OIL, GAS BOOM BEING FELT
Recorder gives commissioners update
By Travis Moshier Endeavor News

Further evidence of a growing oil and gas boom in Potter County was confirmed by Recorder of Deeds Gary Kelsey, as guest speaker during Thursday's meeting of the Potter County Board of Commissioners.

Kelsey said there has been an upsurge in people using his office, located at the countyowned Gunzburger Building, to research property rights as oil and gas speculators seek to lease holdings for future production.

His office has handled approximately 1,000 lease records in the last two years, up from an average of less than 100 in the same span in previous years.

What brings those people in is a search for the rights to oil and natural gas deep beneath the Potter County forests. A lot of people own the surface rights to their property, but not the oil and mineral rights, Kelsey said.

The office cannot give legal advice and does not research title work, Kelsey stressed.

"Most people around here are depending on attorneys for advice," he said. "It is up to an abstract company or an attorney to research and tell you if you have rights."

From what he has seen, the impact on the county from this boom has been positive in terms of economic benefits to motels, restaurants and some other businesses, Kelsey said.

In another matter, the commissioners approved an increase in the county's reimbursement rate for business travel to 45 cents per mile, up from a previous rate of 38 cents. They also sold to the high bidders five high-mileage vehicles recently retired by Potter County Human Services.

The board approved an agreement with Davis-Ulmer Sprinkler Company for quarterly inspections of the Gunzburger Building sprinkler system at $2,400 per year. They also approved a contract with Comprehensive Fire Technologies for inspection of that building's fire protection systems for $1,040 each year.

Commissioners Chairman Doug Morley explained that the maintenances were required in order to get the discounts from the insurance companies.

"It's another sign of the increasing responsibilities and expenses in the Gunzburger Building," Commissioner Paul Heimel added.

The commissioners expressed gratitude to those who attended their first in a series of five "town meetings," held Monday night in Austin.

"I was pleased and encouraged," Commissioner Susan Kefover said. "It opened up such a new day (of communication) to the county."

Heimel explained that the meeting was "very eyeopening" on the plight of the townships. The impact on the roads from the harvesting of timber and exploration for gas and oil was something he wasn't aware of.

He explained that, at the request of several of the township supervisors, the commissioners would be sending letters to state representatives, asking for portions of the timber sales revenue from state land to go back into maintaining the roads and infrastructure.

"I left feeling I had just had a conversation with the townships, school district and community around the kitchen table," Morley said of the town meeting.

In other business, bids were opened and tabled for the Mental Health Housing Specialist position and the 21st Century Grant site and project coordinators.