Prison recognized for state compliance
By Frank Jost, Sentinel assistant editor, fjost@lewistownsentinel.comFact Box
IF YOU GO
* What: Mifflin County Board of Commissioners, workshop meeting
* When: 9 a.m. Aug. 28
* Where: Mifflin County Courthouse, 20 N. Wayne St., Lewistown
* For more information: Call 248-6733
LEWISTOWN - The Mifflin County Correctional Facility received special recognition Thursday during the weekly meeting of the county commissioners.
The facility was awarded a certificate of compliance from the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections for maintaining 100 percent compliance with the department's standards for a fifth consecutive year.
Ed Pfister, an office supervisor with the department, presented the certificate to Warden Bernie Zook and Deputy Warden James Crisswell. Pfister also read a letter of commendation from state Secretary of Corrections Jeffrey A. Beard.
"The Mifflin County Commissioners, Mifflin County Prison Board, Warden Zook and the Mifflin Correctional Facility staff deserve recognition for their commitment to operating a facility that seeks and meets the challenge of standards compliance," Pfister read from the letter.
"Despite being confronted by ongoing challenges, (the facility has) maintained an ongoing commitment to face and surmount these challenges," Pfister continued.
Commissioners Bob Reck, Mark Sunderland and Otis Riden also offered their congratulations to the staff and leadership of the facility.
"Our staff is an integral part of the process. We couldn't do it without their professionalism," Zook said. "We're proud of the fact that our people take pride in their jobs and do it right."
Also on Thursday, the commissioners approved an updated plan for the management and maintenance of the county's public sewer systems. The plan updates the 1979 Mifflin County Comprehensive Area-Wide Water and Sewer Plan and consolidates the many municipal Act 537 sewage facility plans throughout the county into one concise document, according to documents distributed on Aug. 14 by the county's Planning and Development Department.
"The purpose of the (new) plan is to inventory existing sewage facilities, evaluate county's wastewater needs, encourage municipalities to update sewage planning documents and promote orderly development by encouraging coordination of public sewage facility planning throughout the county," Sunderland said.
The plan and its executive summary can be viewed online at www.co.mifflin.pa.us and by clicking on Public Sewer Plan.
In other business, the board took the following actions:
Awarded the bid to widen and repave School House Road in Menno Township to Eastern Industries at a cost of $191,312. Other bidders for the project were Jay Fulkroad & Sons and Glenn O. Hawbaker.
"This project is intended to alleviate a number of safety concerns along that stretch of roadway. It is heavily traveled by logging trucks and school busses," Riden explained.
Sunderland said $130,000 of the project cost will be paid for with Community Development Block Grant funding, with the balance to be paid by Menno Township.
Awarded the bid for the Juniata Terrace Repaving Project to Jay Fulkroad & Sons at a base cost of $9,936.48. Other bidders for the project were Glenn O. Hawbaker and Eastern Industries.
Accepted the resignations of Joseph Laub and Haley Rothrock as caseworkers for Children and Youth, effective Sept. 5.
Accepted, with regret, the resignation of Mary Lyter as a supervisor for Children and Youth, effective Aug. 11.
Approved the promotion of Nicole Patkalitswky from caseworker level 1 to caseworker level 2, effective Aug. 18.
Postponed awarding bids for repairs to county bridges that span Treaster Run along Barefoot Road in Armagh Township and Meadow Creek along Guss Road in Decatur Township, pending the approval of necessary permits.
The board's next meeting is a workshop scheduled for 9 a.m. on Aug. 28.
