The purpose of this column is to keep the general public updated on what is going on in our local government, particularly at the county level. Routinely, the County puts out press releases from various departments that cover a wide swath of interest areas. Given that this is a weekly column, sometimes the deadline would pass before we could publish it, or the release would not pertain to the majority of our readers.

But two items have recently popped up that certainly could be of interest to many. The first is from the Planning and Community Development Department. They are announcing funding opportunities for community park projects. There is approximately $150,000 to support community park and recreation projects in Lycoming County through the Act 13 Fund & Marcellus Shale Legacy Fund Mini-Grant Program.

These funds are specifically dedicated to public parks and recreational purposes. Applicants must submit an application to be considered for funding. The mini-grant program has been very successful to date in Lycoming County. The county wishes to continue providing resources and support to park and recreational projects within the County.

Eligible applicants are encouraged to submit applications for consideration within their community. Eligible applicants would include municipal governments and non-profit organizations located and working within Lycoming County. Whether a park is owned by a municipality or a community organization, the candidate project site must be open to and benefit the public. Typical grant awards will not exceed $25,000.

Interested parties are to submit applications to the County by February 28, 2022. Applications are available on the County’s website at http://www.lyco.org. Those who have further questions should contact Billy Cless, Natural Resource Planner for the Lycoming County Planning and Community Development Department, at 570-329-4761 or wclees@lyco.org.

The second item of important county news, but by no means secondary, is an ongoing concern that Commissioner Metzger highlighted during the comments section of the Lycoming County Commissioners Board meeting on Tuesday, January 18th. He noted that there are currently 30 job openings in county government. These are in all different fields, so almost everyone who is job hunting should look into this. Granted, the pay might not be on the high scale, but for those who are looking for a career with very solid benefits and security, a job with the County is definitely worth considering.

All interested applicants should inquire at PA Careerlink Lycoming County, 145 W. 3rd Street, Williamsport, PA 17701; telephone (570) 601-5465.