$102, 000 federal grant will fund van for seniors

By NEAL $RENTZ

The town will likely receive a federal grant to purchase a new van for town seniors, Town Supervisor Tony Gonçalves and the Westchester Urban County Consortium announced.

Gonçalves said the town and the consortium received confirmation April 3 that Lewisboro’s application for a Community Development Block Grant was approved for a $102,000 replacement van for the Parks and Recreation Department to serve the town’s seniors. 

The funding is from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. This was the first time Lewisboro has applied for a CDBG grant.

Following a public hearing, which is scheduled to run until May 7, the county Board of Legislators will vote to approve several block grant projects. According to the town, the expectation is that all recommended projects will be approved by the county board.

Following the board’s vote, the funds will be made available to Lewisboro following an agreement with HUD, according to the town.

Lewisboro is a member of the WUCC and a membership requirement is to have a town representative as part of the Community Development Advisory Group. In August town seniors group member Dottie Podolak was appointed to CDAG. It advises the county executive through the Planning Department staff on the programs and priorities contained in the county’s application to HUD.

“I am very happy and excited that this was the Town’s first Community Development Block Grant application and our project was one of 25 selected countywide,” Gonçalves told The Recorder. “I am more excited for our seniors who will finally be riding in a new vehicle which is overdue for replacement. This is a great accomplishment for the Town of Lewisboro and specifically our seniors community.”

Gonçalves noted that the county is responsible for project selection and it will disburse the federal grants to its municipalities. 

The grant is expected to cover the entire cost of purchasing the new van, Gonçalves said.

Once the Board of Legislators approves the grants and the agreements are finalized with HUD, the town can order the van, he said.

Gonçalves complimented county officials for their work with the town.

“I am very pleased with the relationship that the Town of Lewisboro has established with Westchester County officials including the county Department of Planning, which is responsible for overseeing the CDBG program,” he said. “This is a perfect example of the type of results one can expect from such a relationship.”

Gonçalves also praised the contributions of others who worked to secure the grant.

“I would like to thank Chief of Staff Kerri Wolfe for spearheading the CDBG application process with help from resident Dottie Podolak, Senior Adult Coordinator Pamela Veith and Recreation Supervisor Nicole Caviola,” he said. “We also had some assistance from our neighbors in North Salem who had applied during the last CDBG round for a seniors van. I would like to thank North Salem Supervisor Warren Lucas and his Chief of Staff Janine Kourakos for providing assistance with this application.”

Next, the Lewisboro Seniors will discuss the results of a recent townwide survey and the establishment of a task force to create a nonprofit group to explore the possibility of a dedicated senior center. Meetings on the topic are slated for 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, at Stevens Memorial United Methodist Church, 8 Shady Lane, South Salem and 6 p.m. Thursday, April 24, at the Lewisboro Justice Court, 79 Bouton Rd., South Salem.