News

Dauphin County Commissioners Approve $8.3 Million in Gaming Grants for Emergency Services, Affordable Housing, Youth Programs, Recreation Projects Across the County

Feb 22, 2023

The commissioners discuss gaming grants at a public meeting.

The Dauphin County Commissioners awarded gaming dollars from Hollywood Casino to provide for emergency services, affordable housing projects, food bank and shelter resources, youth and veterans programs and services, and other school and community-based improvement projects.

The Board of Commissioners approved on Feb. 22 the awarding of 151 total projects with funding available through the casino local share revenue program.

Just over $8.375 million will be awarded to programs and agencies across the county, saving local taxpayers financial burden and creating or preserving an estimated 2.365 jobs.

“The fruits of the local share program have been plentiful and continue to impact every corner of Dauphin County,” Commissioner Chair Mike Pries said. “These transformative projects would otherwise have to be paid for with taxpayer dollars.”

The Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board (GAB) presented recommendations to the commissioners for recipients of funding. Those recommendations were made following application and hearing processes.

“Casino revenue has become the gift that keeps on giving,” Commissioner Chad Saylor said. “And we are proud of the transparent, fair, and inclusive selection process that ensures consideration to every applicant.”

The local share funds, by law, cannot be used for property taxes.

The breadth of projects and focus areas continue to expand every year to keep up with community needs and demands.

“We prioritized programs that keep families safe, offer resources to kids and underserved populations, and expand affordable housing options in the county,” Commissioner George P. Hartwick, III said.

The host and contiguous municipalities (East Hanover, Derry, Middle Paxton, Rush, South Hanover, and West Hanover townships) were awarded more than $2 million for infrastructure, recreation, and emergency responder projects.

Among the projects highlighted at the Feb. 22 commissioners’ meeting were:

- Reed Township’s construction of a municipal building (supervisors had been holding meetings in a trailer).

- City of Harrisburg’s city hall renovations and improvements; purchase of three new city police vehicles.

- African Chamber programs to help to assist individuals obtain citizenship.

- Dauphin County Anglers & Conservationists programs to trout stock waterways and promote youth fishing events.

Projects that were applied and did not receive funding will be given prioritized reconsideration next year.

The Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board was created by the commissioners when local share money first became available. In addition to reviewing projects in a fair and open process, the GAB is responsible for tracking ongoing work to ensure the money is used as intended.

Here is a complete list of projects awarded funding:

Host & Contiguous Municipalities

  1. East Hanover Township ($517,000 annual road maintenance and repair; $50,000 fire company hose and nozzle project; $100,000 fire safety equipment; $18,000 temporary shelter supplies) - $685,000
  2. Derry Township ($123,500 Public Works Dept. F550 truck with plow and spreader; $47,000 Police Dept. interactive training simulator; $140,000 Hershey Volunteer Fire Co. new fire engine; $9,500 Hershey History Center building enhancements and technology upgrades; $15,000 Hidden Still Inc. construction, facility tours and education programs; $50,000 Mary’s Training Center HydroWorx treadmill; $12,392 Vista School ADA improvements and AED replacements) - $397,392
  3. Middle Paxton Township ($163,000 Potato Valley Road improvement and Red Hill Road Bridge replacement project debt reduction; $98,000 Dauphin Borough construction of community building; $30,000 Dauphin Recreation Association pool repairs; $40,000 Dauphin Middle-Paxton Fire Co. outdoor sign) - $331,000    
  4. Rush Township ($50,000 new building to store equipment; $101,247 Jefferson Township tractor-loader) - $151,247
  5. South Hanover Township ($200,000 municipal complex debt service; $100,000 new public works facility) - $300,000
  6. West Hanover Township ($300,000 Debt reduction of fire engine; $45,960 Tall Cedars of Lebanon pavilion and roof replacement) - $345,960

