South Jersey Business Trends

At a meeting of the Burlington County Bridge Commission, Commissioners announced that $3.67 million in federal funds recently awarded to Willingboro and Burlington City resulted from grant applications prepared on behalf of the towns by the Commission.
“Through the Bridge Commission’s work with Community Grants, Planning, and Housing (CGP&H), we have brought more than $5.2 million to cash-strapped towns in Burlington County,” said Commission Chairman John B. Comegno II. “This is just the latest success from our aggressive plan to garner all the dollars available for municipalities,” he added.
Willingboro and Burlington City were awarded $2 million and $1.67 million, respectively, from grant applications prepared by CGP&H for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.
The federal program is intended to acquire, restore, and rehabilitate homes in neighborhoods threatened by crime and blight and remarket them to low-income families. 
Funds are part of the $700 billion Federal bailout that is targeted to aid communities in addressing foreclosures; towns can receive $2.5 million per neighborhood, up to the max. 
Deputy Mayor of Willingboro Township, Paul L. Stephenson, Ed.D., applauded the successful partnership: “We appreciate the exemplary work of the Burlington County Bridge Commission to make this happen.”
Last December the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders asked the Commission to prepare grant applications on behalf of Burlco towns.
“We directed staff to make it a priority to help towns get the funds they are entitled to-and desperately need,” said Vice-Chairwoman Priscilla B. Anderson.
Additional grants being pursued by CGP&H, as per Commission direction, include:
• COPS Hiring Recovery Program (CHRP), which provides funding for hiring and rehiring of additional career law enforcement officers.
Applications have been submitted for 4 municipalities.
• NJ Board of Public Utilities Energy Audit Program, a state incentive program which will reimburse municipal and county governments costs of performing energy audits of their facilities.
Applications are in process on behalf of the Bridge Commission and 8 municipalities.
• The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant, a program which funds innovative programs to address drug and violent crime issues and improve New Jersey’s criminal justice system. Applications are in process on behalf of 17 municipalities.
• Centers of Place, which provides funds to support non-traditional transportation improvements that advance municipal growth management objectives. Applications are in process on behalf of two municipalities.
• NJ Department of Transportation’s Transportation Enhancement Program, which is designed to foster more livable communities, preserve and protect environmental and cultural resources, and to promote alternative modes of transportation. 
Applications are in process on behalf of two municipalities.
• NJ Department of Transportation Bikeways, which provides funds to promote bicycling as an alternate mode of transportation (e.g., constructing additional dedicated bike paths). Applications are in process on behalf of two municipalities.
• NJ Department of Transportation Safe Streets to Transit, which provides funding to improve access to transit facilities and all nodes of public transportation and improve safety.  Applications are in process on behalf of one municipality.
Community Grants, Planning and Housing (CGP&H) has expertise in soliciting county, state, federal, and private sector grant and low-interest loan programs.
Bridge Commissioners remain impressed with CGP&H’s return on investment-for every dollar spent, $22 in grants were awarded.
Commissioner Troy E. Singleton said, “By partnering with CGP&H, the Commission is investing in our towns, saving our taxpayers millions of dollars. And with that rate of return, it’s money very well spent.”
Added Chairman Comegno, “Now more than ever, our taxpayers need the relief this kind of shared service brings.” 
The Burlington County Bridge Commission manages the Tacony-Palmyra and Burlington-Bristol Bridges, and through its economic development and improvement authority powers, assists Burlington County municipalities in economic development and community revitalization projects and extends pooled financing options to local governments and nonprofits in Burlington County.
These initiatives have resulted in a savings of approximately $13 million.

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