The Wayne County Commissioners are hoping distribution of gambling funds originating at Mount Airy Casino Resort can help with building a new emergency operations facility for the county.
On Thursday the Commissioners authorized Chief Clerk Vicki Lamberton to submit an application for $1 million from those funds. The grant is made available through the Pennsylvania Department of Economic Development (DCED) under the local Share Account- Monroe County program.
This is the first round of an annual fund, the amount which will vary year to year. Two percent of the gross terminal revenue generated from the games at the casino in Monroe County has been made available for “public interest” projects, community improvement projects and economic development projects. One percent of the funds is allocated to Monroe County and its municipalities, and the other one percent to adjoining counties and the municipalities within these.
“I’m sure this will be a very competitive process,” remarked Commissioner Tony Herzog.
Lamberton stated she understood the pool of money totaled $6 million, available to not only Wayne County, but Pike, Northampton, Carbon, Luzerne and Lackawanna counties as well- all of which border on Monroe.
On August 18, Honesdale Borough Council approved application for $200,000 from this same source. This application was on behalf of Central Wayne Regional Authority, to help fund the new sewer plant.
Allocation of this revenue is made possible through the PA Race Horse Development and Gaming Act (Act 2004-71). According to the DCED, the purpose of the program is “to support and enhance community and economic well-being and
mitigate the impact of gaming and related activities.
Applications are due by August 31; awards will be given by November 30.
The casino opened last year in Mount Pocono.
If approved, the $1 million will go towards the construction of the 911/Emergency Operations Center, to be built next to the County Recycling Center on the old “County Farm” land in Berlin Township. Lamberton said that the project is still being designed, and a total estimate of the cost has not been determined.
Congressman Chris  Carney  had previously secured $200,000 for the project.
The need to relocate the center came about after the former Communications Center and Emergency Management Agency (EMA) were flooded in the basement of the Courthouse Annex for a third time, in June of 2006. The Commissioners acted to temporarily move the Communications Center and EMA to the basement of the Dimmick county office building next door, which is farther back from the river.
Among other actions, the County Commissioners approved application for state funds for the Victim Witness Program operated through the District Attorney’s Office. The funding totals $59,618 under the Rights & Services Act, used to assist adults, and $20,000 under the Juvenile Victim Assistance Program.
The County Commissoners meet on Tuesday and Thursday at 10:30 a.m. at the Courthouse.