EBENSBURG, Jan. 31 – In furtherance of his multi-year effort to maximize local participation in grant opportunities, state Rep. Frank Burns is touting the availability of funds to help with parks, recreation and conservation projects. Burns, D-Cambria, said the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is accepting grant applications through April 10 for its Community Conservation Partnership Program. “These grants can fund planning, acquisition and development of public parks; recreation areas; motorized and non-motorized trails; river conservation and access; and conservation of open spaces,” Burns said. “I urge interested municipalities and their agencies, nonprofit organizations, state heritage areas, prequalified land trusts and for-profit enterprises that might qualify to make application.” Burns said the projects require a 50-percent local match and more information is available at https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/Communities/Grants . In a service Burns provides free of charge, any 72 nd Legislative District entity seeking help with preparing a grant application can contact his Portage office at (814) 736-7339 and ask for Brittany Blackham, who serves as in-house grant writer/assistant. Read more
HARRISBURG, Jan. 28 – On the heels of his re-election as Northwest Delegation chairman, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, has been reappointed to four House committees for the 2019-20 legislative session of the General Assembly. Burns will again serve on the Consumer Affairs, Liquor Control, Tourism and Recreational Development, and Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness committees, as announced by House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody. “Combined with my continued leadership of the House Democrats’ Northwest Delegation, I’m looking forward to building on my body of work on these four important committees,” Burns said. “They vet and approve all legislation that falls under their respective jurisdictions, before it moves to the full House for a vote. So the work is very important.” Burns offered the following encapsulation of his committees’ duties: Consumer Affairs – Reviews bills pertaining to issues such as vehicle lemon laws, consumer privacy and contract language; and has jurisdiction over the Public Utility Commission, as well as many consumer issues. Liquor Control – Reviews any bills which pertain to the sale or distribution of alcohol in Pennsylvania; and handles legislation dealing with the state’s Liquor Code and oversees the operations of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, as well as the control of liquor by slot machine operators under the Gaming Control Board. Tourism and Read more
EBENSBURG, Jan. 25 – PennDOT is recruiting applicants for its 2019 Summer Maintenance Program, said state Rep Frank Burns, where college students, highway maintenance workers and custodial workers earn $13.56 an hour. Burns said pay for these full-time positions, available from April through October, rises to $15.28 an hour for semi-skilled laborers and $19.84 hourly for tunnel maintainers and certain equipment operators. “With so many people looking for steady work, especially college students during the summer, I wanted to make everyone aware of these opportunities,” said Burns, D-Cambria. “In addition to getting steady income and additional work experience, it’s equally important to note that these seasonal openings also provide a gateway to potential promotion into a permanent position.” Burns said more details on the PennDOT jobs can be obtained by visiting www.employment.pa.gov , clicking through the “Open Jobs” icons and searching for “PennDOT Summer Maintenance Program 2019.” People can also apply for jobs by following the above computer protocol, Burns said. Burns also issued the caveat that not all jobs are available in all counties. Read more
EBENSBURG, Jan. 17 – In the first-ever state grants of their kind, state Rep. Frank Burns today announced a combined $70,000 is coming to the Central Cambria and Penn Cambria school districts to expand computer science classes and teacher training. Burns, D-Cambria, said each of the districts will receive $35,000 under the PAsmart initiative, which has made Pennsylvania No. 2 in the nation for investing in K-12 STEM and computer science education. “These targeted grants are designed to help schools significantly boost their computer science offerings through equipment purchases and staff development,” Burns said. “We all know that ever-changing technology is rapidly altering our economy at the local, state and national levels. Our students must be computer science-proficient in order to keep pace.” Burns said Central Cambria and Penn Cambria are among this round of targeted grant recipients, which include 221 school districts, two career and technical centers, 18 charter and cyber charter schools, and eight intermediate units – each of which are receiving $35,000 Read more
EBENSBURG, Jan. 16 – Maintaining his House Democratic leadership role, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, today was unanimously re-elected chairman of the Northwest Delegation. Burns’ peers in the region gave him a second term at the helm of the delegation, whose members coalesce around ideas, legislation and strategy of mutual benefit to them and the people they represent. “I am humbled and appreciative at the vote of confidence demonstrated by today’s action,” Burns said. “As a delegation, we’ve strived to present a united front on key issues. We’ll continue doing that, to amplify our voice in Harrisburg as we fight for issues of mutual importance.” Burns said he looks forward to cultivating a strong working relationship with the rest of the Northwest Delegation leadership team: Vice Chairman Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, Treasurer Rep. Robert Merski and Secretary Rep. Pat Harkins, all of whom are Democrats from Erie County. Read more
State Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, is reminding graduating high school seniors and their families about the availability of the 2019 Pennsylvania House of Representatives Scholarship, which awards a four-year scholarship to two students preparing to enter post-secondary education. Read more