 Municipal and Municipal Services Awards

  1. Berrysburg Municipal Authority (Debt service for Sewage Treatment Plant System project) - $24,000
  2. Conewago Township (DCIB loan debt reduction for Meadow Lane project) - $82,000
  3. Court Administration for Magisterial District Judges (Debt reduction on construction of new MDJ facilities) - $165,000
  4. Dauphin County General Authority (Golf course irrigation system debt payment) - $115,000
  5. Dauphin County Industrial Development Authority (Debt service on solar farm project) - $246,000
  6. Dauphin Co. Parks & Recreation Department (Design and construct 1-mile paved accessible trail loop at Detweiler Park) - $140,000
  7. Dauphin County Sheriff’s Office (Debt reduction of new portable and mobile police radios) - $15,815
  8. Derry Township Municipal Authority (Reduction of debt on Ridge Rd drainage improvement and Spring Creek Interceptor Upgrade project) - $65,000
  9. Duncannon Vol. Fire Co. #1/Reed Township (Radio replacement) - $35,000
  10. Jackson Township/Fisherville Vol. Fire Co. (Fire Station addition construction debt) - $25,000
  11. Gratz Area Fire Co. No. 1/Lykens Township/Gratz Borough (Replace airpacks on engine and rescue engine) - $43,635
  12. Gratz Borough Water Co./Gratz Borough (Water meter replacement project and infrastructure improvements) - $59,052
  13. Halifax Fire Department/Halifax Township (Purchase new air packs) - $35,000
  14. City of Harrisburg (Renovate MLK City Government Center floors and restrooms and purchase three police vehicles) - $290,000
  15. Harrisburg Housing Authority (New construction of 42 affordable apartment units; Conditioned upon full funding and tax credits) - $115,000
  16. Highspire Borough Authority (Wastewater treatment facility improvement project) - $90,000
  17. Hummelstown Borough (Debt service for new municipal bldg., DCIB debt service for Swatara Township Authority biosolids dryer, stormwater construction projects, and Bullfrog Valley stream restoration project) - $140,000
  18. Hummelstown Chemical Fire Company No. 1 (Debt reduction on 107 ft. ladder truck) - $25,000
  19. Liberty Hose Co. No. 1/ Williamstown Borough (Debt reduction on heavy duty rescue truck) - $40,000
  20. Liberty Hose Company No. 2/ Lykens Borough (Purchase 34 air pack cylinders and one RIT air cylinder) - $13,700
  21. Londonderry Township (Fire engine procurement project) - $155,000
  22. Lower Dauphin School District (Retaining wall repair/renovation project) – $45,000
  23. Lower Paxton Township ($206,875 Police worn body cameras debt reduction; $90,000 Fuel tanks replacement) - $296,875
  24. Lower Swatara Township (Annual payments on two DCIB loans) - $111,500
  25. Lower Swatara Vol. Fire Department (Debt reduction on Tanker 59) - $45,000
  26. Lykens Borough (Paving, milling and overlay project) - $115,000
  27. Middletown Volunteer Fire Dept./Middletown Borough (Pumper Truck debt reduction) - $38,000
  28. Mifflin Township (Weaver Rd. culvert replacement project) - $140,000
  29. Millersburg Area School District (Security and accessibility upgrades at schools) - $15,000
  30. Millersburg Borough (Revitalize Market Square Park) - $140,000
  31. Millersburg Fire Co. No. 1/ Upper Paxton Township (Purchase mobile radios for the station and apparatus and three firefighter radios) - $62,450
  32. Penbrook Borough (Asylum Run sewer project debt reduction) - $90,000
  33. Pillow Borough Authority (Standpipe rehabilitation project) - $40,000
  34. Pillow Fire Co./Pillow Borough (Pumper rescue transmission replacement and purchase of SCBA units) - $60,000
  35. Reed Township (New municipal building) - $65,000
  36. Reliance Hose Co. No. 1 of Elizabethville (Debt reduction on Pierce pumper truck; Conditioned upon applying the grant to one debt payment) - $35,000
  37. Royalton Borough ($84,500 Borough Hall roof repairs; $20,000 Police in-car cameras) - $104,500
  38. Steelton Volunteer Fire Department/Steelton Borough (Replace two portable radios and fire turnout gear) - $19,060
  39. Steelton-Highspire School District (ADA compliance seating and ramps at War Memorial Veterans Field) -$40,000
  40. Susquehanna Township (Replacement of Crown Point Park playground equipment, debt service on 2015 DCIB loan and construction of Public Works equipment storage facility) - $140,000
  41. Swatara Township (Development and construction of emergency operations center and law enforcement facilities) - $155,000
  42. Washington Township (Debt relief for municipal building roof replacement) - $65,000
  43. Wiconisco Fire Engine Co. No. 1 (Debt reduction on new fire rescue) - $30,000
  44. Wiconisco Township (Upgrades to Pump Station No. 2) - $40,000

