Northampton County's nine-member Gaming Board have begun accepting applications for impact grants from an anticipated $1.6 million in slots revenue that should trickle into County coffers this year from the Sands Casino. The first application has already arrived, according to Executive Director Karen Collis during the Board's February 22 meeting. All applications must be in by March 2.
Northampton County also receives about $1.2 million in table games revenue from the Sands, but that money is controlled by County Council. Table games revenue can be spent on anything considered in the "best interest" of the County. But with slots revenue, priority must be given to requests dealing with the impact created by gambling. In addition, these impact grant requests are limited to Bethlehem and the communities surrounding the Christmas City. Those are Freemansburg, Hellertown, Lower Saucon Bethlehem Township and Hanover Township.
If there is money left over after impact grants are awarded, the Gaming Board may consider grant requests from other municipalities. Last year, the slots revenue was only enough for impact grants.
Treasurer Tom Nolan indicated that the board is sitting on $263,000 in uncommitted funds as of the end of January. Its restricted account, from which grants are awarded, is down to $13.66.
The Gaming Board is made up of nine members: Joe Kelly (Bethlehem, Vice Chair), Tom Nolan (Bethlehem Tp, Treasurer), Gerald Yob (Freemansburg), Jay Finnigan (Hanover, Chair), Dave Heintzelman (Hellertown), Dave Willard (Lower Saucon), Tony Pristash (Northampton), John Dally (Pen Argyl, Secretary) and James Pennington (Lower Nazareth).
Seth Vaughn, Council's liaison to the Board, was absent from the meeting.
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
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Tuesday, February 23, 2016
3 comments:
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Seth Vaughn, Council's liaison to the Board, was absent from the meeting.
ReplyDeleteHe should resign, why did he even run for County Office?
Seth Vaughn absent?? I can't believe it. I'm sure he had a good excuse.
ReplyDeleteEast Sider
Wow, people really don't hold the elected accountable for what they say when they run and what they do when they win. No comments on this failure to attend is really a shame for the people of NORCO
ReplyDelete