SMETHPORT – The word is out. Cause a hazardous materials spill
in McKean County and you will pay for it.
During Tuesday’s commissioners’ meeting, the panel passed an
updated version of an ordinance which calls for the Emergency
Management Agency to collect fees associated with battling
hazardous materials incidents and pass them down to fire
departments and first responders.
The commissioners also established a rate schedule for materials
and equipment and hiked the fees for agencies or organizations that
store chemicals at their site.
The measures were passed unanimously.
“When incidents happened across the county, we were responsible
for the up front money for the cleanup,” Chairman John Egbert said.
“We didn’t get paid back until later.”
Officials said previously the method is a way for fire
departments and first responders across the county to recoup the
costs for any materials used during the incidents. The Emergency
Management Agency, however, will not reap any monetary benefits
from the proposal.
As part of the effort, the commissioners established a
reimbursement rate of 200 percent of the current replacement cost
for disposable equipment or material, such as absorbent padding to
soak up any spills or leaks.
“This will allow them to replenish their supplies,” County
Administrator Richard Casey said.
Meanwhile, agencies will be reimbursed at a rate of 100 percent
for total decontamination or replacement costs for equipment.
The resolution also sets a scale for equipment expenses. For
example, if an agency uses a fire engine at the scene, the party
responsible for the spill would pay $200 per hour for the engine;
$200 an hour for tankers; and $150 per hour apiece for
rescue/utility vehicles and ambulances – all increases from the
previous version of the resolution.
Lastly, the commissioners – at the request of the county’s Local
Emergency Planning Committee – raised the rate for the annual
chemical fee from the $35 minimum to $50, effective Sunday. The fee
was originally established in 1996.
“It really is a record for the county to know who has what
(chemicals) and know where we have to go to get it,” Commissioner
Bruce Burdick said.
Egbert said it also allows county officials to track the
chemicals and “know if somebody has used something illicitly.”
A copy of the ordinance indicates those agencies that responded
to a hazardous materials incident have 30 days to submit expenses
to the EMA for review. At that time, the agency will draft a bill
for the responsible party.
For any responsible party that doesn’t pay a bill, the county
has the right to take civil action against them to recoup the
funds.
In other news, Commissioner Clifford Lane gave an update on
changes to the county’s Conservation District, which will soon have
a full-time manager.
Lane said the county and conservation board of directors are in
the process of developing a memorandum of understanding between the
two entities, which will ultimately define the responsibilities of
each. The independent conservation board is comprised of seven
members to which the Conservation District manager reports.
“At this point, the county can’t do anything but give them money
without the memorandum of understanding,” Lane said, adding the
pact should be completed sometime during the first quarter of next
year.
The board has applied for funding for a watershed specialist,
which would be 80 percent funded by the state. In addition, the
district will be moving from having a part-time manager to a
full-time position.
According to Lane, there are three benefits to the move -ðthe
full-time manager would have more time to obtain grants; a
full-time manager would allow the district to charge fees for
developing plans and other services; and employees would qualify to
become county workers, enabling them to save on insurance and other
related expenses.
Lane said similar size counties to McKean County average
$200,000 a year in grant money, meaning the added cost of
transferring to a full-time manager and watershed specialist will
be more than covered.
Officials said they have received a resume for the full-time
position from the county’s West Nile Virus administrator.
The commissioners also reappointed several people to various
boards and commissions Tuesday, including John Satterwhite to a
five-year term on the Bradford Regional Airport Authority; Larry
Stratton Jr. to a four-year term on the McKean County Planning
Commission; Lane to a one-year term on the county Conservation
District; and Egbert and Robert Esch to a one-year term on the
North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development
Commission.
Egbert said the county will likely be making another appointment
to North Central next year, when current Bradford Office of
Economic and Community Development Executive Director Ray McMahon
retires from the city, which he represented on the board.
