SMETHPORT — Money, jobs and community involvement were the main topics at Tuesday’s meeting of the McKean County commissioners.
Representatives of Georgia-Pacific were present to talk about the company’s two locations in the county, and the commissioners approved grants for veterans’ groups and trail groups.
Lauren Campen, representing the box factory in Bradford Township, and Rick Kimble, representing the MDF plant in Mount Jewett, both spoke about GP’s commitment to the communities. There are approximately 455 employees in McKean County, according to Kimble.
“We’re in town doing a couple visits,” Kimble explained. “We help our sites be better suited in the community.”
Their role is to help GP be a better citizen in the community where it is located, he said. The jobs at their factories can be difficult to fill because of the kinds of work involved, Kimble said. “Offering more per hour helps get the employees interested.”
Georgia-Pacific has expectations for each of its sites, he continued. “Every site is expected to have an outreach plan. Some sites do better than others.” In many cases, he said, that’s simply because they are busy operating the plant. “That’s where Lauren and I come in and remind them.”
Campen said GP has made a $30 million capital investment in the Bradford plant, and “all of the new assets should be online by the fall.”
Commissioner Marty Wilder said, “That’s really good news. We’re all about jobs here.”
She asked if jobs would be added at the Bradford plant. Campen said maybe a few, but the investment was to replace old assets.
“We’re trying to add more automation to eliminate (some of the more repetitive jobs that are tough to fill). We know those numbers are going to decrease through attrition,” Kimble said. “It makes us more competitive for the long haul.”
Referring to the medium-density fiberboard process, he said it’s labor intensive, and would be helped with more automation. “We have a lot of repetitive jobs here. I wouldn’t want to do them,” he said. “It helps to automate them.”
Commissioner Carol Duffy said she met the human resources representative for the MDF plant, and sent him information on Leadership McKean. Kimble confirmed that’s the type of involvement that is encouraged.
He offered the commissioners a tour of the facilities. Chairman Tom Kreiner chuckled, then indicated he’d been inside the Mount Jewett plant before — as a volunteer firefighter.
“That’s the downside of building that product,” Kimble acknowledged.
“We are grateful to have your company in the county,” Kreiner said. “Things are favorable for both of your facilities?”
“I think so,” Kimble said.
In other business, Kreiner started the meeting by announcing that Cassandra Coleman, executive director of the Pennsylvania Commission of the United States Semiquincentennial (America250PA), visited McKean County recently.
“The event will happen in 2026 so it was kind of a preparatory visit,” he said. He encouraged people to visit the website for the event at www.America250pa.org.
The commissioners approved a policy about the Right to Know law. Solicitor Anthony Clarke said, “It very closely tracks the statutes that are applicable, very closely.”
American Rescue Plan Act grant funds were approved in the amount of $20,000 each for nine veterans’ organizations: American Legions in Bradford, Crosby, Eldred and Smethport; Bradford VFW Post & Auxiliary; VFWs in Kane and Smethport; and Veterans Clubs in Mount Jewett and Port Allegany.
ARPA funds were also approved for trail groups as follows: MJ2KB, $6,742.88, and $50,000 each for Kinzua Valley Trail Club, Tuna Valley Trail Association and Willow Creek Snowmobile Club.
“This is a lot of money we’re giving out to these groups,” Wilder said. “This could be a game changer for tourism, especially the Willow Creek one. It’s good news.”
The board also approved liquid fuel funding amounts for municipalities, from a total allocation of $108,819.93. The allocations are based on population and miles of qualifying roads. The amounts varied from a high of $13,519.26 for the City of Bradford to a low of $929.14 for Sergeant Township.
The next meeting of the commissioners is set for 10 a.m. June 25.
