Senator Gene Yaw announced on May 26 that Lewis Township has been awarded $250,000 in state funding through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Keystone Communities Program. The funding will support flood recovery efforts and sitework for constructing a new municipal office building outside the floodplain.
Yaw joined Lewis Township Supervisors Don Coleman and Steve Sechrist, along with Emergency Management Coordinator Charles O’Brien, to mark the award. “By supporting the construction of a new municipal building outside the floodplain, we are helping to ensure local officials and emergency personnel have a safe, reliable facility to continue serving residents when they need it most,” said Yaw. “I was pleased to secure this important investment for the community.”
The grant responds to severe damage caused by Tropical Storm Debby in August 2024, which highlighted vulnerabilities in existing infrastructure throughout Lewis Township and Trout Run. Flooding from the storm severely damaged the Trout Run Volunteer Fire Company building that housed not only fire services but also served as an emergency shelter, warming center, and Emergency Operations Center.
O’Brien said, “Lewis Township is pleased to be receiving the $250,000 DCED grant funding from Sen. Yaw to prepare the site for the Lewis Township Building. Tropical Storm Debby trapped two township employees inside the Municipal Services Building for five hours without any means of communication with the devastated area around them. Nearly all the Lewis Township historical records were destroyed as flood water rose inside the building. We look forward to steering clear of harm’s way in the future as well as having a safe location to rally when our residents could be experiencing their worst day.”
The new facility will house township offices, municipal services, and an updated Emergency Operations Center. It will also include a meeting room designed for use as an emergency shelter, voting center, or blood drive location.
Yaw represented areas in Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Tioga, and Union counties; chaired several Senate committees; provided general counsel at Pennsylvania College of Technology; coached youth sports; and received recognition as Lycoming County Solicitor of the Year in 2004, according to the official website.
