jrishel@lockhaven.com

LOCK HAVEN — The Clinton County commissioners addressed a number of “legislative concerns” Thursday as they welcomed State Rep. Stephanie Borowicz to their weekly voting session.

Commissioner Pete Smeltz said “the commissioners have always had a great relationship with the state representatives in Clinton County and have always enjoyed regular communication from the representative’s office.”

Borowicz was elected as 76th District representative in November. She recently opened her Lock Haven office, Suite 2 at 18 E. Main Street.

At bottom, Stephanie Borowicz, State Rep. of the 76th District, signs herself in as a guest at the county’s voting session Thursday.

Manning the office is the new office manager, Scarlet Winkleman, who was also in attendance Thursday.

“I realize the voting machines are a hot issue,” Borowicz said. “The Pennsylvania state budget doesn’t even pass until June, and you don’t know what is going to come down the pike when it comes to that.”

Smeltz said the state has promised to cover 50 percent of the cost of the machines, but the governor currently plans to spread out that reimbursement over the next five years.

Commissioner Jeff Snyder said the county is “financially fiscally responsible enough that we can go ahead and fund that purchase,” with expectation of reimbursement.

He said other counties need to borrow money to buy the machines, and it is not advantageous to lease them at 15 to 18 percent interest.

Commissioner Paul Conklin said he would “like to see the machines funded up front.”

It appears Gov. Wolf intends to ask for the money yearly from the Legislature meaning the funds could be “derailed.”

“I will continue to communicate with you guys on that,” Borowicz said. “That is how government works. It always sounds good, but it doesn’t always go as planned.”

Borowicz said she has met with PennDOT to discuss repairs to state Route 120-Renovo Road, with work to start within the next 60 days.

The work will take at least six months and the process “will require one-way traffic and some travelers may have to be re-routed.”

“It could be rough for the residents,” she said. “As much as we want to fix it, we understand it will be a pain for them.”

Borowicz said she also recently met with UPMC Susquehanna in Lock Haven and plans to tour the UPMC Outpatient Center at McElhattan next week.

She also plans to tour the First Quality manufacturing plant next week.

“I see people wanting to build, that want to open businesses here,” she said.

She also met with Lock Haven University President Robert Pignatello, describing him as “amazing.”

“He has great ideas to market LHU as a small college town and I would love to see that college flourish,” she said. “I am excited. Everywhere I go I hear good things.”

“It sounds like you are very busy and I thank you for coming,” Snyder said. “I would like to set up quarterly meetings for you or your representatives to come to our meetings for discussion on issues that are very important to our citizens.”

In other business action, the board approved two liquid fuels requests from Lamar Township in the amounts of $1,452.83 and $606.28 for the lighting agreement at Salona and the Auction Road interchange, respectively.

The county also approved an ordinance to guarantee debt in the principal amount of $1,049,772 issued to the Clinton County Sewer Authority.

The loan is to bring upgrades to the existing sewer system under Bald Eagle Creek and their existing pump stations.

The board also moved a motion to hold a public hearing on a zoning ordinance amendment regarding cemetery development.

Currently, the zoning ordinance requires a minimum of five acres in lot size for a cemetery.

The Amish community of Sugar Valley, which requested the amendment, suggested that the new minimum should be two acres.

Smeltz said that the county will schedule and publish that date at a later time.

A list of “user policies” were also adopted for the Bald Eagle Valley Trail, while it was noted that the county is getting ready to officially open a part of the trail that spans a little over four miles.

“We have consulted with DCNR and this set of rules is similar to Pine Creek and other trails in our area,” Smeltz said.

The board confirmed the transfer of R. Thomas Rosamilia from public defender to part-time Assistant District Attorney (Grade T), with no change in salary, effective March 14, 2019.

The hiring of Jocelyn Lucsko as 911 Administrative and Financial Assistant in the Dept. of Emergency Services was also approved. Lucsko’s hire, effective March 4, will be at the starting salary of $25,795 (Grade D). The promotion of Christopher Rupert was approved, as he moves from 911 Dispatcher to 911 Shift Supervisor at the Dept. of Emergency Services, effective March 3, with the salary of $38,269 (Grade H).

These people will be filling vacancies, Smeltz noted.

An upgrade in the classification of the position of Chief Deputy Sheriff, from Grade H to Grade J, effective for the first pay period of 2019; and an increase of 1 percent in the salary of the current Chief Deputy Sheriff, James Worden, were also approved, effective for the first pay period of 2019.

The board also approved the payment of county bills in the amount of $807,298.49, for the period ending Feb. 28, 2019.

Bill invoices over $10,000 included:

r Payments of $36.332.63 and $44,397.00 to the City of Lock Haven for delinquent tax disbursement (pass through) and liquid fuels allocation, respectively.

r Delinquent tax disbursement payments (pass through to general fund) of $93,183.15, $11,315.36 and $143,930.67 to Clinton County, the Clinton County Treasurer, and the Keystone Central School District, respectively.

r Payment of $11,015.00 to Crossroads Counseling for therapy and MD services.

r Payment of $120,664.93 to M and T Bank for payroll taxes (federal).

“A lot of these are simply pass through money, not expenses as it would be assumed,” noted Conklin.