MIFFLINTOWN – In an effort to “fill in the gaps” when it comes to accessing natural gas, the Juniata County Commissioners on Tuesday adopted a resolution authorizing the county to join the SEDA-COG Natural Gas Cooperative.

Two representatives of the cooperative, Pete Smeltz, its president and a Clinton County Commissioner, and Don Kiel, the cooperative’s executive director and secretary, were on hand Tuesday to explain what the organization’s goals are now that Juniata County is on board.

“I’m a big believer in clean energy and fuel that is American made,” Smeltz stated. “Working with SEDA-COG, I’m impressed with the cooperation we’ve been seeing with them.”

Kiel said the cooperation’s main goals include filling in the geographical gaps, especially in central Pennsylvania. The cooperative began about a year ago with Clinton, Centre and Mifflin Counties. Earlier this year, Perry County joined the effort as well.

As part of becoming a member, the commissioners on Tuesday voted to authorize an initial payment of $5,000 to be applied toward full membership, which costs $20,000. The rest of the membership fee must be paid no later than March 31, 2018.

Kiel said by joining forces, the counties involved have the power to act as a larger body to be able to apply for state grants to help fund natural gas infrastructure. That infrastructure would not include “40 miles of pipeline,” Kiel said, but would rather focus on delivering gas to businesses and/or entire neighborhoods by implementing a route-based delivery system. “Kind of like the old milk man routes of the past,” Kiel explained.

“By working on a regional basis, we can form relationships with (gas) companies and be that much better off with regard to pricing,” Kiel noted.

Juniata County Commissioner Alice Gray said residents are already seeing the benefits of the county receiving legacy funds annually from the Marcellus Shale drilling efforts in the western part of the state. “Natural gas has been a real benefit for Pennsylvania,” she said. “We hope this will be a help in terms of participation for our constituents.”

Also on Tuesday, the commissioners voted to elect Commissioner Todd Graybill and Director of Planning Brad Kerstetter as official members of the cooperative’s board of directors.

In other business Tuesday, the commissioners:

¯ Approved an agreement with Wilson Consulting Group to perform condition inspections on short-span bridges throughout the county at an estimated cost of $24,000.

¯ Approved a three-year “Small Municipal and County Government Enterprise License Agreement” with Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc. for software in the county’s geographical information systems department. Cost will be $25,000 a year for a three-year contract period.

¯ Approved the distribution of the 2016-17 Marcellus Shale Open Space funds as follows: $10,000 for a single, competitive grant; and $37,700 distribution to municipalities based on population.

¯ Approved payment of bills in the amount of $39,051.41.