SMETHPORT – In a one-hour meeting Chairman of Commissioners John
Egbert characterized as “largely housekeeping,” McKean County
commissioners approved a couple of construction bids, approved a
memorandum of understanding with the Conservation District and took
care of some other details.
Daghir Construction of St. Marys was awarded the contract for
interior renovations at the courthouse to accommodate the public
defender and human resources office; Daghir’s base bid of $16,440
was about $4,000 under that of S.M. Gleason & Co. and Carl E.
Swanson & Sons.
A contract to bring the county’s 42 polling places into
compliance with the Help America Vote Act was awarded to low bidder
John Anderson of Warren at $59,161, well under Carl E. Swanson and
Kinney construction, Olean, N.Y.
In another election-related matter, voters in Sergeant Township
will once again be asked to approve a switch from paper ballots to
electronic voting machines. The question will be placed on the
ballot during the May 16 Primaries.
In his commissioners’ comments at the beginning of the meeting,
Egbert noted that construction of a holding cell at the top of the
interior stairs to the courtroom level had been completed. The cell
will used to keep inmates awaiting trial and hearings secure until
their time in court.
Commissioners approved a “Memorandum of Understanding” with the
McKean County Conservation District and outlined responsibilities
of both bodies as the District takes on a full-time status.
The action will mean that commissioners will advertise for a
full-time manager for the district within the next few days and
will follow that with the hiring of a watershed specialist.
While the District will remain essentially independent and
governed by a seven-member board, the county will handle the
payroll and other business matters, and those hired will be county
employees.
Egbert said that much of the expense will be covered by
Department of Environmental Protection reimbursements and that he
expects an increased and “aggressive” grant effort to more than pay
for the new department in the future.
A contract with Northwest Engineering to do design and other
work on a new bridge at Boyer Crossing over the Allegheny River
east of Port Allegany was approved, as was a services agreement
with Occupational Health Services of Bradford Regional Medical
Center to provide pre-employment physicals for hirees at the McKean
County Prison.
The board authorized a mutual aid agreement for coroners to
cooperate with other counties in case of disaster and approved a
services agreement with CornerHouse Interagency Child Abuse and
Training Center to provide child abuse sexual interview training to
Children and Youth Services workers.
A contract with Sharon Linnan of Smethport to provide cleaning
services at the County Planning Building.
Information Technology specialists reported that work on
networking the county offices is progressing well, with about 100
of the 140 potential work stations on the new system, which is a
combination of wireless and more traditional connections.
A technician from Insight Technology of Warren told
commissioners that the new system will prove much more economical
than the previous one, which had a number of DSL connections.
The system being installed has one access, which in addition to
being less expensive, will be more secure, he said.
Chris Stovic questioned the efficiency of the system and asked
about past, present and future costs.
Jay Todd asked if the sheriff was “going back to being warden,”
saying that the new sheriff had proclaimed he would do that before
he was elected.
When Egbert responded that the county prison is now run by the
prison board and not the sheriff, Todd said the sheriff should
resign.
“You’ll have to take that up with him,” Egbert said smiling,
“and I want to be there when you do.”
Todd also complained about the Bradford Regional Airport
terminal being too cold, calling it a shame. The manager’s office
is sufficiently warm, he charged.
