SMETHPORT — The McKean County Commissioners approved a resolution Tuesday authorizing the filing of a Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant to the Pennsylvania Office of the Budget for the University of Pittsburgh of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education Engineering and Computer Information Technology Building project located at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford campus.
The University wishes to obtain RACP funding through the county, and the Office of Economic and Community Development of the City of Bradford will assist with the preparation of a business plan and application and provide grant administration throughout the project.
Gov. Tom Wolf has authorized $4 million — $1 million in 2019 and $3 million in 2020 — in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program funds for this building.
Now that this resolution has been OK’d, the proper officials of the county authorize the entering of an administrative agreement with the City of Bradford and the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford to execute all necessary documents for receiving the grant.
In other business, commissioners approved one tax refund. It goes to Susan Peterson for $135.30 for a parcel in Kane Borough for overpayment of county taxes paid at discount on an assessment that was sold at 2020 judicial tax sale and was free and clear of taxes.
Two requests for tax exempt status were also granted. One is to the Bradford Mennonite Church at 10 Congress Place in the city’s Second Ward. The assessed value on the .02 acre parcel is $2,000. The other one is for Futures Rehabilitation Center, Inc., a charitable organization at 616 Rear East Main Street, Bradford. The assessed value for this .89 acres parcel is $39,610.
By approving a single application for assistance, the McKean County Department of Emergency Services may apply for state funding for costs associated with hazardous materials incidents. After the meeting, Commission Chairman Thomas Kreiner said application for this annual funding is done now although the exact amount won’t be known until April. “It usually is between $6,000 and $10,000,” he noted.
Two maintenance agreements also received the nod. The contract with Cortex Flo for the Children’s Advocacy Center costs $1,999 for one year from 2-18-21 to 2-8-22 and includes the renewal for software updates and maintenance for an HD camera for the First Step Clinic. The preventive maintenance agreement with Garaventa Lift is for the lift chair in the courthouse. This annual cost of $875 includes two visits.
Commissioners met for approximately ten minutes in an executive session to discuss a personnel matter. After reconvening the meeting, they announced they upheld a grievance.
Kreiner announced the appointment of Michael Antoiolo as a Caseworker 1 with Children and Youth Services on January 29.
In his commissioner’s comments, Kreiner spoke briefly about several topics, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Please understand the county has nothing to do with the vaccine distribution to approved vaccination sites,” he said. “this is all determined by the Department of Health. Our goal is to make available to the residents the most accurate information that we receive as to who to contact to schedule an appointment. We are working through the channels available to us to increase the distribution to McKean County vaccination sites.”
Kreiner also commented on a call Monday from the Bradford Regional Medical Center, which said blood supplies are running low. Kreiner said, “If you have had COVID and have completed the required quarantined process and are fully recovered, you may donate blood. If you have received the COVID vaccine, you may donate blood at any time, even the day of vaccination.”
The commissioners will meet again at 10 a. m. on February 23.
