Diamond Park in Butler

The county commissioners are applying for a second $250,000 state grant for the Diamond Park rehabilitation and improvement project.

The commissioners agreed Wednesday to apply to the Department of Community and Economic Development for a $250,000 grant from the Greenways, Trials and Recreation program. If approved, the county will have to provide a $37,500 match.

Lance Welliver, parks and recreation director, said the application is due by the end of June and the state should announce the awardees by early 2026.

The county was previously award a $250,000 grant for the park from the department that requires a 50% match that could be used to start the project. said Leslie Osche, commissioners chairman.

In unrelated business, the commissioners agreed to purchase an educational app for $5,000 from Cypherworx that will be installed on the tablets in the county prison that inmates can use to obtain professional certifications, which they can use to find jobs when they are released.

Warden Beau Sneddon said the app contains over 30,000 hours of training classes.

Inmates will be able to manage and view their certifications without staff oversight and ask Cypherworx to send their certifications to potential employers or family members to be printed, Sneddon said. He predicted the app will be popular with inmates

In addition, the commissioners extended the contract with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank to operate The Emergency Food Assistance Program through Sept. 30, 2028. The extension includes an option to renew the contract for two consecutive one year periods.

The food bank is providing food for a new summer food program at Eau Claire Park this summer, officials said.