County to apply for trail project grant

Blair County is expected to be the applicant for a $10,000 grant in support of the Blair County Trail Town Development Project.

The Allegheny Ridge Corporation is seeking the grant to hire Cathy McCollom of Confluence, Somerset County, to evaluate accessibility to land and water trails in Blair County communities and how improvements could benefit users and their communities.

The project is also expected to recognize Blair County’s connections to long distance corridors including the

Sept. 11 National Memorial Trail, the Main Line Canal Greenway and the Lower Trail outside Williamsburg.

Allegheny Ridge Executive Director Jane Sheffield asked commissioners Tuesday to apply for the grant through the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The grant requires a $1,000 match which Explore Altoona has agreed to cover, Sheffield said.

Bids sought for fort improvements

Blair County will seek new bids for site improvements at Fort Roberdeau, the Revolutionary War era fort in Sinking Valley.

Commissioners recently rejected eight bids for the work based on flaws identified within the submitted bid packages. Bid prices ranged from $279,882 to $381,017, with companies submitting two alternate bids that could reduce the cost by removing tasks from the base bid.

Keller Engineers of Hollidaysburg will handle the work involved with rebidding the project, at a cost of $1,750.

Property assessment appeals due Aug. 2

Blair County property owners who want to challenge property assessments have until Aug. 2 to file an appeal.

Appeals must be postmarked by Aug. 2 or they can be delivered in person to the county’s tax assessment office, located in the basement level of the Courthouse.

Once the appeal is filed, owners will be asked for evidence in support of their position in favor of a lower value. The value assigned by the county to a property is used in calculating county, school district and municipal real estate tax bills.