County takes $3.5 million TAL / By Martha Knight

SMETHPORT—McKean County Commissioners chose PNC Bank as the lender of its annual Tax Anticipation Loan, after opening three bids Tuesday morning.

PNC’s offer to lend $3.5 million at .7 percent interest was the best offer, and was accepted by commissioners Joe DeMott, Al Pingie and Cliff Lane. Other offers were from Northwest Savings, 1.19 percent, and First National Bank of Port Allegany, 1.45 percent with a possible reduction to 1 percent.

The annual short-term borrowing eases cash flow early in the new fiscal period, before tax receipts arrive in sufficient amounts to keep pace with spending.

Commissioners agreed to continue receiving a share of the state’s 25 percent payment of Allegany National Forest timber sales.  A combination of programs yields some $790,000, which the county then passes on to school districts and municipalities in its borders, commissioners and chief clerk Audrey Irons explained.

Appointments made by the commissioners included Dan Freeburg, Elk County commissioner, to the Bradford Regional Airport Authority, for a five-year term; and Patricia Witchen of Smethport and Ray McMahon of Bradford to the McKean County Industrial Development Authority.

Also reappointed to the North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission board of directors were DeMott and Pingie, county representatives; Robert Esch (industry), Debbie Lunden (planning), Dr. Livingston Alexander (education, workforce), Tom Riel (Bradford City), and Sara Andrews (alternate Bradford City representative). Terms are one year.

Reappointed to the NCPRP&DC executive committee were DeMott, representing the county, and Esch, industry. Those terms are one year, as well.

Pingie was reappointed to the Office of Human Services for a year.

Commissioners also approved three service providers, as requested by the Department of Human Services, subject to approval by solicitor Dan Hartle.

The commissioners will meet again at 10 a.m. December 24. That meeting is expected to include final action on the 2014 budget, among several matters.