Baldwin succeeds Lunden in 5 more positions / By Martha Knight

SMETHPORT—Just days after assuming his duties as McKean County Director of Planning, Ken Baldwin was on hand at the meeting of the McKean County Commissioners Friday morning when he was appointed to the McKean County Industrial Development Authority, the McKean County Hospital Authority, the North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission (full board of directors), the NCPRPDC Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee and the NCPRPDC Transportation Committee (Rural Planning Organization).

In all five positions Baldwin will complete the unexpired term of his predecessor as planning director, Debbie Lunden, whose retirement was effective March 4.

Baldwin was also welcomed and presented by the commissioners in the “commissioners’ comments” portion of the meeting.

Commissioners chairman Joe DeMott and commissioner Cliff Lane worked through the agenda in the absence of commissioner Al Pingie, who was recuperating from surgery.

Sherri Geary, director of Economic Development, and DeMott outlined the recently completed process and funding application the county’s municipalities are to use to ask for portions of the county’s allotment of Act 13 funds.

Some allowable uses will be for repairing or restoring “at risk” bridges. Some will help municipalities deal with the effects of drilling activities on infrastructure. Some will help fund local “environmental initiatives,” including those with a recreational aspect, such as hiking trails and water trails.

DeMott said it is possible some of the Act 13 funds could be used by some municipalities for part of the local share of costs where other grant funds are being used. “I prefer to see these funds leverage other reimbursements,” he commented.

The commissioners authorized a grant agreement with the Department of Community and Economic Development for a Community Development Block Grant (DCED-CDBG) in the amount of $225,825, for 2014. It will be administered by the McKean County Redevelopment and Housing Authority.

DeMott said the amounts of such grants seem to decline each year, but the funds can be helpful. He said when some of the money is expected to be used to help now and moderate income households cover the costs of hooking onto new or improved sewer lines, where such projects are planned for the upcoming construction season.

Commissioners agreed to a maintenance agreement with Bollinger Technical Services covering carousels in the Domestic Relations department. DeMott described the equipment as very heavy and tall.

The county will use the services of JH Consulting for a commodity flow study for the county, according to another measure approved at the meeting. It will look at what hazardous materials are transported through or within the county, and in what quantities and by what means they are transported. The cost will be covered by Emergency Management Agency grant funds.

The county will pay $7,871 for replacement of entrance doors at the court house, it was decided. Custom Door Systems of Buckhannon, West Virginia will carry out the project. It will cost far less to replace the doors than try to repair them, commissioners explained; and some parts no longer are available for the current court house front doors. Replacements will be “appropriate for the period” of the building’s architecture.

Resolutions were adopted to embody the county’s responsibility to reimburse the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for any ineligible spending by the McKean County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) in connection with the Marilyn Horne Exhibit Center and the Beacon Light facilities improvement project. Each project is targeted for $3 million in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant funding, authorized by Governor Tom Corbett.

The commissioners approved payment of $148,151 to the Area Transportation Authority representing one actual and one advance quarterly payment for the Medical Assistance Program the ATA administers for the county. The money comes from a Public Welfare Fund grant.