CLEARFIELD – Earlier this week the Clearfield County Commissioners approved applying for a $1.5 million grant designed to help communities stabilize neighborhoods and the housing market that have been affected by foreclosure and abandonment.
On Thursday night Clearfield Borough Council was approached regarding a grant application from the same grant pool the county is looking at.
Earlier in the evening developer Bob Yoder presented information at two public hearings regarding development projects in the borough. During council’s regular meeting he asked council to pass a resolution to transmit a grant application in the amount of $1,165,000.
The money that both Yoder and the county are seeking comes from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.
At a prior meeting council had approved supporting the county’s efforts in applying for the grant.
“I guess there are questions as to whether we are competing with the county,” asked Clearfield Borough Operations Manager Leslie Stott.
Mayor Patty Gilliland suggested that council look out for the borough.
“We’re responsible for the borough,” said Gilliland.
“I think we have a good relationship working with the county” said Council President Jim Leitzinger. “I don’t want to jeopardize that.”
Stott recommended that someone from Yoder’s group talk about the grant situation with Lisa Kovalick, community development specialist for Clearfield County.
Council agreed to revisit the issue at a special meeting on Jan. 29. The grant application is due by Feb. 6.