Cumberland County commissioners voted July 23 to approve a $14,000 supplemental grant to Mechanicsburg Borough to complete its comprehensive plan after the borough’s original consultant was incapacitated and the firm closed.

Kirk Stoner, of the Cumberland County Planning Department, told commissioners the county’s municipal grant program supports local plans and ordinances that align with the county comprehensive plan and that Mechanicsburg had started the work in 2023. "They started on that effort, then they had a really a tragic event with their consultant who had severe health issues that led to him not being able to complete the plan," Stoner said.

The supplemental $14,000 request follows the borough securing a new consultant and revising the scope of work. Lane Thompson, identified as the Mechanicsburg borough manager, said the borough is ‘‘a little over halfway through the process’’ and recovered work product from the first consultant. "The borough itself is also extending its matching of that $14,000 as well — the total new incurred cost is $28,000 to get through the finish line with the comprehensive plan," Thompson said.

Stoner said the Planning Department’s grant review committee recommended approval at its July 17 meeting. The county motion to approve the additional funding was moved and seconded and passed unanimously.

Background provided at the meeting shows the original plan budget was $40,000 and that subsequent costs increased the total projected expense to about $68,000. Stoner and Thompson said some prior work will be used by the new consultant but that the new vendor will reframe and own the remaining process.

The county’s grant approval allows Mechanicsburg to resume work with the newly contracted firm. Thompson said the borough expects the finished comprehensive plan to guide future policy decisions and investments.