CDBG projects approved include sewer hookup aid/By Martha Knight

The McKean County Commissioners shifted $137,387 of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds among 12 projects, in their Tuesday morning meeting.

This financial sleight-of-hand by commissioner chairman Joe DeMott and commissioners Al Pingie and Cliff Lane was accomplished in two resolutions, based on the adjustments recommended by McKean County Redevelopment CDBG specialist Gay DeGolier, who attended the meeting to provide background information.

In the first resolution, $88,776.53 in unexpended balances from 2011 projects, representing money that was not needed to complete several projects was subtracted from their allotments for that period, to be utilized instead by other projects.

$20,000 was subtracted from the Eldred borough sewer pump station replacement project, to be used instead for the Harrisburg Run low and moderate income (LMI) sewer lateral installations.

$1,417.53 in leftover funds from the Wetmore Township East Kane park walking path (now completed) was repurposed for the Lafayette Township LMI sewer hookups.

Three Kane Borough recreation-related projects had funds reallocated, with the toddlers’ playground, pavilion/gazebo and dog park projects’ $67,305 being aggregated into a single Kane Borough recreation allotment.

In the other resolution, dealing with 2012 CDBG funding, $48,611.47 in Keating Township LMI sewer lateral allocations was shifted for use in an acquisition project ($5,083), and for a Liberty Township LMI sewer lateral hookups fund ($24,000) and a similar fund in Lafayette Township ($19,528.47).

DeGolier explained that LMI designations pertain to individual households with income at or lower than 50 percent of the county’s median income. The program provides direct assistance to those household with costs of hooking onto sanitary sewer lines. Such funding has been or is being utilized in sewer districts where sewer construction or improvements have necessitated hookup costs for households.

A county aid application from Port Allegany Borough for $4,732 for a paving project was approved.

Commissioners approved six real estate exemptions on properties owned by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

In another resolution, the commissioners extended the term of Keystone Opportunity Zone benefits in Bradford Township through 2023.

A new labor agreement with SEIU Local 668  was approved, ending the last remaining contract extension situation between the county and an employee group. About 50 Children and Youth Services, Court House clerical and housekeeping employees are included in the new three-year pact.

The employees will receive raises of 2 percent for 2013 (retroactive to January 1), and 2.25 percent in 2014 and 2015. Martin Luther King Day was added as a paid holiday.

Properties were sold to four people from the county repository, at the recommendation of recently appointed tax claim director Dianne Gallegos.

The properties, new owners and prices they will pay are: 29Willis Avenue, house and lot, Michael and Ashley Abreu, $300; 228 South Avenue, lot, Melvin L. Stoltzfus, $300; and 166 Summer Street, house and lot, Dennis Quick, $400 (all in Bradford City); and, in Wetmore Township, Water Mill Road, house only, John Detrick, $50.

Commissioners approved a list of 11 service provider agreements at the request of the Department of Human Services. All involved resource family/foster parent arrangements.

Other agreements approved were with Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services, Community Nurses (St. Marys), The Guidance Center, and the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (Department of Public Welfare).

Also approved was a maintenance agreement with Karpinski’s Office Systems (KOS), Coudersport, covering a DHS copy machine at a cost of $310 a year for parts, toner and labor.

A list of voting machine inspectors was approved for service in the May 21 municipal primary election. DeMott, Pingie and Lane acted on that resolution in their capacity as the county board of elections.