SMETHPORT – The McKean County Commissioners have offered the
county’s recycling coordinator job to a Bradford woman, the panel
announced Tuesday.

Meanwhile, county officials said the sale of Sena-Kean Manor
will become official on Monday, bringing to a close several years
of county involvement with the home.

According to Commissioner Chairman John Egbert, the recycling
position is slated to be filled by Mary Williams, who previously
worked as the executive director of Evergreen Elm Inc.

County Administrator Richard Casey said the job has been offered
to Williams, who is expected to officially accept the job
today.

Williams will make $30,000 in the position, according to Egbert.
Similar to the recently hired Soil and Water Conservation district
manager, Williams’ salary will be eligible for reimbursement from
the state.

“She’s really excited about it and we think she’s a fine
choice,” Egbert said.

According to Egbert, Williams will be responsible for educating
the public about recycling methods in an effort to raise the
county’s level of recycling to comply with state Department of
Environmental Protection standards and come in line with the
county’s Solid Waste Management Plan.

“We are badly lacking (in recycling),” Egbert said.

County officials publicly announced in May that the county would
revive its recycling program, with Rustick LLC and RecycAll Inc.
and Saint-Gobain Containers, both of Port Allegany, teaming up to
re-establish glass recycling outlets county-wide. The glass will
ultimately be picked up by RecycAll and delivered to Saint-Gobain
for use.

The measure has already gained a foothold in Kane, which is
acting as a test community. Officials said the program will then
make its way to other outlets across the county. The borough’s
recycling bin will be located behind the firehall.

All told, the commissioners received three applications for the
recycling coordinator’s job.

The commissioners recently hired Sandra Thompson to be the
county’s conservation district manager and Heather McKean as its
watershed specialist to round out the staff for the Soil and Water
Conservation District.

In other news, the commissioners said the sale of Sena-Kean
Manor will close on Monday.

Officials said while the closing will be void of any formal
signing ceremony, it will involve a number of faxes and e-mails and
a funds transfer into a new capital reserve fund.

As part of the deal, the county entered into an agreement with
McKean Care Realty, L.P., for $3 million. The facility is currently
operated by Complete HealthCare Resources of Horsham under the
terms of a lease and purchase option agreement with the county.

The agreement was originally signed by the county and McKean
Care Realty, L.P.’s affiliate, McKean Care Services, L.P., on March
29, 2005. The purchase price was negotiated based on independent
appraisals undertaken by both sides.

Earlier this year, Egbert said the sale includes 10.2 acres of
land, adding Complete HealthCare has plans to build an assisted
living facility on the property. Casey said previously the property
will be on the tax rolls next year, noting Complete HealthCare will
pay its “fair share of taxes” to the county, school district and
municipality.

When the sale was announced, Casey said the commissioners intend
to invest the $3 million and leave the principal alone to produce
interest income for use on any future capital improvement projects
in the county. Egbert said Tuesday the funds will be invested in
bonds and bond funds rated AAA and managed by Manning and Napier, a
financial manager from Rochester, N.Y.