LOCK HAVEN — 2023 is coming to an end, and with it, The Express is taking a look back on how the year shaped up for Clinton County.

The outgoing board of commissioners recently sat down and offered their own comments regarding the year. The board will see a change in January with the departure of chair Miles Kessinger. Current commissioners, Angela Harding and Jeff Snyder, will retain their seats and be joined by new chair James “Jim” Russo.

The year was filled with many milestones including continuations of large projects such as the 911 tower upgrades; the distribution of funds like the Pennsylvania Rural Health Grant Initiative; the creation of a connector trail in western Clinton County for ATVs and much more.

The county has been in the process of upgrading its 911 towers and communication system for many years, receiving a variety of funding through CDBG-CV, USDA and DCED. The end goal of the project is to improve communications in western Clinton County.

According to the board, the project is on track.

Harding noted the county’s most recent funding, about $8 million from the Department of Economic and Community Development through its CDBG-CV program, was awarded earlier in the year. This amount is added to the $510,962 for the project along with $750,000 from a USDA grant.

Harding said the commissioners have been meeting often with county Planner/Engineer Stephen Gibson to review equipment, specs and more.

“We’re having ongoing meetings to get it to the point where it’s ready to start,” she said.

Snyder noted Gibson’s expertise has helped keep the project running smoothly.

“We’re very fortunate we hired Steve when we did,” he said.

“He’s our point person,” Kessinger noted.

He said a staging area with the equipment is being set up in Harrisburg currently, with plans to get the project rolling in 2024.

“You’re going to see a lot happening next year,” he said.

In other emergency responder related news, the county took steps this year to encourage individuals to consider a career in the field.

The commissioners, in partnership with KCSD, assisted in creating the Homeland Security Program at Central Mountain High School. Students are able to take classes and even become certified in various courses necessary to become an EMT, firefighter and other health occupational fields.

“We’re trying to backfill and grow interest in this generation to step up to the plate and take part in such a crucial field,” Harding said.

Phase V of the Bald Eagle Valley Trail — which will serve as a connector to Lycoming County’s Pine Creek Rail Trail — is continuing to move forward.

Kessinger said the county is continuing to talk with property owners whose right-of-ways are needed to complete the project.

The hope is to have the proper signatures in 2024 to begin planning for the trail.

“It’s all contingent on the birds as well,” Harding noted.

During construction of the walking bridge, now named Katie’s Crossing, that spanned Pine Creek between Wayne and Pine Creek townships, the project was halted for a time due to Peregrine falcons nesting in the bridge.

Harding said the falcons have also been seen in the bridge on the opposite end of the trail.

2023 saw a spotlight held on mental health in Clinton County thanks to a Health Initiative for Rural PA grant through the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health, the county is offered a Virtual Mental Health Speaker Series throughout the year.

The series began in May and ran until November and included topics such as workplace mental health, veterans and first responder mental health, suicide prevention and more.

The grant, totalling $120,000, also was split between a variety of local organizations such as the Keystone Central School District, Commonwealth University-Lock Haven and Bucktail Medical Center to assist in programs that shine a spotlight on mental health and assist those in need.

“The county was also able to hold a job fair at Commonwealth University of Lock Haven,” Harding added.

Physical changes within the county’s government included the relocation of Penn State Extension to its original office along Route 64. The offices share space with the Clinton County Conservation District.

“We made decisions like these to better help the community,” Harding said. Previously, the office was located in the Garden Building in downtown Lock Haven.

Now, the extension office and the conservation district are better able to communicate and partner on projects within Clinton County.

The conservation district has begun two large projects within the county — including upgrades to Fishing Creek in Mill Hall and plans to reintroduce trout in Beech Creek.

“It’s all about rehabilitation,” Harding said.

In other recreation accomplishments, the county was able to create an ATV connector trail using a portion of state Route 120 in western Clinton County.

Snyder spearheaded the project, which needed approval from PennDOT and involved a wide range of community stakeholders. The connector is a pilot program that opens Memorial Day weekend in 2024 and closes in the fall.

“This is big news across the state. I believe this is the largest section of state highway to be open for this usage,” Snyder said.

Snyder said the creation of the trail offers a gateway for riders to the businesses that are located along that stretch of roadway.

Funding that was previously earmarked to create a trail will be funneled into maintenance on other sections, Harding added.

“We’re looking at trails in South Renovo,” Snyder said.

Snyder said the county is also meeting with stakeholders regarding a fish ladder and kayak passage along the West Branch of the Susquehanna River at Tidlow Dam with hopes to get that project moving in the future.

“There aren’t many on the Susquehanna,” he noted.

The county also earmarked funding for the Mill Hall Community Pool, as the borough continues to raise funding to upgrade the age-old structure. The county will put some of its CDBG funds in 2024 towards the project.

Another way the county has tried to make its offices more accessible and user-friendly was through a Vision Software update in its assessment office.

The new software allows residents to access property information through its website — www.clintoncountypa.gov — rather than physically come to the assessment office in the Piper Building.

With nationwide inflation taking its toll on area businesses, the county also introduced the CPACE program.

