Lower Towamensing Township's backing of a proposed fire and emergency training center has resulted in a unanimous show of support for Carbon County Commissioners in their quest to seek funding for the project.

The township's board of supervisors on Tuesday agreed to provide a letter of support to county commissioners for a grant application for the proposed training center for both fire and law enforcement.That decision came after supervisors heard from Carbon County Commissioners' Chairman Wayne Nothstein.Nothstein told supervisors that the letter of support is to help the county strengthen grant applications for funding for the training center.Supervisors then peppered Nothstein with various questions, such as whether municipalities in the county would be impacted in their attempts to obtain potential grants should the county be successful in securing funding for the training center, whether design work has been completed, and how many municipalities are in agreement.Nothstein said some grants are competitive, and that commissioners were told they were better off going for the whole project at one time, that the county just hired an architect for the training center, and that all of the municipalities have agreed to send their letter of support, with the township being the last to do so.Supervisor Ron Walbert said he had no problem supporting the project, provided that commissioners are able to secure the funding by way of grants, and that there is no tax increase to residents.In April, supervisors rebuffed a request from the county asking for a letter of support, agreeing that they wanted more details before they would support the proposed training center.The training center, estimated to cost about $10 million, would be located on 10 to 12 acres of land in the emergency complex on the Broad Mountain in Nesquehoning.It would replace the former training tower and drill area in Lehighton, which was condemned and demolished last year.