program by 12 percent. Based on the final allocations the county anticipates receiving $303,000 which it will have to allocate to municipalities.The county will continue the demolition program at locations throughout the county which will be selected at a later date. A budget for $76,470 has been allocated for demolition.The county received applications from 23 communities and the total request for funds came to $1,788,390.Commissioners Gallagher and Frank Staudenmeier, in the absence of Commissioner Francis McAndrew, who is recuperating from major surgery, voted to allocate the anticipated funds to be received as follows:Schuylkill Township will receive $11,381 for a sidewalk and retaining wall at the Brockton Fire Company building and Coaldale Borough $56,000 for stormwater improvements on E. Phillips Street, between East Street and the borough line.Other communities receiving monies for stormwater improvements will be Frailey Township, $38,000; Frackville Borough, $28,000; Mahanoy Township, $63,000; and Girardville Borough, $48,000.The commissioners reported $61,200 is set aside for the ongoing management and oversight of the program, public information and planning.Because of the increased population in West Penn Township, which the recent census showed the population to exceed 4,000, the township does not come under the county's program but now can apply on its own and possibly obtain more funds then it would have received from the county.Other requestsGary Bender, director of the county's GDBG Program, reported applications were received from 23 communities which were screened by the commissioners who made the final decision on the awarding of the funds. Those who applied and were unsuccessful were as follows:Schuylkill Township sought $52,000 for a $500,000 water line project in Tuscarora; Blythe Township sought $58,710 for a water line on Water Street to the intersection of Coal Street; Coaldale sought $65,000 for a storm water collection on Moser Avenue between Third and Fourth streets; McAdoo sought $60,000 for a handicap barrier removal and curb cuts; North Union Township sought $42,000 for a $50,000 project for bridge repairs over Spiece Road; and East Union Township sought $80,000 for a $82,500 demolition program.Cressona asked $6,599 for removal of a handicap barrier at a public swimming pool; Gordon, $65,000 for a new roof on a fire station; Frackville, $25,000 for a $47,500 storm water collection on west side of Railroad St., from Oak to Chestnut sts.; and High Point Manor; Ringtown, $65,000 for a $71,000 to purchase a towable generator to use in case of emergencies; Cass Township, $70,000 for a storm water collection on Schaeffer's Hill Road and $70,000 for a storm water collection on Woodside Road.Mahanoy Township, $60,000 for a storm water collections on Bowman's Road; Girardville, $45,000 for a storm water improvements on Ogden Street, $40,000 on Silver Street and $65,000 for a restroom at a municipal building; Ashland, $25,000 for a handicap barrier removal on a walking path entrance to a public playground; Foster Township, $55,000 for a handicap barrier removed on a walking trail; Reilly Township, $87,700 for a storm water improvements in Branchdale; and Tremont, $64,000 for a $248,000 project for street improvements.