According to Harding, the loan may be used for a variety of ways including sustainable upgrades to buildings, assisting in payroll and more.

The county has continued to put its support behind Bucktail Medical Center, which sounded an alarm in September regarding its financial standings.

Then-CEO Tim Reeves, who resigned in December, at the time said the facility was in dire straits — just barely able to make payroll.

“We’re picking up the pieces of not-so-great things and finding solutions to keep things moving,” Harding said.

The commissioners, along with other elected officials such as State Rep. Stephanie Borowicz, Senator Cris Dush and Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office have begun working together in an effort to keep the facility from closing its doors.

Harding said the county has been working on ways to ensure the facility is property utilized by the community.

“We’re trying to find programs to help with its sustainability,” she said. “Start to find solutions to bring to legislators and get the ball rolling at the state level.”

Snyder said the medical center has continued to have the board’s support and will in 2024.

The board has also continued to keep its eye on the William T. Piper Airport — which is located right next door to its main office building.

In October, the city announced it may consider changes or even a potential sale of the airport. At the time, a letter from City Manager Gregory Wilson said the facility often needed support from the city’s other major funds to continue operations.

Since then, stakeholders at the airport — including business owners who rent from the facility and pilots — have been advocating for the continuation of the airport.

The commissioner said they’ve met with those individuals, but haven’t met with city officials just yet. However, they are in support of keeping the airport.

“We’re in support of keeping the airport open,” Snyder said.

Kessinger noted the airport is utilized more than some may realize.

“I don’t think people realize how much the airport is used,” he said. “We see it.”

Harding noted the airport, much like Bucktail Medical Center, are important resources the county has and should look to keep.

“We need all of these things to keep Clinton County viable,” she said.

Looking ahead to 2024, Harding said the county is gearing up to update its 10-year Comprehensive Plan.

“We’ll kick it off in 2024, the current plan expires at the end of this year,” she said. “We’ve been keeping up with it.”

Much like when the city updated its comprehensive plan a few years prior, Harding said there will be various public meetings and other methods to engage the public in the process.

“With a new commissioner coming on board we can sit down and talk about projects and developments,” she said. “See what each of us individually would like to see.”

For Harding, she said she hopes the plan may include multi-modal transportation to make communities in Clinton County more walkable.

Snyder said there’s a lot of potential within the county over the next ten years.

“There’s opportunities and I think we’re set to make the best of those opportunities,” he said.

Other major happenings within Clinton County included:

— With the departure of Keystone Central School District Superintendent, Dr. Jacquelyn Martin, the district’s board of directors unanimously voted to hire Dr. Francis Redmon. Redmon will begin his contract with the district in February 2024, following the conclusion of Martin’s contract.

— KCSD is continuing to push forward with its plans to construct a new Liberty Curtin Elementary School. That last big move the board made in cementing the Liberty Curtin project came in November, when it approved three construction bids that included: Lobar, Inc., of Dillsburg, Pa., for $13,211,600 for general construction of the new Liberty Curtin building; Hosler Corp., of Berwick, Pa., for $2,898,300 for mechanical construction of the building; Hallstrome-Clark Electric, Inc., of Dubois, Pa., for $2,670,700 for electrical construction of the building. The costs would be paid for using a combination of two series of long-term financing combined with cash from the General Fund Balance 10.

— The Wayne Township Landfill has reintroduced glass recycling. Since the program started in March, over 30,000 pounds of glass has been brought into the landfill. The Clinton County Solid Waste Authority unanimously voted to continue the program into 2024, however those wishing to take part must bring their glass items to the landfill.

— The Clinton County Voter Registrar’s office started the Student Poll Workers Program during the November General Election. This was the first year the program was established in the county, with 29 students from Central Mountain High School and one from Sugar Valley Rural Charter School participating on Nov. 7. Boileau said the students worked over 400 hours in 18 of the county’s 34 precincts, of which she received positive feedback from those who have previously worked the polls.

Outside of projects, programs and grants, the county had a busy year with a multitude of events that included hosting the United States Canoe Association’s national races along the river in Lock Haven.

The USCA is held all over the country, and this is the second time the county held the event — which saw over 100 paddlers from across the United States and the world.

That same week in August was a boon for tourism, as the Clinton County Arts Council held its 8th Annual LH JAMS Festival — spanning over three days and featuring music, food, a wide range of artists and more.

Western Clinton County also kept busy at the time, with the annual Kettle Creek Music Festival.

Clinton County Sheriff Kerry Stover and District Attorney Dave Strouse’s offices partnered once again for the Clinton County Night Out in August, which saw hundreds of kids take part in activities and learn more about first responders and their roles in the community.

This was the second year the event was held and was a huge success, according to both Strouse and Stover. Plans are already in motion for another Night Out in 2024.

As Veterans Park, located at the intersection of Jay and Water streets, continues to see improvements, the existing monuments found a new home in 2023.

The commissioners rededicated two of the county’s war memorials during a special ceremony at the Piper Building in August. Each honors veterans from World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf wars. An artillery cannon was also placed with the memorials, moving from its place in Veterans Park.

Kessinger noted other monuments are also expected to be moved to the Piper Building in the future.