Commissioners enact burn ban

BY STACI WILSON

A month-long burn ban takes effect across Susquehanna County next week.

The temporary burn ban goes into effect on March 15 and runs through April 13, per the request by local fire chiefs, and a move to approve the ban from the county commissioners at the Wednesday, Feb. 28 meeting.

The Salary Board created a temporary, part-time Task Force DARE Instructor position, effective March 1-June 30, at an hourly rate of $15, with no benefits.

The DARE program will be implemented in the fifth grades in all six of the school districts in the county.

The commissioners signed a 20-year agreement with The Hickory Knob Association for the lease of a transmitter tower located in the Susquehanna area, at a rate of $1,500 per month for the first year with a three percent annual increase.

The tower, Commissioner Alan Hall said, will take the place of one in the Hallstead area and provide better coverage for emergency responders. The agreement takes effect on March 15.

Bid packets for the clock tower project at the courthouse were reviewed by the engineering firm and solicitor, with the project being awarded to C&D Waterproofing Corp., of Bloomsburg. That bid came in at $394,475.

The county is advertising for bids for the replacement of seven rooftop HVAC units for the County Office Building. Bid packets will be available on March 9 at the engineering office of Greenman-Pedersen Inc., in Moosic.

The commissioners acknowledged the hiring of Jillian Smith to the position of Second Deputy Clerk of Courts, effective March 18, based on the recommendation of Prothonotary/Clerk of Courts Jan Krupinski.

Central Bradford Progress Authority Executive Director Anthony Ventello was appointed to serve on the Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission Comprehensive Economic Development Strategic Steering Committee until completion of the plan. The Progress Authority handles the day-to-day economic development activities in the county.

JoEllen Greene and Elliot Ross were appointed to serve on the Agricultural Preservation Board, effective Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2020. Commissioner MaryAnn Warren said there is a farmer-position on the board that still needs to be filled.

With the resignation of R.S. Stoud from the position of Chief County Detective/Public Safety Director, accepted by the commissioners at the meeting, the Salary Board eliminated the dual position.

The title of Assistant Public Safety Director/911 Coordinator was changed to 911 Coordinator.

The board also made a change in the county’s organization structure – moving the Accounts Payable/Payroll Clerk from the Treasurer’s Office to the Commissioner’s Office, effective Feb. 28.

The position of Director of HR and System Database/Deputy Chief Clerk was eliminated to create the stand-alone position of Director of HR, also effective Feb. 28.

A couple of proclamations for March were also adopted by the commissioners: one designated the month as National Social Worker Month in Susquehanna County, and the other recognized the month as Colon Cancer Awareness Month.

At the close of the meeting, Warren said there is a movement to bring a literacy program back to the county. Trehab is applying for grants with the state’s Dept. of Education. She said, that while a stand-alone program in the county would not likely work, Trehab already offers a GED program, as well as workforce development, which both lend to the addition of a literacy program component.

Hall provided an update regarding Penn State Extension services saying many of the commissioners’ questions had been answered and county residents would be receiving more services with the program specialists regularly coming into the county.