SMETHPORT — The McKean County Commissioners agreed Tuesday to submit a grant application to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for additional funding to be used for the county’s recycling center rehabilitation project.
The county has already received one state grant for this project, which includes a concrete pad under the recycling bins, parking area, a compactor at the site, a security system and camera and a key card program. A fence will surround the area. That grant expires in October.
Justin Lund, the county’s recycling coordinator who attended this meeting, said the new grant application seeks about an additional $60,000, which is to be used for the compactor that was not included in the original grant. “The current round of grant applications closes in April,” Lund said.
Also gaining approval was a resolution authorizing the Tax Claim Bureau to recapture the 2017 county tax on seven properties where the owners were not in compliance with the Keystone Opportunity Zone applications for the 2017 tax year. That amounts to $20,130,08.
Commissioners also agreed by a 2-0 vote — Commissioner Cliff Lane conducted the meeting in the absence of Al Pingie — to enter a contract with Erie County for part-time use of their forensic pathologist services for a retainer of $5,000.
Commissioners have proclaimed April as Pennsylvania 811 Safe Digging Month to encourage all excavators and homeowners in McKean County to dial 8-1-1 or (800) 242-1776 at least three business days prior to digging in order to “Know What’s Below,” avoid injury, protect the environment and prevent millions of dollars in damages and to remind all excavators that three business days’ notice is the law. More information is available by visiting
The county will enter a Memorandum of Understanding with the DuBois Vet Center for providing readjustment counseling services for the provision if individual and group services for combat veterans at the McKean County Route 6 facility.
In a related item, Zach Pearson, the county’s director of veteran affairs, told the commissioners about the need for volunteers to drive a DAV vehicle to take injured and ill veterans to their VA medical facilities for treatment.
While volunteers do not have to be veterans, they should have clean driving records and be able to assist in lifting veterans in and out of the vans.
Vans are already located in Smethport and Kane. Pearson said, “The vehicle, fuel and insurance are all provided.”
Interested people should contact Pearson at the courthouse in Smethport.
Commissioners also approved an invoice from Bradford Township for $10,822 that represents payment for their completed Liquid Fuels project for 2017.
A resource family contract was approved for Silka Raub of Kane.
County Planning Director Jeremy Morey explained that his office plans to write a grant application for the Baseline Groundwater Quality of Domestic-Supply Wells in Western Pennsylvania program.
