LEWISTOWN — Despite a decrease in revenue of around $4.2 million from last year, the Mifflin County Commissioners announced there will be no tax increase as they revealed the details of the county’s 2022 budget at Thursday’s meeting.

The 2022 spending plan — which is set to be officially adopted at the commissioners’ Dec. 30 meeting — totals $32,050,000, which is down from the 2021 budget total of $36,250,000.

“A primary reason for the budget reduction is that we have nearly completed the $3.3 million Annex renovations that were included in the 2021 budget and for which we are receiving a $1.5 million RACP grant through the state,” Commissioner Kevin Kodish said during the meeting, reading from a prepared statement. “The renovation will eventually allow restructuring of office locations to reduce costs, provide better security for offices in need, and allow for a more efficient work environment for the effected offices.

“Another reason for a reduced budget total is an overall decrease in the total of state grant-related planning projects by approximately $350,000 attributed to the completion or near completion of the Reedsville Streetscape Project. Our Planning Department is still proceeding with the extension of the Juniata River Trail, which is supported by two state-level grants.”

Kodish outlined that the county’s largest expenditure is paying salaries and benefits to county employees.

“Personnel has always been a big cost driver at the county and will continue to be in future years,” he said. “Approximately $15.5 million of our annual budget — or nearly 50% — is attributable to salaries and benefits.”

Kodish said the county has looked at ways to structure staffing so that the county’s needs are met while reducing any unnecessary spending.

“Regarding personnel and positions, we’ve taken opportunities as they’ve presented themselves to try to reorganize and restructure departments and positions to maximize staff efficiency,” Kodish said. “We reduced positions in our correctional facility by reorganizing space usage. We’ve contracted with service providers to perform duties at lower costs instead of creating new positions or filling vacant positions. On the benefit side, we’ve partnered well with our local community provider Geisinger to manage our health insurance and keep premium increases at a manageable level over the last three years.”

But, Kodish said, the goal of the county remains the same.

“Ultimately, with the budget balanced, the county will continue to look for creative ways to effectively administer our local government, efficiently manage its personnel and make staffing-level and staffing-composition adjustments when needed, and look to provide as much support through beneficial programs for our local community so that Mifflin County continues to grow as a place for individuals to call home,” he said.

The budget is currently on display at the courthouse for the public to review.

Also on Thursday, the commissioners took several administrative actions related to NuVisions Center’s acquisition of two buildings in Lewistown Borough. The commissioners approved a cooperation agreement with the Mifflin County Industrial Development Authority and NuVisions, and a host indemnity agreement and project indemnity agreement for Mifflin County to act as the host as part of the grant application process.

“The way we’re approaching this is a two-phase project where we are about to start construction at the Depot Street location tentatively in February of (2022) with that project phase facing completion by August or September,” explained Jonathan Cunningham, executive director of NuVisions. “Then at that point, our administrative and social service departments will move into that office building. Our window treatment production department will move into the warehouse on site and then our commercial janitorial team will also move down to that property, just because that department has been expanding as we’ve gone through COVID and increased awareness with cleanliness.

“Once we finish phase one, we’ll begin the design and development for our Valley Street location with the estimated project start of January 2023. Then by December of 2023, our Valley Street location will be completed and the goal there is to really bring that building up to more modern standards and give us the ability to grow and expand our production manufacturing ability out of that location.”

The commissioners also adopted Resolution No. 22 of 2021 authorizing Mifflin County to enter into the settlement agreements with McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health Inc., AmerisourceBergen Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Janssen Pharmeceutica Inc. and agree to the terms of the Pennsylvania Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust. The commissioners also approved various subdivison forms related to this.

Solicitor Steve Snook explained this was the culmiation of negotiations of several states’ attorneys general — including Pennsylvania — negotiating with opioid companies in an effort to settle lawsuits. Snook said Mifflin County has worked with the state as part of its lawsuit, which has been settled with the state attorney general and Mifflin County will receive part of that settlement. Snook expects the county to be the recipient of a total of about $1.2 million with payments over a number of years expected to begin in July. The money would be used for “opioid remediation” within the county.

In other business Thursday, the commissioners:

¯Approved the minutes from the Dec. 2 meeting;

¯Approved paying the county’s bills;

¯Accepted the treasurer’s report;

¯Approved the following requests for exoneration of the 2021 county portion of per capita taxes: 17 by Brown Township Tax Collector Cheryl Hartzler, 13 by Wayne Township Tax Collector Mary Ellen Reed, 12 by Armagh Township Tax Collector Linda Marks, 19 by Lewistown Borough Tax Collector Erin Anewalt, 19 by Derry Township Tax Collector Bret Treaster, 17 by Granville Township Tax Collector Billi Weaver and two by Juniata Terrace Borough Tax Collector Billi Weaver;

¯Approved a request for exoneration of the 2021 county real estate tax bill and relieve the tax collector from collecting the bill on two parcels in Derry Township to which acreage corrections were made and will be rebilled at $1,204.83 and $891.01, respectively;

¯Approved a request for a refund of a portion of the 2015 through 2020 real estate taxes for two parcels in Derry Township because of acreage adjustments made to each in the total amout of $1,970.42;

¯Approved two applications for county aid from the 2021 liquid fuels allocation: Union Township in the amount of $4,656 and Kistler Borough in the amount of $1,000;

¯Voted to encumber $40,000 liquid fuels funds for maintenance on the Shawver Road Bridge;

¯Adopted Resolution No. 21 or 2021 which amends Resolution No. 19 of 2021. This was for budget modifications related to an error in the amount on the prior application for the Brown Township FFY 2020 Community Development Block Grant program;

¯Approved reappointing Mark Merrifield of Lewistown to a five-year term on the Mifflin County Hospital Authority to expire Dec. 31, 2026;

¯Approved appointment of Mel Parker to a five-year term representing Lewistown Borough on the Mifflin County Municipal Authority Board of Directors;

¯Approved the hiring of part-time correctional officers Christian Dunn, Dakota Wileman and Colby Brindle, effective Dec. 20;

¯Approved the promotion of Mackenzie Roush and William Stringer from part-time to full-time correctional officers, effective Dec. 19;

¯Approved the promotion of Joshua Neff from correctional officer to sergeant, effective Dec. 19;

¯Accepted the resignation of Tiffany Mast as a court reporter, effective Dec. 31;

¯Accepted the resignation of Claire Brannan from GIS analyst, effective Jan. 5, 2022;

¯Accpeted the resignation of Christine Stuck and Rachel Burchfield as case coordinators in the courts, effective Dec. 31;

¯Approved the hiring of Susan Mallard as a Children and Youth caseworker, effective Dec. 20;

¯Approved the hiring of Shawn Curry as a public defender, effective Jan. 1, 2022.

The Mifflin County Commissioners’ next meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Dec. 30 in Meeting Room A on the second floor of the Mifflin County Courthouse in Lewistown.