EMPORIUM — The Cameron County Commissioners spent several days at the recent County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) annual conference.
All three commissioners attended sessions offered during the conference and offered reports on the event during Thursday’s meeting.
Commissioner Phil Jones attended a Natural Gas Task Force meeting, which included discussion on new cracker plants erected near Pittsburgh, the many products that come from natural gas and future plans for the industry. Jones said an old facility was recently rebuilt and revitalized to accommodate a natural gas facility, and he is optimistic that a similar operation could occur in the area.
Jones also discussed the new public-private partnership being undertaken by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation in an effort to upgrade some of the thousands of bridges in disrepair across the state.
Jones said there is currently discussion to open the program up to counties, which could provide additional options for county-owned bridge repair. He said most of Cameron County’s county-owned bridges are in good shape, but the bridge in Sterling Run could possibly benefit from this type of program.
Meanwhile, a presentation on assessment and appeals was very interesting, according to Commissioner Jim Thomas. In larger counties, the process is much more involved and time-consuming. Lawrence County, whose representatives presented information, process between 250 and 300 properties per year.
State Rep. Matt Baker, R-Wellsboro, presented information on the opioid epidemic, and the struggles with substance abuse in jail facilities.
“It’s good to know what’s going on in the jails. We don’t have one in Cameron County, but our people are sent to other facilities,” said Thomas. “A lot of our jails are really dangerous for people who don’t want to abuse substances.”
Jones spoke on $500,000 annually in historical preservation funding that is not being used currently. For the last two years, none of the money has been applied for by northwestern Pennsylvania counties, and is therefore spread across the state instead. Jones urged individuals with historic properties to look into tax credits and other available options in the hopes the money would be used in this region in the future.
In other news, demolition began on three blighted Emporium properties on Thursday morning.
The county provided funds for the two commercial structures and adjacent apartment building through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, and the announcement that work had commenced to tear down the structures came as welcome news during Thursday’s meeting.
The county’s budget is in the process of being finalized and will be available for review in the commissioners’ office at the courthouse through Dec. 22, when it will be adopted during the next regular meeting.
“There is more than a $500 million imbalance at the state level for the year,” said Commissioner Lori Reed. “We don’t know what that will mean for funding for us. We are cautiously optimistic at this point, and are hoping we will not have to raise taxes because of it.”
Three bids were opened for a 2004 Chevrolet Blazer. Darryl Castle entered a bid of $251.50; Brian Harmon bid $604; and Jody Reid of Reid & Reed Auto entered a bid of $700. Reid was the high bidder and the purchase was approved by the commissioners.
In other news, Chief Clerk and Elections Officer Brenda Munz said she received several calls concerning a recount, but received no petitions prior to the deadline, which is five days after certification of election results. Certification in Cameron County occurred on Nov. 17. The election has now been fully finalized. Munz said it is difficult to demand a recount, as each precinct must have three petitions filed in order for a recount to be ordered.
The next commissioners meeting will be held at 11 a.m. Dec. 22. The meeting was moved back one week to accommodate the 30-day budget review period.
