County says community block grant will fund borough parking lot purchase

MILFORD — Borough officials’ frustration at their inability to complete the purchase of Broad Street property for a parking lot ended Monday night. Appearing before the borough council, Pike County Commissioner Harry Forbes announced that the county would pay the remaining $162,000 due on the $300, 000 purchase of the double borough lot adjoining Seventh Street Coffee, opposite The Columns Museum. Borough officials, seeking to relieve some of the Milford business district’s chronic parking problems, initially received a $135,000 block grant towards the property purchase, but were unable to win additional funding. In January they were denied access to Pike Scenic Rural Character Preservation Bond money. The county took some criticism then, as borough officials noted that additional parking would also serve the nearby county administration building. On Monday Forbes noted past block grant funding which provided $156,000 for other borough needs. Forbes said additional federal funding may still be in the offing this year for fire services and municipal buildings. Given budget concerns, the borough earlier delayed a planned rehabilitation project for the borough hall.