EBENSBURG, Jan. 10 – For the first time in recent history, the Democratic chairman of the influential House Appropriations Committee today visited state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, to gain a firsthand assessment of the 72 nd Legislative District and its most pressing needs. State Rep. Matt Bradford, from Montgomery County in eastern Pennsylvania, came to Burns’ district in one of his first official acts of 2019 since being elevated to the key committee chairmanship in November. “I cannot emphasize enough how much I appreciate Representative Bradford, a longtime House colleague of mine, coming to get a firsthand view of our district and its needs,” Burns said. “This is a first during my tenure as a state representative, and it’s an honor to welcome a House member of his stature who wants to help.” Burns said Bradford’s committee plays a pivotal role in forming recommendations for state budget and fiscal-related matters, and is integrally involved in the annual budget process. He said the committee also has jurisdiction over the state budget process, the offices of Auditor General and state Treasurer, and the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority. “We can’t forget about our small towns and rural districts across Pennsylvania, which is why coming to Representative Burns’ district was important to me. We’re committed to keeping their needs on the radar as our committee moves forward with Read more
EBENSBURG, Jan. 10 – Patton Borough will benefit from a $21,260 state grant to stabilize an area of stream bank along Chest Creek, state Rep. Frank Burns announced today. Burns said the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Growing Greener program funding will help protect Patton Borough from future flooding – and will repair damage that followed unprecedented rain and flooding across Pennsylvania last year. “These state funds will repair and restore fish habitat and also prevent future erosion along Chest Creek,” said Burns, D-Cambria. “It’s a vital investment to protect and restore a substantial section of stream bank to ensure residents enjoy this area for recreational use and enjoyment for years to come.” Burns said the grant will stabilize 300 linear feet of stream bank and will assist the area in reducing and controlling storm water, and to rebuild from last year’s weather-related devastation. Read more
Cresson-based Eternal Remembrance LLC was awarded a $75,000 grant from Ben Franklin Technology Partners, state Rep. Frank Burns announced today. Read more
Among other things, in this letter I invited key officials from the Greater Johnstown Water Authority to attend a meeting in my office to discuss ways to solve their funding challenges. Read more
HARRISBURG, Jan. 1 – Looking forward to building on his reputation as a social and fiscal conservative willing to tackle important local issues, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, was sworn in today for a sixth term representing the 72nd Legislative District. Burns, D-Cambria, said he’ll remain vigilant about monitoring developments and speaking out to defend residents’ interests as the 2019-20 legislative session unfolds, whether it involves policies crafted in Harrisburg or district issues on which constituents seek out his help. “I’m honored that the people of Cambria County continue to place their faith and trust in me,” Burns said. “The residents of our community are strong, hardworking, decent people who deserve the very best the state can offer. Nothing is more important to me than protecting their interests – both here at home and in Harrisburg. Whether it’s restoring popular bus trips for our seniors or demanding answers about the controversial Laurel Ridge wind turbine project, I’ll continue fighting for what’s best for our residents.” At the same time, Burns said he’ll continue focusing on his priorities of protecting children from predatory sex abuse and bringing those perpetrators to justice, keeping neighborhoods crime-free, providing law enforcement with needed resources and legal protections, ensuring safe schools and a thriving workforce, and combatting the opioid crisis Read more
HARRISBURG, Dec. 27 – In response to the ongoing government shutdown in Washington, D.C., state Rep. Frank Burns is calling for a halt in pay for members of Congress until the showdown is resolved. Currently, 800,000 federal workers across the country are going without paychecks, while elected members of the U.S. House and Senate continue to get paid. “You don’t get paid when you don’t do your job – so why should Congress?” Burns asked. “I’ve always tried to lead by example. That’s why I voluntarily refused my paycheck when Pennsylvania failed to pass an on-time budget. I join my former state House colleague, Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, in calling on Congress to do the same.” Burns has gone without a paycheck as long as the state budget is unfinished, notably during the nine-month impasse of 2015-16, because of a strong belief that legislators should set an example. “It is time for both Republicans and Democrats in Congress to come together on border security. Right now, the millionaires running the federal government are more concerned about one-upping each other and playing politics than considering the disastrous effects their actions have on workers and our nation’s economy. Pennsylvanians – and all Americans – deserve much better than this.” Read more
On Tuesday, I sent this letter to the Greater Johnstown Water Authority and others – including the governor and a top CPV official – urging them to defer to public opinion and halt the proposed wind turbine farm on Laurel Ridge. I sincerely hope that they join me in listening to the will of the people. Read more
