The Borough of Northampton is seeking Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from Northampton County for two anticipated projects this year.

The projects include the installation of handicapped curbing along Laubach Avenue and the upgrading of the storm sewer system. It may be several weeks or more before the borough receives notification on whether its application is successful.

Borough Manager Gene Zarayko said the curbing and stormwater upgrades are "good projects," adding "Both of these items would be eligible, I feel this would be a good project because we will be repaving [Laubach Avenue] sometime in the next year or two."

No one on Northampton Borough Council objected to the proposed projects.

Until recent years, the borough submitted its CDBG grant requests to the state. However, the state is now requiring counties to review and act on the applications. Federal money is doled out to the state for CDBG allowable projects, in which the county is now involved.

For the last several decades, Northampton was one of a few municipalities in the county involved in CDBG projects.

The borough is heralded for its housing rehabilitation programs in the community. Funding to moderate and low income eligible families has upgraded the borough's private housing stock, leading to compliance with borough and state codes.

The borough has received well in excess of $1 million which has been funneled into such housing upgrades.

Councilman Robert Coleman, reporting on administration and finance committee activity, said the borough received a $6,549 dividend check covering the period from 2007 to 2011 from Brosky Insurance Agency, Catasauqua, representing the MRM Trust.