EMPORIUM — Sealed bids submitted for demolition of an Emporium structure were opened during a Cameron County Commissioners meeting held Thursday.
Four bids were received from contractors to demolish a two-story former residence located at 236 West Fifth St., but a decision was tabled to give time for the bids to be reviewed by Economic Director Cliff Clark to be sure the chosen contractor’s bid meets job specifications.
Bids were entered by Briggs Earthworks Inc. of Ridgway at a cost of $19,300; Solveson Contracting of Emporium for $12,000; Earthmovers Unlimited of Kylertown at a cost of $10,443; and Bucktail Excavators of St. Marys for $8,878.
In other news, Recycling Coordinator Tara Newton informed the commissioners on progress to construct a pavilion structure over a section of the Cameron County Recycling Center, being worked on by Solveson Contracting.
The recycling center is currently closed, but recycling can be dropped off behind the Emporium Borough equipment building located on East Second Street. The roll-off Dumpsters from the recycling center have been moved to that location to allow residents to continue using services throughout the center’s closure.
Newton said that work should be completed within the next two weeks or so, weather permitting.
Commissioner Phil Jones said the pavilion will cover a little more than one-third of the center’s area, but the county plans to apply for grant money to cover more space. The structure being built currently was paid for through grant funding.
Meanwhile, a hearing was held prior to the commissioners meeting to gather public feedback on a modification to the 2014 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding contract.
Clark stated that $76,513 initially earmarked for improvements at the Industrial Development Authority’s multi-tenant building will be instead used to replace a culvert on Sizer Run Road. The culvert has been a problem for a number of years and is collapsing. During the meeting, the commissioners approved the contract modification.
A contract modification was also approved to move $600.71 in unused funding from the Single-Family Housing Rehab project to put toward replacement of the Emporium Senior Center boiler.
Also, the commissioners spoke with a representative of consulting engineering firm P. Joseph Lehman concerning local bridges in need of repairs.
Four of the five county-owned bridges are in “pretty good condition.” The fifth, known as the #7 bridge over Sterling Run, does not seem to be in urgent need. It was suggested that two township-owned bridges in that area are in worse condition.
Commissioner Jim Thomas said the process to have those two bridges replaced has already begun. Problems with permitting delayed the process, but the first bridge is now ready for construction efforts, and the second will be ready to go when that one is finished.
The commissioners reiterated their commitment to inter-governmental cooperation with boroughs, municipalities and the school district.
“We’ve been stressing strongly throughout the county the need to work together and it has done wonders,” said Thomas. “All our townships are now working together. We’re a small county and we have to all work as one.”
The possibility of PENNVEST grants to cover replacement of bridges was discussed, though there are several criteria that must be met in order to qualify for the funding.
In other news, a resident visited the meeting to request that “No Jake Brake” signs be erected on Emporium’s East End.
The commissioners said the matter was not within their power to resolve. The resident reported the issue to the borough, but council members stated the costs of signs are prohibitive and the measure would be more of a suggestion because it is unenforceable.
The resident requested Act 13 funding to cover the cost of the signs. The commissioners stated they were not sure if that would be considered one of the allowable uses of the funding, but the borough was welcome to apply for funding for that purpose.
Concerns were also raised over piles of silica sand left behind after the sand transfer operation was moved from Emporium’s East End to Port Allegany.
The commissioners said they attempted to report several residents’ concerns when the company first began the operation, and were eventually told that issues such as that should be reported to the Lansberry company, whose employees run the operation, and the Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad, which owns the property. If those avenues do not resolve the problem, the Pennsylvania State Police handle safety and violation concerns.
The next commissioners meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Feb. 2 at the courthouse in Emporium.
