Court house HVAC to be updated / By Martha Knight

SMETHPORT—More Court House improvements are being planned, the McKean County Board of Commissioners revealed at their meeting Tuesday morning, as they voted to accept an architectural and engineering services proposal from R.W. Larson Associates.

The same firm designed other renovations at the court house in recent years, and has done other work for the county, commissioner chairman Joe DeMott said. They will charge a flat fee of $28,500 for comprehensive services from initial design through the bidding process, enumerated by DeMott.

These improvements will modernize the heating, ventilation and air conditioning of most of the court house, including the court areas, DeMott said.

HVAC improvements were considered and preliminary planning was performed a few years ago when other renovations were done, but were scratched when total costs would have exceeded the amount budgeted for that upgrade, commissioner Al Pingie recalled.

The old boiler in the basement will be eliminated, along with associated piping and radiators. New heating production will be installed on the roof, and there will be ductwork for a forced air system.

Commissioners said there would not be much disruption of work in the offices and use of other court house spaces during the project. Money will come from the capital projects account established from the proceeds of the sale of the county landfill and of Sena Kean Manor.

Matthew Foster of 2332 Moody Hollow, Eldred, attended the meeting to plead his case for a refund of taxes he believes were collected improperly, in that he had not yet received an occupancy permit from the township during those taxing periods dating back to 2011.

The amounts he is disputing were levied prior to Foster’s receiving a certificate of occupancy from the township, which Foster believes is the trigger for putting a new structure or improvement onto the tax roll.

Chief assessor Angelia Tennies joined the session to present a history of the assessment increase, the change notice sent to Foster, and Foster’s appeal to the McKean County Board of Assessment Appeals.

The appeals board ruled that it does not have the authority to grant refunds of non-current years’ tax payments. Other taxing authorities (township and school district) had denied Foster’s request for refunds.

After considerable discussion, commissioners DeMott, Pingie and Clifford Lane voted to deny the request. Tardy issuance of the occupancy certificate by the local municipality was not sufficient reason to consider the project incomplete, they reasoned, and an appeal of the assessment increase should have been made earlier, as they saw it.

Tennies stated that the occupancy permit is “only a tool” used by a municipality as part of code enforcement, and many are not sent to the county assessment office at all. Commissioners’ solicitor Dan Hartle said the commissioners have the power to grant tax refunds they feel are justified, but they are not obligated to in this case.

Only the county taxes were in play, in Foster’s request. After the motion for denial, Foster insisted language in the applicable state law supports his contention.

Commissioners agreed to enter into an engine monitoring service agreement with Cleveland Brothers Equipment Co., Inc., Kane, for the generators at the 911 Center, Prospect Hill and Hedgehog Tower radio sites, at a combined cost of $1,066. The commissioners made their decision contingent upon favorable review by Hartle.

Camera and security equipment for the three communications towers will be purchased under an agreement with the Northwest Central Emergency Response Group, commissioners decided. The cost will total $5,938. The purchase will be funded through federal Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management (DHS/FEMA) grants.

The Allegany National Forest Visitors Bureau got the commissioners’ blessing to submit a grant application to the Pennsylvania Lumber Heritage and Pennsylvania Wilds programs for $4,940 for event planning, an information kiosk in Kane and for brochure printing relating to the ANFVB. The grant money, if received, will be matched by ANFVB, from other resources.

Carpet Express, Olean, N.Y., was the successful bidder for provision and installation of 3,175 square feet of carpeting for the Children and Youth Services Building, at a cost of $16,316.01. Theirs was the lowest of three bids.

Commissioner Lane noted that CYS had requested new carpet a year ago, to replace the original carpet dating back to 2004.

A real estate tax exemption (assessed value $5,000) for 2014 was granted to the McKean County Redevelopment Authority for the Grand Theater property on Main Street in Port Allegany, soon to be demolished.

Also, the Downtown Bradford Revitalization Corporation requested and was granted exemptions for 15, 17 and 25 Congress Place, and for 48 Elm Street ($2,000, $16,340, $13,060 and $24,520), all blighted properties acquired for redevelopment.

Invoices were approved for payment, to Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services, Inc., for $9,686 for the final quarter of their 2013 budget allotment, and Office of Human Services, Inc., $6,250 for the second quarter of the current fiscal year.

Service provider contracts covering Perseus House, Inc. of Erie and Families United Network, Inc. of Muncy were okayed, subject to Hartle’s review.

The county will enter into a subcontract agreement with the Bradford YWCA for administration of an Emergency Solutions grant, commissioners agreed.

DeMott read into the record a proclamation of March as Red Cross Month.

Matthew Foster of Eldred presents his request to the McKean County Commissioners for a tax refund on home expansions he says were taxed prematurely, contrary to law.

Martha Knight Photo