Seward Announces Schoharie County Area Awards

State Senator James L. Seward today announced $90,000 in state funding for Schoharie County area organizations and municipalities.

The awards cover projects that boost the local first responders and promote historic preservation.

"The awards help organizations and local governments afford important initiatives that might otherwise be out of their reach because of the cost or because they could pressure local taxes," Senator Seward said. "People pay enough in local property taxes as it is, and if we can direct some state resources toward our communities to offset some of their costs, then local taxpayers see enhanced services without a concomitant jump in their property taxes."

Included in the grant announcementare$15,000 for the Charlotteville Fire Department toward the cost of a newer pumper/tanker and $20,000 for the Cobleskill Agricultural Society for critical repairs to the dairy barn at the fairgrounds.

Other grants include:
*Town of Jefferson, $10,000 -- Expense of moving community one room schoolhouse from present site on private property to public site;
*Scho-Wright Ambulance Service, Inc., $15,000 -- Funding to help construct new building to house ambulance and equipment;
*Village of Middleburgh, $30,000 -- Matching funds to access grants to allow village to complete restoration of train depot and small park.

The funds have been appropriated as part of the 2004-2005 state budget.

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