Trending
LEWISTOWN – In their first meeting of November, Mifflin County Commissioners approved the compensation rate for board members of Mifflin County Municipal Authority. They also approved the compensation for the board chairman and secretary.
The pay rate for MCMA is $150 per member per monthly meeting. The pay rate for the board chairman and secretary is $200 per member per monthly meeting regarding the two positions' additional work.
Before the rates were approved, Commissioner Kevin Kodish made a motion that "at the beginning of the formation of the MCMA, the primary goal was to create as minimal disruption to the then-current MABL (Municipal Authority Borough of Lewistown)."
Kodish stated in the motion that "MCMA was framed to be a change of form instead of substance, and the goal was to keep the 'status quo' as much as possible with all of the workings and operations of our local water authority."
As such, the Commissioners' compensation rate set for the MCMA reflects that of the previous MABL board member compensation.
The motion also stated that MCMA board members be "entitled to such pay for two prior meetings in addition to those moving forward."
The first was an "orientation" meeting held in September, and the other was the first official MCMA meeting held in October.
Also at the meeting to speak on agricultural land preservation was former district manager of the Mifflin Count Conservation District Dan Dunmire.
Dunmire said that when he retired from the conservation district, he agreed to continue administering the Mifflin County Agricultural Land Conservation Program (Ag Land Preservation) on a contract basis.
According to Dunmire, since 1993, the Ag Land Preservation program has preserved 27 farms totaling almost 3,000 acres of farmland in Mifflin County.
Dunmire said most of the farms they purchase to preserve are with a county and state easement, meaning both Mifflin County and the State of Pennsylvania hold an easement on the farm. The easement states that those using the farm must use it for farming in perpetuity.
According to Dunmire, the Ag Land Preservation board modified the program in 2016 to allow donated easements and "bargain sales" of $1.
Owners of a farm in Granville Township had applied for an easement wishing to preserve the land. According to Dunmire, this will be a "county-only" easement meaning only Mifflin County will hold the conservation easement on the farm in a bargain sale.
Because it is a county-only easement, it requires the signature of all three commissioners. The Commissioners approved the signature of the easement.
The following actions were also taken during the meeting:
-Approved addendum No. 2 with Encartele Inc. to provide and install eight kiosks replacing current video visitation kiosks and providing eight tablets at MIfflin County Correctional Facility.
-Approved Annex Project change order No. 1-026 with Lobar Inc. for deletion of two planters. A decrease in cost of $3,000.
-Approved the offer for Parcel No. 16,25-0240--,000, located in Derry Township that is currently in repository for unsold properties for $201.
-Approved the application for County Aid – 2021 Liquid Fuel Allocation for Menno Township in the amount of $2,933.
-Awarded notification for the Mifflin County Juvenile Probation Services Grant for the period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022 in the amount of $32,328.
-Approved application for the Adult Probation Grant-in-Aid Grant for the period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022 in the amount of $21,841.
-Approved Pretrial Diversion Grant Agreements:
-Clear Concepts Counseling: Inpatient Drug and Alcohol Treatment, not to exceed $10,200; Substance Abuse Group Counseling, not to exceed $1,000; Substance Abuse Individual Counseling, not to exceed $10,400; Substance Abuse Intensive Outpatient Therapy, not to exceed $11,400.
-Brighter Visions: Inpatient Drug and Alcohol Treatment, not to exceed $10,200; Substance Abuse Group Counseling, not to exceed $1,000; Substance Abuse Individual Counseling, not to exceed $10,400; Substance Abuse Intensive Outpatient Therapy, not to exceed $11,400.
-Single County Authority: Substance Abuce Case Management, Not to exceed $20,475.
-Approved Project modification request for the Mifflin County INtermediate Punishment Grant -- changes to the types of materials and supplies.
-Approved Mifflin County Co-Responders Program sub-grantees contracts for the period of Oct. 1, 2021, through Sept. 30, 2022:
-Center for Community Resources – Mental Health Training – $3,800
-Center for Community Resources – Mileage and Supplies – $500
-Center for Community Resources – Co-Responders Program – $46,800
-Lewistown Police Department – OT Expenses for Training – $1,800
-Mifflin Juniata Human Services – Technical Assistance, Mangement and Conference – $26,204
-Approved agreements for Janitorial Services with NuVisions Center, Lewistown for the period of Nov. 1, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2022.
-Approved Case-specific Public Defender Services Agreement with BMZ Law, Lewistown.
-Approved Public Defender Services Agreement with Robert Ferguson, Esquire, Lewistown for the period Nov. 1, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2021, -- $3,000 per month.
-Approved the appointments to the Mifflin County Library Board for three-year terms: Christopher Wagner, Lewistown; Angela Swartzentruber, McVeytown; Jessica Nail, Reedsville.
-Approved appointments to the Mifflin County Conservation District: Rebecca Harrop, Milroy, Farmer Director; Dave Filson, Lewistown, Public Member, ; Mark Sunderland, Milroy, Commissioner Member.
-Approved the resignation pf Joseph Ciccolini from Seageant at the Correctional Facility effective Nov. 4, 2021.
-Approved the hiring of Corey Betush for Children and Youth Caseworker effective Nov. 8, 2021.
-Approved the resignation of Franklin Stevens V from Correctional Officer effective Nov. 13, 2021.
-Approved the retirement of Correctional Facility Lieutenant Joshua Garver effective Nov. 20, 2021.