Commissioners OK tower purchase, TRAN borrowing / By Martha Knight

SMETHPORT—The second low bidder became the contractor for supplying components of the new Prospect Hill communications tower, as the McKean County Commissioners chose Daley Tower Service, Inc. of Carencro, Louisiana as the vendor.

Acting at their business meeting Monday morning, the commissioners approved the recommendation presented by 911 director Andrew Johnson. The contract sum is $90,003.

Although there had been a lower bid, Johnson noted, that firm’s bid documents “did not include the cost of bonding, and did not meet requirements.”

The funds for the project will come from the county’s share of Act 13 Marcellus Shale impact fee funds, DeMott confirmed later. Actual construction could cost several times that amount.

In a decision made yearly concerning the upcoming fiscal period, the commissioners approved seeking a tax and revenue anticipation note (TRAN) of up to $3.5 million, to offset the gap between tax collections and bills or obligations, which occurs early in the year.

The resolution clears the way for the county to “commence the procedures necessary to secure a TRAN.” DeMott commented that the county expects to pay off the TRAN early in the year. At one time TRAN funds were retained longer, but DeMott said it has been found that “we save significant interest” by retiring the note in the spring.

Jim Herzog of Smethport addressed the commissioners in the general public comments portion of the meeting. He has made a number of such presentations to the commissioners since their action of June, 2012, in which they adopted a resolution purporting to authorize major increases in Clean and Green use rates. The C&G forest reserve category use rate was raised from $94 an acre to $280 an acre in that resolution.

Herzog’s quest to have the $94 rate granted him in earlier court action continued, and applied to all 100 forest reserve owners in the C&G program, has encountered obstacles in court actions. A recent  ruling  stated that he should have appealed the tax change notices, which he describes as “bogus, fictitious and forged documents.” Only after that step could he bring a mandamus complaint, the ruling said.

Herzog stated he had appealed the change notices to the Board of Assessment Appeals, and that body had disavowed the notices (which were labeled as coming from the Board).

A court instruction to appeal the change notices was like asking him to empty a swimming pool with a sieve, Herzog declared. As for the commissioners’ positions that they were not involved in the C&G use rates, Herzog pointed to a property card used to justify a use value rate increase, with wording “C&G value reflects Resolution 16 of 2012.”

In another matter the commissioners presented Jeremy Morey, of Roulette, as the new McKean County Planning Director. In a written statement DeMott noted that Morey has served as an adult probation officer for the past five years, attended Port Allegany Junior-Senior High School and earned a bachelor of arts degree from Mansfield University.

Morey begins his service as planning director Wednesday.

In keeping with that appointment, commissioners appointed Morey to the Headwaters Resource Conservation and Development Council, the North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission board of directors and its Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee, to complete the terms of his predecessor, Ken Baldwin.

Another appointment was that of Mary Lou Stidd to the McKean County Housing  and McKean County Redevelopment authorities, continuing her service in a new term beginning November 30.

In Resolution 23 of 2014 the commissioners gave consent to the McKean County Office of Economic Development to continue with the application process for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for slum and blight removal projects in Mount Jewett and Smethport.

Commissioners also approved payments to Otto Township, $12,966 in liquid fuels funds for their completed project compassing years 2012, 2013 and 2014; and to Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services, Inc, $9,613, a portion of their budget allotment for the third quarter of this year.

Corydon Township’s aid application for this year, for $1,310 earmarked for a future project, was approved.

Commissioners also approved agreements with two service providers, at the request of the Department of Human Services.