Lower Burrell applies for grant to pay for $30,000-plus in pandemic expenses

Lower Burrell officials want help from a Westmoreland Cares Municipal Grant to pay for covid-19 expenses.

Municipalities in Westmoreland County are eligible for the grant, which covers unbudgeted, covid-19-related expenses from March 1 to Oct. 1. The grants are paid for from relief monies from state and federal government agencies.

“With all of the uncertainty surrounding the financial impact of covid on our city, we need to explore every opportunity to secure additional funding to help offset our lost revenue,” said Councilman Chris Fabry, who heads up the city’s finance committee.

The city needs to be proactive in dealing with covid-related expenses, Fabry said.

“Our earned Income tax revenue will certainly be down this year,” he added. Many municipalities are facing the same shortfall because of layoffs and decline in some residents’ income.

City Administrator Amy Rockwell brought the grant opportunity to council’s attention and is working on the application. City expenses exceed $30,000, she said.

Lower Burrell’s expenses include personal protective equipment for municipal staff, plastic dividers for social distancing, and disinfection of community spaces, said Rockwell.

After the primary election, the city sanitized the city building, purchased sanitizer, sanitizing spray, wipes, gloves, hand-held temperature screening equipment, and incurred personnel costs for first responders, she said.

The city is upgrading the city’s website to allow the public to electronically submit various city applications, communicate concerns and book athletic fields.

The city plans to submit the application before the Oct. 15 deadline.