By SARA FURLONG

s.furlong@bradfordera.com

SMETHPORT – ‘It’s good to see a full house in here,’ McKean County Commissioner Marty Wilder said prior to the board’s regular meeting at the courthouse Tuesday.

Several guests were on hand to hear commissioners issue two proclamations for May — Mental Health Awareness Month and Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month. The latter decree states that motorcycling is ‘a popular mode of transportation and form of outdoor recreation’ but they are smaller and can be harder to see than most vehicles, and offer less protection to their passengers in a crash. Therefore, commissioners urged ‘riders and motorists alike to give each other the mutual respect they deserve.’

A representative of the Kinzua Chapter of Alliance of Bikers Aimed Toward Education (A.B.A.T.E.) said, ‘We are a political rights organization; we are not a motorcycle gang, not a motorcycle club. We lobby the state house to further educate motorcycle riders.

‘We do a lot of fundraising for kids and Christmas in Bradford — toy drives and things like that. We want to eliminate the image of dirty, rotten bikers.’

Commissioner Tom Kreiner said, ‘Motorcycles are out and they are everywhere. Pay attention, especially at intersections.’

According to the former proclamation, ‘the 2023 Pennsylvania Youth Survey found that 279 students in McKean County school districts reported seriously considering suicide’ and that suicide is the second-leading cause of death for those age 10 to 34 in the U.S.

‘Just as anyone can experience a physical illness, any one of us — regardless of age, race, income or background — can experience a mental health condition,’ the declaration reads, adding the National Institute of Mental Health reports that approximately one in

Safety… page A-8 five U.S. adults experiences a mental illness each year.

Commissioners urged residents to promote mental wellness at home, work and school; support those in need with compassion; advocate for equitable policies and funding; and recommit to building a culture of support, hope and resilience throughout McKean County.

Prior to getting the meeting started, Kreiner also noted that Correctional Officers Week was May 4 to 10, Police Week May 11 to 17 includes Peace Officers Memorial Day on May 15 in Pennsylvania, Sunday was Mother’s Day and Nurses Week was May 6 to 12.

“May is a busy month,” Kreiner said.

During the new business portion of the meeting, commissioners voted to table an I.T. policy regarding computer screen lockouts — often implemented to help safeguard sensitive information.

“I’d like to take some time to look at it in a little bit more detail,” Commissioner Carol Duffy said.

A grant agreement between Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services and Cameron, Elk and McKean counties was extended to Dec. 31.

Sealed bids for the McKean County blacktop project were opened revealing three bidders — PV Paving & Concrete LLC for $45,700, Taylor & Armstrong Contracting for $58,550 and IA Construction Corp. for $59,156.

Wilder made a motion to table a review of the bids until the next meeting, asking for “an interval to look them over and make sure everything is up to snuff,” and the others agreed.

Commissioners also approved an agreement for document processing services for the prothonotary with Avenu Enterprise Solutions LLC, effective April 6, 2025 to April 5, 2026; an I.T. quote totaling $30,188 for backup and disaster recovery; and a 2025 contract with McKean Environmental Solutions LLC for the mosquito control program.

A Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) was approved for $337,443, effective April 9, 2025, to April 8, 2029.

Department of Human Services (DHS) agreements were renewed with Milestone for early intervention services, Community Links and OneWell for mental health and intellectual disabilities services, and a children and youth services agreement with Central Counties Youth Center.

Seventeen foster care agreements were also renewed. Duffy said, “Thank you to those families that provide care to our children. It is much appreciated.”

During the public comment portion of the meeting, a man who did not identify himself on the conference call spoke up about tax-exempt properties and the annual Jeep Jamboree held at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.

“How can Pitt host that Jeep run every year when it has nothing to do with any type of education? They open the university up when it’s essentially closed for the summer.”

Wilder said that Angela Tennies, director of the assessment office, was working on a reply to the man’s concerns, which he had also lodged prior to the meeting.

He said, “They’re making money off of that, which they’re not allowed to do according to the (regulations). I would like to know how they can have a tax-exempt property. They should be taken off (the exempt list).”

The man asked commissioners, “What’s your feeling on that?” Met with silence he said, “Do you have any comments on it? Do you think that’s right?”

There was more silence until Wilder said, “We have in this group discussed tax-exempt properties in the past. It’s only in the last year or so that we actually changed the procedure to make sure people were complying with the guidelines.

“It’s more complicated than it seems.”

Commissioners will meet next at 10 a.m. May 27.