 

Other Awards

  1. Advanced Training Programs, Inc. (Purchase youth uniforms) - $6,500
  2. African Chamber (Assist individuals to full citizenship) - $65,000
  3. All You Can Inc. (Purchase 15-passenger van for youth program) - $23,000
  4. American Designed Technology Management (Expansion of operations and purchase equipment) - $42,200
  5. American Literacy Corp. (Funding for computer, printer and software) - $4,000
  6. The Arc of Dauphin County (Horticulture and cooking class lab expansion) - $13,000
  7. Berrysburg Borough-Mifflin Township Recreation Assoc. (Playground/Park project) - $43,000
  8. BP Consulting Resources (Neighborhood delivery service; Conditioned upon agreement with Housing Authority of County of Dauphin) - $40,000
  9. Breaking the Chainz (Restoration and rehabilitation of 5 apartments) - $15,000
  10. Bro2Go, Inc. (Purchase van to transport under-served population to work) - $23,000
  11. Campus Cinema LP (Improve theater projectors, seating and small renovations) - $10,000
  12. Canthodel Holdings dba Harrisburg Heat (New glass walls and scoreboard; Conditioned upon not requesting scoreboard funding in the next three years and completing a full season or return the grant funds) - $10,000
  13. Capital Area Greenbelt Association (Paxtang Parkway Trail restoration project; Conditioned upon easements/ownership of sewer lines being finalized) - $65,000
  14. Capital Area Soccer Association (Replacements and renovations to fencing and safety netting) - $5,000
  15. CASA Charter School Foundation (Construction of state-of-the-art music recording and television production studio classrooms) - $50,000
  16. Cathedral Parish of St. Patrick (Rehabilitate Shanahan Center – Phase II of Cathedral Education Center project) - $50,000
  17. Central Dauphin School District (Camera replacement project) - $40,000
  18. Chambers Hill Fire Co./Swatara Township (Update handicapped parking to meet ADA requirements; Conditioned on full funding) - $15,000
  19. Chris Dawson Architect, LLC (Lowengard Building redevelopment project) - $55,000
  20. Christian Recovery Aftercare Ministry, Inc. (Renovation/roof drainage project) - $21,589
  21. The Circle School (Debt reduction on new building) - $18,000
  22. Club Clippa dba Steelton Hair (Building and site improvements for expansion and safety) - $5,500
  23. Cocoa Packs, Inc. (Funding to build a future for Cocoa Packs) - $15,000
  24. Coexist Gallery (Trailer acquisition) - $12,000
  25. Community Aid (Second dock door) - $30,000
  26. Community Check-Up Center (Construction of elevator/lift system) - $57,650
  27. Dauphin Co. Anglers & Conservationists (Repairs, replacements and upgrades at cooperative trout nursery; Conditioned upon matching the grant award) - $30,000
  28. Dauphin Co. Critical Incident Stress Management Team (Provide training for CISM team) - $14,500
  29. Dauphin Co. Library System (McCormick Riverfront Library ADA accessibility and additional services) - $90,000
  30. Diverse Investment Group (Investment in building shipping container modular style affordable housing) - $40,000
  31. Downtown Daily Bread (Emergency shelter, meals and human services) - $5,790
  32. Ecumenical Community of Harrisburg (Walking and fitness trail expansion and repairs) - $15,000
  33. Ecumenical Food Pantry (Emergency food assistance) - $10,000
  34. Fernandez Realty Group Affordable Houses (Construct Sycamore St. low-income housing project; Conditioned upon securing affordable housing funds and City of Harrisburg funds) - $90,000
  35. Fox’s Wash & Go (Phase 1 construction of new laundromat; Conditioned upon receiving bank loan approval) - $70,000
  36. Friends of Midland (Continued restoration and preservation of cemetery) - $5,000
  37. Gamut Theatre Group, Inc. (Debt reduction for building loan) - $20,000
  38. Graceful Acres (Debt reduction and purchase of ADA compliant lift) - $8,000
  39. Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Harrisburg Area (Framing and shell costs for affordable housing project) - $40,000
  40. HANNA Foundation (Provide packs of food to food-insecure students) - $15,000
  41. Harrisburg Area Police Athletic League (Youth crime prevention program) - $10,000
