Budget adopted with tax drop

BY STACI WILSON

The Susquehanna County budget was adopted, with a one mill decrease, at the Dec. 22 commissioners’ meeting.

Total county millage for 2011 is 11.84 mills.

“Services haven’t been cutback whatsoever,” said Commissioner MaryAnn Warren.

Commissioner Michael Giangrieco accounted for the millage cut saying the commissioners had “taken back control over spending.”

The county is also carrying over $1.8 million from 2010 in the general fund for the coming year, aiding in the offset of costs of rising salaries and health benefits.

In November, Cheryl Matulevich, of Hop Bottom, questioned the commissioners about the practice of not reading the motions listed on the agenda.

At the Wednesday meeting, Matulevich said she had observed at least three instances of commissioners losing their place on the agenda.

The commissioners were asked if they were all in agreement about not reading the agenda items aloud.

Warren said she did not necessarily agree with the practice.

However, Commissioners Giangrieco and Leon Allen both said they did not think the items needed to be read.

Both agreed that copies of the agenda were available for the audience to read and discussion on the topic ended with the meeting’s adjournment.

The commissioners voted to modify Pennsylvania Dept. of Transportation DOTGrants Objects.

The state has requested that instead of actual names designated to submit reports necessary for the transportation contracts, that certain position titles be authorized instead.

The county water cooler and bottled water bid, effective Jan. 1, 2011-Dec. 31, 2012, was awarded to Endless Mountains Water Company, Tunkhannock.

The bid for overhead, steel doors for the recycling center was awarded to A&B Contractors, Wilkes-Barre for $18,654. The price includes all material and labor noted in the bid specifications.

The commissioners removed a trailer from the tax claim repository list per the request of Tax Claim Director Cathy Benedict. The trailer had been located in the Weida Trailer Park, Lenox Twp., in the name of Jonathan Fathi. Assessment removed the trailer from records on Dec. 10, noting it was gone.

Jon Record, of Susquehanna, was hired by Sheriff Lance Benedict as a full-time Deputy Sheriff, effective Dec. 20.

The next meeting of the county commissioners is scheduled for Jan. 12, 2011, at 9 a.m. in the downstairs conference room of the county office building, Public Ave., Montrose.