L. Saucon Seeks Monroe Co. Gaming Funds Grant

Lower Saucon Township is seeking grant money from a pool of Monroe County gaming funds to help pay for improvements to Steel City Park, township manager Jack Cahalan announced recently.

If that sounds a bit odd, given the geography, Cahalan said it isn't.

He explained that Monroe County has a different law to dispense with casino revenue than Northampton County does.

Monroe County makes its money available not only to local municipalities, but also to communities in the counties that border it, he said.

"We are getting in on the act, so to speak," Cahalan explained to members of Lower Saucon Township Council.

If the grant applied for is ultimately received, he said the improvements to the park will be financed entirely by grants, since some grant money is already in place.

The grant application is for about $156,000 and there is a $600 nonrefundable application fee, he added.

"I’m glad to see you're applying to Monroe County, finally," said councilwoman Priscilla deLeon, who is a former member of the Northampton County Gaming Revenue and Economic Redevelopment Authority.

Cahalan noted that other Northampton County municipalities have recently applied for grants from Monroe County's gaming funds, including Hanover Township, Freemansburg and Hellertown.

Hellertown hopes to be able to fund some of its proposed Water Street Park improvements with the grant money, he said.

Photo: Patch file photo