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LOCK HAVEN -- The Clinton County Commissioners adopted a $41.3 million dollar budget with no tax increase this week.
Chairman of the board Miles Kessinger said the budget did see a large increase due to the upcoming Bald Eagle Rail Trail improvements. However, that was expected since a preliminary budget was unveiled in November.
The increase, more than $2.8 million, is due to the Bald Eagle Valley Trail improvements, which will begin in 2021.
"The main increases in this year's budget were due to the Bald Eagle Valley Trail. The $2.8 million that came in upped our budget that amount," he said. "It's going to basically be a pass-through with money given to us by PennDOT for construction of the trail."
Glenn O. Hawbaker was the winning bidder for the $2,862,862 project which will see the steel bridge -- which crosses the Susquehanna River from Wayne Township into Pine Creek Township -- converted from railroad use into a pedestrian walkway.
PennDOT will be paying $2,505,992 through a TAP (Transportation Alternatives Program) Grant with $100,000 coming out of the county's own Act 13 Bridge funding.
The remaining $250,000 cost for the project will be funded through Community Partnerships Grant via DCNR.
County tax payers millage rate will remain at 0.0062 with a budgeted tax income of $12,846,236.
Commissioner Angela Harding offered updated numbers for the AMI COVID-19 testing site.
The site, which operated at the Castanea Picnic Grounds, was available from Dec. 10 to 14 and offered up to 450 tests a day. According to Harding, they were never even close to that number over the four-day period.
"Unfortunately at no point did we reach that capacity," she said. "I think the largest day was the first day with 280-plus tests."
Harding expressed her disappointment that only about 1,000 tests out of the 1,800 available were used.
"I am a little disappointed in not being able to convince people in the community to get the test but I am thankful for all those who did," she said.
Harding thanks the county's department of emergency services, the Department of Health, AMI and the Castanea Township Fire Company for allowing the use of their facility.
In other business commissioners:
-- Awarded $91,000 in CARES Act funding to 19 restaurants in the county. Grants Administrator Kari Kepler said 25 total restaurants applied for the funding. Three of those didn't quality and another three had already received relief funding, she said. Kessinger noted that the funding did increase by $41,000 to accommodate the needs of the businesses.
-- Approved a user license agreement with Permitium, LLC for online weapons permit application software through Jan. 1, 2021 to Dec. 31, 2021. County Sheriff Kerry Stover said the software will assist his office. It's become common that people will ask to pay with credit or debit instead of cash or check which his office can't accommodate currently, he said.
-- Approved the commissioner meetings for 2021. The commissioners will continue to meet bi-weekly via livestream on their Facebook page for the foreseeable future.
-- Approved a contract with Larson Design Group for inspection construction inspection services of the Peale Avenue Bridge in Mill Hall at a maximum cost of $128,195.32.
-- Promoted Hannah Park from Dispatcher Trainee to full-time 911 dispatcher at the communication center at a salary of $31,354 (Grade H).