  42. Harrisburg Area YMCA Friendship Branch (Facility security upgrades) - $7,123
  43. Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HUE Invitational Esports Event) - $20,000
  44. Historic Harrisburg Association (Install new HVAC system) - $15,000
  45. The Historical Society of Millersburg & Upper Paxton Township (137-year history digitization project) - $6,000
  46. Homeland Center (Acquisition and installation of new IP/Cell dialer) - $7,500
  47. J & K Investment Holdings (Construct new 4-unit townhouse project) - $30,000
  48. Jewish Family Service (Elevator installation project) - $65,000
  49. Keystone Plus (Expand building infrastructure by extending sewer and water lines) - $15,000
  50. Linglestown Baseball Association (New dugouts for three fields at Koons Park) - $10,000
  51. Manada Golf Club, Inc. (Replace outdated dam) - $75,000
  52. Midwest Food Bank Pennsylvania (Upgrades to refrigeration and freezer) - $10,000
  53. Millersburg Ferry Boat Association (Retaining wall project) - $10,000
  54. ModernRugs.com (Renovate 1408 N. 3rd St. with electrical work) - $25,000
  55. The National Civil War Museum (Long-term debt reduction) - $35,085
  56. Nativity School of Harrisburg (Purchase new van to transport students) - $35,000
  57. Neighboring Group (Convert steel shipping containers into modular spaces for student instruction) - $40,000
  58. Open Stage (Upgrades to HVAC, plumbing, construction and signage) - $40,000
  59. Panther Ram Foundation (Provide support for NutriPacks program) - $15,000
  60. Paxtonia Athletic Association (Baseball/softball facility improvements and equipment) - $25,000
  61. Penn State Health (Community outreach program for Penn National Racetrack backstretch workers) - $15,000
  62. Pennsylvania State University (Phase III of Harrisburg Innovation Park planning project; Conditioned upon establishing partnership with the Dauphin County Redevelopment Authority evidenced by a Cooperation Agreement) - $25,000
  63. Peyton Walker Foundation (4-minute city – AED rapid response project) - $45,000
  64. Phase 4 Learning (Upgrade equipment and career center) - $15,000
  65. Pop's House, Inc. (Mortgage debt reduction on veterans’ home) - $10,000
  66. Salvation Army Harrisburg Capital City Region (Closing the food loop – create hub for food and farm for local community) - $20,560
  67. SkyPixGroup, LLC (Drone technology and mobile command center purchase) - $22,000
  68. Solid Rock Missionary Baptist Church (Entrance sign project) - $15,000
  69. St. Catherine Laboure Athletic Association (Gym refurbishment) - $50,000
  70. St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church (HVAC improvements) - $16,000
  71. St. Stephen's Episcopal School (Free meal program for students; Conditioned upon no additional requests for this project) - $40,000
  72. Summit Terrace Neighborhood Association (Building revitalization and technology and security upgrade) - $5,000
  73. Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (Upgrade baggage handling system) - $65,000
  74. Susquehanna Art Museum (Create accessible outdoor event space; Conditioned upon repaying $25,000 to Dauphin County IDA for RACP grant) - $40,000
  75. Tabernacle Baptist Church (Hope & Healing project) - $5,500
  76. Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts (Debt reduction on projector project) - $15,000
  77. United Way of the Capital Region (Expand access to health care to low-income families/individuals) - $15,000
  78. Veterans Outreach of PA (Tiny homes community for veterans) - $40,000
  79. Vice Capital (Savoy 48 – mixed use development project) - $100,000
  80. Vision Resources (Facility roof replacement) - $15,000
  81. Williamstown American Legion (New wiring and air conditioning at JFK Hall) - $14,075
  82. Woodridge Home-Owner's Association, Inc. (Spring Garden Dr. stormwater basin repair) - $36,000
  83. Zembo Shrine (Preservation of building – roof repair) - $29,000
  84. Zeroday Brewing Co. (New restaurant design and construction project) - $16,750
  85. Dauphin County Industrial Development Authority (Administration) - $725,000

 MEDIA CONTACT: Brett Hambright, Press Secretary, 717-780-6311; bhambright@dauphincounty.gov.