The Monroe County commissioners conducted a public hearing this week regarding the opening of the 2018 Community Development Block Grant application period.

Martha Robbins, Executive Director of the Monroe County Redevelopment Authority made a presentation on the 2018 Community Block Grants. The grants are a program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The funds are to be used to help local government agencies to implement community development initiatives that support decent housing, suitable living environments and the expansion of economic opportunities.

The 2018 allotment for Monroe County, exclusive of Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg, will be $393,410, which is an increase of $72,877 over last year.

“The goals are to improve the quality of life for low to low-moderate income families,” Robbins said.

Robbins said that the program is accepting funding requests at this time. The deadline is July 27. The grants will be awarded in November.

Chairman John Moyer asked Robbins a number of questions regarding how the funding is determined and what factors could affect the funding in the future, including any impact that the next census could have on the classification of local municipalities, in particular Chestnuthill Township since it could exceed the population threshold to be identified as an “urban area.”

Robbins wasn’t sure if such a determination would increase the base funding or if it would mean that the existing funding would be allocated differently, as it is with Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg.

Moyer said while Monroe County is identified as having a high average household income, it also has high school taxes and other expenses to residents which offset that income number.

“We look really good when you look at the medium income,” Moyer said. “That’s until you look at the cost of living here.”

Other business

The commissioners also addressed House Bill 2073, which is currently in committee.

The bill would revise the Pharmacy Act to include the requirement for all retail pharmacies to install and maintain a drug collection receptacle for the disposal of unused or expired drugs.

The receptacles would need to be in place within one year of the act’s adoption and would be available to collect controlled substances.

The commissioners have all come out in support of the act.

“Something else has to be done,” Vice Chairman Charles Garris said. “Otherwise people flush the medication down the toilet. People in Philadelphia are getting chemotherapy every time they take a sip of water. Water treatment plants can’t handle all of the drugs in the water.”

The commissioners also approved the third quarter fiscal report for Children and Youth. The agency is on track to spend over $17 million for the fiscal year. According to Moyer Children and Youth is by far the biggest expense for the county, but luckily most of the funding is reimbursed by the State.

Moyer pointed out that the second highest budgeted expense is the correctional facility, for which the county received no reimbursement from the state.

The commissioners also accepted quotes from Schoonover and Vanderhoof for architectural services for renovations to the Snydersville Farmhouse for the Coroner’s Office and for 701 Main St.

Renovations to 701 Main St.building are ongoing. The current renovations are being made to the first floor so that the county detectives can be moved into a larger space. The next project will be to move the District Attorney’s office to the building.

The move to the larger building owned by the county is to free up much needed space in the courthouse so that any future expansion to the courthouse might not have to be so large.

Suzanne F. McCool was appointed to the Carbon Monroe Pike Mental Health and Development Services Advisory Board to fill the unexpired term of Julia Carter.