While critiquing my effectiveness as a state legislator less than two months ago, one of the major newspapers in my district commended me as a “state official who has matured on the job and become a key voice on local issues.” Nothing about me or my “people-first” philosophy of government service has changed in the past seven weeks. However, what has changed is that I have added my voice to a new local issue – assisting a group of constituents who sought help in unearthing details of a Greater Johnstown Water Authority plan that could put as many as 60 electricity-generating wind turbines on scenic Laurel Ridge. The crux of this issue – and the reason this group approached me – is that they’ve been kept in the dark as the water authority quietly entered into a legally binding agreement with a private company, Competitive Power Ventures, which wants to use public land for corporate profit. These residents’ deep concern is understandable: a lease agreement that could have a profound impact on their quality of life and, financially, on their property values, was unanimously approved by the water authority board at its public meeting on July 19, 2018. Tellingly, the minutes of this meeting indicate that no member of the public was present to witness the vote. Five months later, the water authority scheduled and advertised a special public meeting – at 3 p.m. on Dec. 13 – for the purpose of discussing the Read more
EBENSBURG, Dec. 13 – In the wake of robust attendance at his town hall meeting last night on the controversial Laurel Ridge wind turbine project, state Rep. Frank Burns said he expects momentum to carry over to today’s 3 p.m. meeting of the Greater Johnstown Water Authority. Burns, D-Cambria, said the town hall attracted 200 citizens hungry for additional information on the project’s timeline, scope and impact. He expects at least some of them to seek additional insights from the water authority, which owns the property, during today’s meeting at 640 Franklin St., Johnstown. “What we emphatically learned last night is that many people who live in the area are craving answers and eager to provide input,” said Burns, who plans to attend the water authority meeting for observational and educational purposes. “These constituents approached me for help in their quest; as an elected official, I am committed to guiding them to sunlight at the end of what they currently perceive as a dark tunnel.” Burns said residents who live in the area – and would be most impacted by the possible erection of up to 60 wind turbines – deserve to be kept fully in the loop and treated as partners in any project that has the potential to disrupt their lifestyle. Read more
EBENSBURG, Dec. 13 – Enhanced services for abused children will be boosted by a $46,968 state grant to the Cambria County Child Advocacy Center, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, announced today. Burns, a leader in the statewide effort to hold child abusers accountable, said the grant through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency will help young victims of physical and sexual abuse with healing – and will help bring abusers to justice. “Our region has been devastated by decades of documented sexual abuse by clergy, but we all know the abuse doesn’t stop there,” Burns said. “This funding is all about giving abused kids a second chance – and rooting out and punishing their abusers – by ensuring that the center has the state-of-the art resources it needs for investigating, evaluating and treating abuse.” Burns said the Cambria County CAC was awarded close to the maximum of $47,000 to provide high-quality medical evaluations and mental health screenings for abused children, and to ensure that forensic interviews are conducted to help hold perpetrators accountable. The grant comes through Act 28 of 2014, which highlighted the importance of children’s advocacy centers and established a dedicated funding stream for the training of mandated reporters, and for CACs. Read more
EBENSBURG, Nov. 30 – In response to an outpouring of questions and concerns from residents about a proposed windmill farm, state Rep. Frank Burns is hosting a town hall meeting to gather facts on the project. The town hall will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12 at Westmont Hilltop High School, 200 Fair Oaks Drive, Johnstown, 15905. Burns, D-Cambria, said he wants to provide a forum for residents to ask questions and learn more about the proposed installation of wind turbines along the ridge in Upper Yoder Township. Burns has invited officials from the Greater Johnstown Water Authority, which has leased a tract of land in Upper Yoder for the windmill farm, and Maryland-based Competitive Power Ventures, the wind energy developer. “People deserve to have their voices heard and to be part of the planning process before an unknown number of giant windmills are constructed along the Laurel Ridge,” Burns said. “Our region cherishes outdoor recreation such as hunting, hiking, biking and skiing. The addition of these turbines could have a devastating impact on tourism, an industry that’s vital to our local economy.” In a little-noticed court order this month, a Cambria County judge approved changes to the water authority’s deed of trust to allow it to enter into a lease agreement with CPV to develop the windmill farm. No other information has been made available regarding the size, scope, impact or timeline for the project, Read more
Letter to Trump urging him to hold General Motors accountable for closing plants and moving them to Mexico. Read more
HARRISBURG, Nov. 28 – State Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, today announced the Greater Johnstown Career and Technical Center is the recipient of a $35,517 equipment state grant to help prepare students for 21 st -century occupations. The funding will be used to purchase two mini-cnc machines for computer numerical-controlled machining, a computerized vehicle diagnostic tool and an analytical balance that is designed to measure amounts in the sub-milligram range. "In today's high-demand fields, specialized training is often needed, and the purchase of these tools invests in our future workforce by giving students hands-on training on the equipment required in 21 st -century jobs," Burns said. "Students will be able to hit the ground running when they enter the workforce, which enable them to get good jobs and strengthen our economy." The CTE Equipment Grant is awarded through the Department of Education. Greater Johnstown CTC was one of 38 career and technical education and vocational technical education schools to be awarded this competitive grant. Read more
State Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, is hosting a $45-per-person bus trip to the state Capitol on Tuesday, Dec. 11 that includes a tour of the Capitol and lunch, along with a visit to Hollywood Casino. Read more
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