Herzog brings C&G issues to Commissioners meeting / By Martha Knight

SMETHPORT—Clean and Green (C&G) crusader Jim Herzog of Smethport paid another visit to the McKean County Commissioners at their meeting Tuesday morning, and made another request that they act to put C&G forest reserve values back where he insists they belong—at $94 an acre, uniformly applied.

Herzog reminded the commissioners he has asked them to correct matters that flowed from Resolution 16, adopted by them in June of 2012 to set C&G use values of several categories of land for the 2013 taxing year. Since then the values have been revised upward again, and categories have been renamed.

In ongoing appeals and court battles, Herzog has sought withdrawal of the change notices, issued under county auspices, that 100 forest reserve landowners received in 2012. He maintains the change notices were fraudulent.

In past court proceedings the commissioners “indicated the assessor did it on her own,” Herzog said, referring to the change in use values for 2013. Herzog presented the commissioners with copies of a letter on Board of Assessment Appeals letterhead, dated July 11, 2012, and signed by Angelia Tennies as chief assessor, and drew their attention to the highlighted first sentence.

That sentence informed the property owner that the county commissioners had adopted Resolution 16. The letter went on to state the rates the commissioners had set in Resolution 16.

Herzog also handed out a portion of a C&G program explanation in use in Luzerne County, which had been prepared under the direction of Dr. Robert S. Barr, [resident of 21st. Century Appraisals, Inc., the firm that handled the 1997 county-wide reassessment in McKean County.

He also supplied them with copies of his remarks. They thanked him for his comments but made no further response.

In other matters, the commissioners voted to enter into an engine monitor service agreement with Cleveland Brothers Equipment Company for support of the courthouse generator. Commissioner

Al Pingie pointed out that the Lantz Corners company can respond at once to any problems that might arise. Previously a Pittsburgh area service provider had been used.

A license agreement with the Pennsylvania State Police was approved to govern the placement of transmitters on the Rew Tower site. Commissioner chairman Joe DeMott said there will be no cost to the county. The agreement contains specifications that are intended to prevent interference among the transmitters used by different agencies at the site.

Another service agreement approved was with Smiths Detection, for preventative maintenance and radiation survey coverage for the x-ray equipment used for security at the entry to the courthouse.

The county’s elimination of jury commissioners was behind another pact the commissioners approved. It is with Infocon Corporation of Ebensburg, for jury administration printing services.

The commissioners voted to adopt the At-Risk Bridge Program guidelines and application form to assist municipalities in receiving funds from the Act 13 Marcellus Shale Legacy Funds.

According to DeMott, the guidelines and forms packet relate to the bridge inspections by PennDOT engineers, and how the findings of the inspections can be used by municipalities to receive their shares of Act 13 funds to help restore or replace bridges. The funding came to $160,000 for McKean County in the first two years of program operation, DeMott said.

Commissioners adopted a resolution endorsing the statewide Historic Preservation Plan for 2012-2017. This will enable the county to apply for funding to assist in developing its historic preservation plan. The county has not committed funding at this point, DeMott said.

Melissa Kirk was appointed to the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services (ADAS) board for a three-year term.

An invoice from the Area Transportation Authority for $9,920 was approved for payment. It covers services in the fourth quarter of the 2012-13 fiscal year, for Medical Assistance transportation the ATA handles for the county.

The YMCA will receive $$9,048 as an advance payment for services in the third quarter of the 2013-14 fiscal year. The YMCA administers the Homeless Assistance program for the county.

Both programs are supported as grants from the Public Welfare Fund.

Commissioners approved three service provider agreements as requested by the Human Services Department.

In one, Avanco International of Fairfax, Va. Will support the computer tracking of cases.

Another agreement named Gerald and Vonnie Clark, Smethport, as a resource family.

The third agreement attached an addendum to an existing pact with Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems, Inc., relating to “how and what they are paid,” commissioners explained.

Under the Commissioners’ Comments item in the agenda, DeMott announced the impending retirement of Debbie Lunden as planning director. He praised her for her many years of valuable service.

Sherri Geary, economic development director, was on hand for the session. She thanked the commissioners for their quick action on matters for her department.

Not present was commissioner Cliff Lane. DeMott said Lane was “taking the day off.”