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Saint Marys Ambulance wins council backing to seek Local Share Account grant
Summary
Council approved Resolution 25-08 supporting Saint Marys Ambulance’s application for a Local Share Account grant to fund facility upgrades including windows, doors, HVAC work and security; the vote was unanimous.
Saint Marys Borough Council voted to approve Resolution 25-08, allowing Saint Marys Ambulance to apply for a Local Share Account grant to fund renovations at its station.
The measure, moved by Schleiden and seconded by Tony, passed with the ayes recorded by council members during the meeting. Council discussion included an overview of the project and a presentation from a representative of the ambulance service explaining what the grant would cover.
Matt (staff member) introduced the item, saying he had been contacted earlier in the year by the ambulance service about the Local Share Account grant, a state program funded from gaming revenues administered through the commonwealth. He said the project would be an eligible municipal application and that nonprofits cannot apply directly for the Local Share Account. Nick Verde, representing Saint Marys Ambulance, described the facility and needs: “Saint Mary’s Ambulance has been a essential resource for the community,” Verde said, adding that the station provides 24/7 advanced life support staffing and training space. Verde said the station was built in 1996 and that windows and doors are drafty, the HVAC system is strained, and some fixtures “are warm and unable to be, adequately cleaned enough to mitigate the infection control risk.”
Verde described an additional project to update the station’s integrated security system — including video surveillance and door access — and asked the council to approve the resolution so the ambulance service could apply. He estimated the quoted cost of the quoted security project at about $139,000 and said the service had “exhausted all … avenues and options for obtaining funds elsewhere.”
Schleiden moved approval of Resolution 25-08; Tony seconded. Council voted in favor. After the motion passed, the council chair thanked Verde and told him to “keep it up.”
Matt told the council the application deadline is in September and that award decisions usually come about six months after that date.
The resolution allows Saint Marys Ambulance to submit an application; it does not guarantee funding. The council record shows the formal vote but the grant application and award decisions will be made by the state program handling Local Share Account funds.
