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Recipients of CARES Act grant declared

18 Mifflin County organizations chosen for second round of funding

LEWISTOWN — A total of 18 local organizations — 11 small businesses, five non-profits, one municipality and one broadband internet provider — were announced Thursday as recipients of the latest round of funding from Mifflin County’s allotment from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act during the regular meeting of the Mifflin County Commissioners.

Mifflin County Planning Director Mark Colussy said all organizations receiving funds had met the criteria and had taken all the necessary steps for approval.

“We spent the past several weeks reviewing the applications,” Colussy told the commissioners. “Of the applicaitons we received, we’re recommending 18 applications be approved.”

The 11 small businesses are, with the amount received in parentheses: Honey Creek Inn ($35,000), Wild Water Kombucha ($2,070), Shy Bear Brewing LLC ($35,000), D&D Driving School ($10,000), Ye Old Dog House ($15,000), Deihl’s Flowers Inc. ($20,518), McAfee Management ($6,979), J. Smith & Son Builders LLC ($35,000), Wireless Made Simple ($35,000), Quality Inn & Suites ($13,650) and William Shafranich & Son Excavating ($9,450).

The five non-profit organizations are, with the amount received in parentheses: Shelter Service Inc. ($25,000), Sacred Heart ($35,000), Burnham Firehouse ($11,070), Boy Scouts of America ($17,864.90) and Milroy Hose Company ($20,000).

Derry Township received $35,000 on behalf of the Fame EMS facility and broadband internet provider Mifflin County Wireless will receive an amount not to exceed $27,969.28.

Overall, the 18 organizations received a total of $389,571.18.

“It should be pointed out that … this was thrust upon us back in July, I think,” Commissioner Rob Postal said. “In that short period of time, we absorbed this work, formed an ad hoc advisory committee, entered into many subagreements and they did it. We all had to do it by Dec. 1 and the money needs to be spent or incurred by Dec. 30. … I just want to acknowledge the good work that’s been done.”

Several other grants not related to the CARES Act were also announced at the meeting.

The Mifflin County Intermediate Punishment Program received a grant for the period July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021 in the amount of $95,000. Mifflin County Re-Entry Coordination was also awarded a grant for the period Oct. 1, 2020 through Sept. 30, 2021 in the amount of $84,666.

Subgrantee agreements for the Mifflin County Co-Responders Program went to the following, with amount in parentheses: Lewistown Police Department for overtime expenses ($36,000), Center for Community Resources for crisis intervention training ($13,150), Center for Community Resources for mileage and supplies ($11,458), Center for Community Resources for employment of mental health co-responder ($46,800) and Mifflin-Juniata Human Services for grant assistance and management ($7,943).

In other business, Commissioner Kevin Kodish, during the public comment period, urged residents to continue to practice social distancing and wear masks when in public and to be mindful of Mifflin County’s high rate of COVID-19 positivity. He also reminded the public of the COVID-19 testing clinic going on during the next several days at the Pennsylvania Fire Academy in Lewistown.

“Anyone can get a test,” Kodish said of the clinic that will run from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. each day through Sunday. “You don’t have to have any symptoms. I heard they had about 330 people go through (Wednesday) in first day of it. They had two lanes of traffic going through there. I encourage anyone, if they suspect they might have it, to go get tested. If you’re asymptomatic, it doesn’t hurt to get checked because you might have it.”

Kodish also reviewed what had been discussed at Wednesday night’s COVID community forum held by Geisinger-Lewistown Hospital, the Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Mifflin-Juniata.

“Many locals are interested in seeing a mask mandate from municipalities similar to what State College Borough has done,” he said. “Mifflin County’s positivity rate is 48% when in the spring it was around 4%. I don’t think anyone doesn’t know anyone who has had COVID-19. Take it seriously.”

The positivity rate is the percentage of COVID-19 tests performed that return a positive result. It is not a measure of the percentage of population that has been infected.

Also during Thursday’s meeting, the commissioners:

¯Approved the project modification request for the adult treatment court grant for the period Oct. 1, 2019 through Sept. 29, 2021.

¯Approved the engineering agreement with Buchart Horn Inc. for a Community Development Block Grant project on behalf of Brown Township for an Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant ramp in Reedsville

¯Approved the purchase of service agreement with Michelle Baker to provide cleaning services at the office of Magisterial District Judge Kent Smith at a rate of $200 per month for the year 2021.

¯Approved a business associate agreement with Delta Dental for self-funded products due to the additional transfer of protected health information between Delta Dental and Mifflin County.

¯Appointed Catrina Breneman, of Lewistown, and Tim Dunmire, of McVeytown to the Mifflin County Library Board of Directors, each for terms of three years.

¯Approved a purchase of service agreement for use, if needed, by Mifflin County Children and Youth with Mark Remy, Esquire of the Law Offices of Knepp and Snook and George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania, Grove City.

¯Voted to encumber $100,000 of liquid fuels money for maintenance on Dorcas Street Bridge.

¯Voted to ratify the Steelworker Union Contract for the period Jan. 1, 2021 through Dec. 31, 2024

¯Approved 2020 liquid fuels allocation to the following municipalities with amount in parentheses: Derry Township ($8,982.24), Newton Hamilton Borough ($1,000) and Lewistown Borough ($7,103.01).

¯Approved a memorandum of understanding with Mifflin County Industrial Development Corporation to assist the county with administrating a portion of the county relief block grant, not to exceed $6,000.

¯Re-elected all current board officers for 2021.

¯Approved the hiring of Timothy Kenepp for part-time Corrections Officer effective Dec. 7.

¯Approved the transfer of Paula Hoffman from part-time planning clerk to full-time Voter Registration/Elections/Veterans Affairs Clerk effective Nov.19.

¯Approved the hiring of Elyse Baisey for part-time public defender secretary, effective Dec. 16.

¯Approved the retirement of Ronald Bilger (18.75 years) from the position of corrections officer, effective Dec. 31.

The Mifflin County Commissioners will next meet virtually at 9 a.m. Dec. 17.

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