Commissioners hear about the Mental Health Bell / By Martha Knight

SMETHPORT—A routine fourth-Tuesday meeting of the McKean County Commissioners was enlivened by a presentation by some representatives of the Step Drop-in Center, 62 Main Street, Bradford, and by recognition of the role of foster parents in helping children who are in placement.

Patty Babb, president of the Step program, along with Maggie Travis and Tim Sawdey mentioned plans to “ring the bell for mental health” in the Bradford gazebo and in the Court House. An actual Mental Health Bell” is owned by Mental Health America, MHA.

The Step representatives explained that the Mental Health Bell was cast from chains and shackles that used to be used to bind persons with mental illness, when they were confined in institutions, and before there were community based, out-patient mental health services.

The commissioners proclaimed May Mental Health Awareness month. In another proclamation they also designated May as Foster Care month. The enabling resolution pointed out that foster families play a vital role in “helping children and families heal and launching children into successful adulthood.”

The fact that some foster parents adopt children they have fostered means that some of those resource families are withdrawn from service, and must be replaced. Thus there is a constant need for additional persons to become foster parents, the resolution notes.

In a third proclamation the commissioners named May 1 as a Day of Prayer, in keeping with Congressional action designating the first Thursday in May as a National Day of Prayer.

Commissioners approved tax refunds for the Regular Baptist Church in Smethport, $59.55, due to tax exempt status being granted, and to Marcia Marzucco, Keating Township, $373.39, because of a veteran’s exemption.

Three service provider agreements were approved as requested by the Department of Human Services, subject to review by solicitor Dan Hartle.

The sale of 17 properties from the county repository was approved in one resolution, with the commissioners approving acceptance of offers as recommended by chief assessor Angelia Tennies. Nine other offers were disapproved by the school district or municipality involved, so the commissioners did not authorize those sales.

A letter from the commissioners was approved for sending to PennDOT, acknowledging the District 2-0 Community Traffic Safety Project’s efforts to “reduce vehicle crashes, injuries and deaths in McKean County.”

Commissioners approved a maintenance agreement with Karpinski’s Office Systems (KOS), Coudersport, covering a copy machine used by Children and Youth Services, for $310 a year.

Commissioner chairman Joe DeMott and commissioner Al Pingie transacted all business in the absence of fellow commissioner Cliff Lane, who was unable to attend because of illness.