SMETHPORT —McKean County commissioners approved agreements for several grants at Tuesday’s meeting, including over $100K for a state Election Integrity Grant.
The commissioners approved a contract with the state Department of Community and Economic Development for $128,283.30, for the time period of July 1 through June 30, 2023. The funds can be used for one or more of nine specific activities outlined: Payment of staff needed to pre-canvas and canvas mail-in ballots and absentee ballots; physical security and transparency costs for pre-canvassing and canvassing; post-election procedures; list maintenance activities; printing of ballots; training costs for district election officials; payment of staff at polling places on election day; secure preparation, transportation, storage and management of voting apparatuses, tabulation equipment and required polling place materials; and costs of county board of election duties related to processing of voter registration applications.
Also at the meeting, the commissioners approved a contract with the North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission for $45,000. The funds will be used “to transition up to four existing broadband sites from their existing four sector 2×2 configuration, to a three sector 4×4 configuration to improve network performance, subject to confirmation of review by solicitor,” read the agenda.
After the meeting, McKean County Development Liaison Bob Veilleux explained, “McKean County received a grant to make an update to the county’s existing broadband network. By converting from the current configuration to a new three-sector configuration, it is anticipated that the network will reach more residents in some areas that are currently outside of the propagation and that existing customers will also see improved service.”
A Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency grant of $47,000 was approved for the Children’s Advocacy Center from January through December of 2023 to fund several items, including rent at $26,400, travel to a conference at $6,187, and supplies, services and licensing at $14,413.
The commissioners, with a two-to-one vote, appointed Don Cummins to the board of the McKean County Planning Commission. Commissioner Cliff Lane voted against the measure, saying he would have put forth for consideration a candidate who had applied last year.
Several county aid applications were approved at the meeting as well. The applications included the following: Norwich Township, $2,150.34 to purchase winter materials to pave roads; Port Allegany Borough, $3,572.32, to encumber for future projects; Liberty Township, $6,837.77, for blacktop on Coleman Hollow Road; Otto Township, $15,081 from four years of encumbered funds for blacktop on Maple Street in Rixford; and Hamilton Township, $1,530.95, to encumber for future projects.
The next commissioners’ meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Sept. 13.
