4 days ago
Somerset County seats committee to review disaster relief grant applications
SOMERSET, Pa. – Six residents from across Somerset County have been selected to review requests for help from a newly created disaster recovery fund.
They all have reputations for serving their communities – in many cases, providing help in times of need, the Somerset County commissioners said.
The list includes business leaders, longtime fire department volunteers, a pastor and two local emergency management coordinators. They will review grant applications to select residents and businesses eligible for flood recovery aid, the board said.
The review board approved by the commissioners Tuesday includes:
• David Berkey, of Jenner Township, is a Somerset County Fair board president who owns an excavating business and is active in Jenner Township Baptist Church.
• Lance Bittner, of Berlin, is a local Boy Scouts of America leader who has spearheaded toy drives and assisted with Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in South Carolina.
• The Rev. Matthew Deal, of Somerset, is the pastor at St. Paul's United Church of Christ, serves on the United Way of the Southern Alleghenies board and previously served as president of the outreach group Somerset Area Ministries.
• Gerald Parry, of Berlin, is a former fire chief in his hometown and a founding member of the county's hazardous materials team who serves as Berlin's local emergency management coordinator.
• Robert Statler, of Windber, retired this month as fire chief with the city of Johnstown and is a longtime member of Windber's fire department. A longtime paramedic, he also serves on the Cambria County Swift Water Rescue Team.
• Harvey Wetzler, of Addison, serves as emergency management coordinator for Addison Borough and the surrounding township. He is also a Somerset County Swift Water Rescue Team member, hazmat team member and Community Organizations Active in Disasters member.
The county commissioners each selected one member, while Somerset County Emergency Management Agency officials selected the other three – Bittner, Statler and Wetzler.
A history of community service 'was a key consideration for us. We wanted people who understand the need to support their community,' said Commissioner Pamela Tokar-Ickes, who selected Deal to serve on the committee.
Commissioner Irv Kimmel Jr., who nominated Berkey, said the goal was to get people involved from 'all ends of the county.' He described the committee as a 'great group of individuals.'
The commissioners established the recovery fund to support southern Somerset County in the aftermath of a devastating May 13 flood – but said they wanted to leave the application review and award process to the community itself to manage.
The six-member committee will work alongside the nonprofit Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, which is accepting donations and grant applications. The Community Foundation will also manage the fund as it continues to grow, the commissioners have said.
As planned, committee members could begin reviewing requests for aid and issue awards in the next few weeks, the commissioners said.
Municipal leaders in eight communities that have issued disaster declarations will be able to file applications on behalf of residents and businesses in their communities that sustained losses, the commissioners have said.
Kimmel said there is no specific limit on the amount an entity can request – but the review committee is working with a limited amount of funds and will likely have a goal of supporting as many qualified people as possible.
Now that the county has received approval for state and federal emergency loans and grants, including low-interest Small Business Administration loans, there are multiple levels of support available for properties that suffered damages and losses in the flood.
Each government program has its own unique stipulations for how money can be spent – such as for home repairs or temporary housing assistance – and who is eligible. The state Disaster Relief Program, for example, has income eligibility requirements.
But even with multiple sources of aid, in addition to property owners' insurance plans, the commissioners said they know there will be 'gaps' where people will have to absorb losses from the flood.
'There are going to be unmet needs,' Tokar-Ickes said, 'and that's what this fund is intended for.'
As of Tuesday, Tokar-Ickes said approximately $40,000 was raised through the disaster recovery fund, including $10,000 from the CFA and a $10,000 pledge from Somerset County through hotel tax and Act 13 natural gas 'impact fee' revenues.
The commissioners have designated the county's $10,000 contribution to municipal agencies – such as borough or township governments – in communities that are working to recover from the flood.
The hope is that the relief fund's total will continue to grow, Kimmel, Tokar-Ickes and President Commissioner Brian Fochtman said.
They said an annual fundraiser event is being considered to raise awareness and support for the fund, which will be ongoing to provide support after future disasters.
'Hopefully, there's never a 'next time', ' Kimmel said, 'but unfortunately, there probably will be.'
Contributions to the Disaster Recovery Fund can be made at
Tokar-Ickes said a link will also be posted online in the near future to apply for funds.
