Butler County on Wednesday took the next step in setting up a system to help municipalities pay for their infrastructure work.

The county commissioners hired the Cranberry Township branch of the firm Herbert, Rowland & Grubic for $18,200 to help develop the application process to the Butler County Infrastructure Bank, including criteria for eligibility.

“We're excited to see it happening,” said county Commissioner Leslie Osche, board chairman.

Osche said the process can now move forward.

“This will allow us to develop the applications,” she said.

The county is starting with roughly $500,000 using natural gas drilling impact fee revenue.

The infrastructure bank funding would provide collateral and cover the borrower's payments to the lender supplying their main capital for projects.

Mark Gordon, the county chief of economic development and planning, said the prospective applicants are anxious for the opportunity to seek funding.

“The municipalities are really looking forward to it,” Gordon said.

Osche said the idea came from a session of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania.

Butler is the second Pennsylvania county to set up an infrastructure bank. Dauphin County previously created one using liquid fuels money.

From September through December, municipalities and utility authorities can submit applications.

The review and approval process runs from January through April.

The closing of any county financing would occur in September 2018.

HRG would then help those applicants in need of assistance for project design.

Nonprofit organizations and school districts also are eligible for the loans, but they need a municipal sponsor.