Hartleton uses COVID-19 funds from Union County for road repair

Nov. 26—HARTLETON — The reconstruction of Catherine Street in Hartleton was funded by COVID-19 relief money from Union County.

The borough of Hartleton was awarded $25,000 from Union County in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds last year. Borough Secretary/Treasurer Gwendolyn Perrin said the borough requested the funds to redo several small roads in the borough.

"Catherine Street leads into the sewage plant, the Historical Church, which is used for meetings and elections, the borough park and the playground," said Perrin.

The 182-year-old brick Hartleton Historical Union Church, built in the 1841, is located at 115 Catherine St., Hartleton. It served four congregations until the 1940s, but left mostly unoccupied and neglected until it was renovated in 1977 with funds from Donald Hayes. The borough council, which now holds its public meetings at the church, started the second renovation process in 1998.

Since October 2022, the county has awarded 26 local municipalities, organizations and projects a portion of $8,008,236 in ARPA funds from Union County. Union County received $9 million of the $6.15 billion federal funds allocated to Pennsylvania. The county has approximately $905,000 that has not been allocated.

The total price was $24,700 and the borough paid 10 percent of their share of the project. The borough returned the leftover funds to the county, said Perrin.

"The Hartleton Borough Council would like to thank (Commissioner) Stacy Richards for recognizing the need," said Perrin.

Richards said Hartleton did not qualify for Community Development Block Grant funds.

"They obviously had a need," said Richards. "We had some ARPA funds that we could provide so they had better access to the municipal building."

Richards said it's wonderful that the borough is able to use the historic church.