The Gloucester County Board of Commissioners held its regular monthly meeting on Oct. 6 and authorized insertion of special revenue items into the 2021 county budget.
The items added were not determined during the initial creation of the 2021 budget. The first item, entitled Stop Violence Against Women, included a $30,205 grant to reimburse the forensic nurses who conduct examinations of domestic violence and sexual assault victims.
A $25,000 grant called Workforce Learning Link was added to fund ABE/GED, reading comprehension and literacy training for students attending Rowan College of South Jersey. This grant is in partnership with the WorkFirst NJ program, which helps residents become independent and ready for the average workplace.
Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) received a $110,000 grant to improve public- transportation services and subscription type transportation services. Gloucester County residents who utilize transportation services for job training, among other uses, may be eligible for reimbursement.
The FY21 USDA Section 533 Housing Preservation Grant, worth $148,964, will fund rehabilitation activities that benefit local low income individuals and households. Those activities will be consistent with federal Housing Quality Standards.
Another housing grant, HUD CDBG/HOME Investment Partnership, was approved for approximately $1.9 million to “strengthen communities and to expand opportunities for low and moderate income households throughout Gloucester County.”
The last budget revenue item is the Early Voting 2021 Grant, worth $2 million. It will pay for essential equipment, supplies and services for in person early voting facilities across the county.
In person early voting for the general election will start on Saturday, Oct. 23 and continue through Sunday, Oct. 31. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
No appointment is necessary; locations that offer early voting can be found on the county website.
