CDBG PROJECT CONSIDERED
Potter County commissioners review Ulysses Borough projects
By Travis Moshier Endeavor News

Ulysses water system and housing rehabilitation are the two projects to be considered for the fiscal year 2008 Community Development Block Grant.

Joe Pagano, director of redevelopment, presented the projects to the Board of Commissioners during their meeting Thursday.

The main reservoir for Ulysses Borough water system will be getting a permanent cover and the secondary water sources will receive improvements, Pagano said. The housing rehabilitation funding will be used for a few homes around the county, with a "chunk" going toward the U.S. Route 6 corridor in Galeton.

The projects are up for community reaction, with drafts of the application available for viewing at the Redevelopment Authority office on Seventh Street. Public comments will be received at the office until March 6.

The commissioners will review the proposals and adopt them at their March 13 meeting. The applications will then be submitted on March 17, with funding becoming available around August or September, Pagano explained.

The availability of projects for the grant is based on the readiness of the project, the impact the project will have and the need of the project, he said.

Other factors include low to moderate income housing and an urgent need. These factors make some boroughs and townships in the county unqualified for the grants, Pagano said.

The county's annual allocation is approximately $238,000, he said, with usually two projects being chosen to share the funding.

In other business, an update was given on Drake's Personal Care Home. It was noted that the closing date will be pushed back because notices had yet to be sent to the families of the residents, Commissioner Susan Kefover said.

"It may give us a little more time," she said.

A little more time may be all that is needed, as two interested buyers have appeared on the market.

Albright Care Services, a service associated with the United Methodist Church that has several homes throughout the Commonwealth, is one of the interested buyers. Kefover said the board was scheduled to meet with officials from Albright Friday.

The other prospective buyer is Charles Cole Memorial Hospital. The hospital is investigating the purchase "very seriously," she said.

LaBella Associates has gathered all of the information for the space needs assessment and planning study for the F.W. Gunzburger County Annex, Commissioner Chairman Doug Morley said, adding that he anticipates a meeting with representatives within the next two weeks.

"One of the concerns is for the public traffic through the building," he said.

Commissioner Paul Heimel added that one of the problems has been that a lot of contracts had to be tied down for things like the elevator and sprinkler systems.

The board approved the extension of a pair of contracts and an extension of another contract during the meeting.

Joshua Hoffman received a contract extension through the end of 2008 with an unchanged rate of $45 per hour. Hoffman provides information technology services to the county.

Heimel said that Hoffman works only for the county two days per day. Hoffman also sits on a technology committee that is working to relaunch the county's Web site as well as developing a county employee intranet.

The other contract extension was with Erie County for forensic pathology services as needed for $2,600. There are no changes to the contract, which allows for autopsy and toxicology services.

The commissioners also approved an amendment to the current contract with Hamilton Construction Company for IT conduit installation and new windows, costing an additional $28,231.

In other matters, a $900,000 tax anticipation loan was also approved. The loan, which is shared by the county and human services, is used to cover expenses while taxes that have not been paid are collected, Morley said.

The board received a letter of accommodation on the work of the office of Veterans Affairs.

Joe Becker of Veterans Affairs explained that in the last two years the office had brought in over $68,000 in cash for veterans. Additional services had also been brought to the county.

During a recent fair, Becker said that 19 new members were added in the county.

"My goal is to have a community based outpatient clinic" in the county, Becker said, explaining that the nearest clinic is in Wellsville, N.Y., with the nearest participating hospital in Bath, N.Y.

The board recognized a pair of Governor's Proclamations, designating March as Intellectual Disability Awareness Month and March 9 to 15 as Weather Emergency Preparedness Week.

Potter County emergency services will be performing a weather emergency exercise from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 13.

Patricia Galeotti, co-safety director at Charles Cole Memorial Hospital, and Don Tanner, director of the Penn State Cooperative Extension, were appointed to the local emergency planning commission on the recommendation of James Steiner, Emergency Management Agency coordinator.

Following the commissioners meeting, the salary board convened to approve the hiring of Michael Harmon as law clerk on the recommendation of Judge John Leete. Harmon, who began Monday, will be earning $30,000 annual salary.

Potter County Commissioners will meet next at 11 a.m. March 13. Meetings are open to the public.