Another resigns from voter registration

BY STACI WILSON

A second person has resigned from the county’s two-person voter registration department.

At the March 25 county commissioners meeting, the resignation of Lori Raub was accepted, effective close of business on April 7.

The county’s voter registrar Laura Watts resigned from the post on March 4.

With the May 19 municipal primary on the horizon, Commissioner Alan Hall said the county has been in contact with the Department of State. “They are guiding us through it,” he said. “It shouldn’t be a problem.”

The commissioners adopted a one-month countywide burn ban which goes into effect Thursday, April 2, at 12:01 a.m. (See details of the burn ban on Page 8 of this issue of the Independent).

Hall provided some information about testimony he provided about the Act 13 recently in Harrisburg.

Hall said some legislators have “no understanding” of the what the impact fee is. “The southern part of the state looks at this as a cash cow,” Hall said of the natural gas drilling created revenue.

Hall also said that a number of drilling companies have told him any severance tax would be passed on to royalty owners in post-production costs.

The commissioner went on to said that if any other industry created a quarter-million jobs, the state would be giving it tax credits.

But he said, legislators in the southern part of the state look at a severance as a way to take care of their “fiscal irresponsibility.”

In other business, the commissioners exonerated the tax claim bureau from collecting 2013 and 2014 taxes on a Clifford Twp. parcel in Whites Trailer Park, assessed at $600. The trailer had been deleted by Assessment on March 13, 2014 as razed.

Ken Bondurant was appointed to serve on the Economic Development Board through Dec. 31, 2020.

In personnel matters, the commissioners accepted the resignation of Robin Bebla from the recycling center, effective March 11; and the resignation of
Two SCCTC building trades students were hired on a part-time basis by the county maintenance department.

The transfer of Arleta Smith from 2nd Deputy Clerk of Courts department to Administrative Assistant for Juvenile Probation, was approved, effective April 8.
There were also some personnel changes in corrections officers at the county jail.

The commissioners also adopted a proclamation declaring April 12-18 as National Public Safety Telecommunications Week in Susquehanna County; and the month of April as Autism Awareness Month in the county.