SMETHPORT – More than $262,501 in funding derived from Allegheny
National Forest timber revenue will be allocated to eight
organizations across McKean County.
On Tuesday, the county commissioners unanimously approved
divvying up the funds as part of the Title III funding the county
received each year as part of the federal Secure Rural Schools and
Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 – which is up for
reauthorization in Congress this year.
Officials said the funding – which is filtered down from the
county to its municipalities and school districts – can only be
used for certain purposes, including search, rescue and emergency
services, community service work camps, easement purchases,
forest-related after school programs and fire prevention and county
planning, among others.
The public had 45 days to comment on the proposed funding
allocation; officials said no comments were received. The act
allows counties to recoup revenue that is lost due to federal
ownership of land within the county.
The following agencies will receive a portion of the
funding:
* McKean County Sheriff’s Department Dive and Rescue Team,
$6,404.45 – including $3,496.45 for equipment and its repair and
pool rental expense, $2,161 to reimburse the county for worker’s
compensation insurance for team members and $808 to reimburse the
county for vehicle insurance;
* Allegheny National Forest Vacation Bureau, $18,000 for a
planning and developmental study to evaluate the feasibility of a
new welcome-discovery center and provide recommendations on the
location, size and amenities, among other work;
* Forest Resource Education Program sponsored by the Penn State
Cooperative Extension Office, $59,075 for the second installment of
a three-year commitment;
* Kinzua Valley Trail Club, $33,500 to purchase improved
trailhead area and trail access area in the Westline are from
Lafayette Township and $5,000 to purchase an improved easement from
Mark and Pamela McCoy of Westline;
* Multi-County Regional Forestry Education School Center,
$15,000 for the second installment of a three-year commitment;
* Tuna Valley Trail Association, $80,000 to purchase a 1.2-mile
improved easement along the White Pine Trail and $4,558 for the
designing, printing and publication of five specialized trail
brochures; and
* Corydon Township Volunteer Fire Department, $17,607.40 for
equipment for search and rescue needs in national forest recreation
areas.
The county will also distribute an additional $23,356.82 in
funding to the McKean County Historical Society to embark on a
three part project that will help educate and inform about the
animals of the national forest by enhancing the wildlife display,
the creation of a reference book to be distributed to all public,
private and home school students and groups such as 4-H and Scouts
and the creation of a map of the Allegheny National Forest and
county to aid in the identification of animals in the wild.
Last year, officials announced the county would garner a total
of $1.69 million in timber receipt funding. The funding levels have
risen over the past few years because the parties are receiving
guaranteed payments from the federal government instead of sharing
a pot with other counties located within the forest’s
boundaries.
Under the previously used 25 percent method, the four counties
within the forest – McKean, Elk, Warren and Forest – split a
prorated share of 25 percent of the total timber harvest receipts.
Under the guaranteed plan, 85 percent of the payment goes to the
school districts and municipalities, while 15 percent goes directly
to the county for various projects.
In other monetary matters, the commissioners will begin
negotiations and enter into a contract with Wolfe Communication
Systems Inc. of Middlebury Center to reduce the cost and improve
the performance of the county’s phone system.
The commissioners said the county has received “many complaints”
about the phone system and “recognize the need to make
improvements.”
Wolfe submitted the only response to the county’s request for
proposal; the submission has been evaluated and approved by the
county’s Information Technology Department and technical
consultant.
Meanwhile, the county approved entering into an agreement with
McKean Care Services, L.P., for the provision of county prison
meals.
Under the agreement, officials said the prison will continue to
receive meals through Sena-Kean Manor for a three-year term.
The commissioners also reappointed Sara Andrews, Greg Bell,
Debbie Lunden and Ray McMahon to the North Central Pennsylvania
Regional Planning and Development Commission Overall Economic
Development Program Committee for 2007-08. Bob Veilleux was
appointed to the same committee for the same time period.
