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LEWISTOWN -- The Mifflin County Commissioners approved grant agreements for the Homeless Assistance Program (HAP) and Human Services Development Fund (HSDF) Agency contracts at Thursday's meeting.
The HAP agreements run from July 1, 2023, through June 10, 2024, totaling $27,491.00. Recipients of the grants include Mifflin-Juniata Human Services, Shelter Services,
and the Abuse Network.
"This is the annual half grant we received from the state, and I will note that until we have final approval of the budget, this allocation is tentative," Human Services Director Allison Fisher said. "There are really no changes from the previous year. We haven't received an increase in this fund in over 10 years. So, it is what it is. That was a huge topic of conversation. Because as we all know, we're facing a housing crisis nationwide, not just locally, yet it hasn't increased."
The HSDF contracts also run from July 1, 2023, through June 10, 2024, for $50,000, with monies going to Mifflin-Juniata Human Services, Shelter Services, the Abuse Network, Lumina Center, and Clear Concepts Consulting.
"This is another allocation that has not changed over the years. This funding allows agencies in the community to provide what we call Gap Filler services. So, it's a great fund because it allows the community to decide what is necessary within the grant's parameters," Fisher said. "Of course, it's to serve low-income agencies that serve low-income individuals that don't meet other categorical definitions. And again, this will be tentative, based on the state budget."
In other news, commissioners:
• Approved paying the following bills: General Fund (Accounts Payable, Payroll), CDBG Accounts, and 911 Telephone Accounts;
• Approved request for exoneration of 2023 county portion per capita taxes: Juniata Terrace Tax Collector Susie Tyson;
• Approved request for exoneration of 2023 county real estate tax bill and relieve the Tax Collector from collecting this bill: Parcel No. 04,04-0276,001 in Lewistown Borough--mobile home was demolished – $71.75; Parcel No. 20,13-0501AE,001 in Union Township--the building was demolished – $30.75; Parcel No. 21,02-0251 in Wayne Township--cell towers were removed from property record and added to the Huntingdon County assessment records because of the resolution of a mapping issue- $3,145.33;
• Approved request for refund of a portion of County real estate taxes for 2022: Parcel No.'s 12,19-0111R in Armagh Township--errors in building locations, square footage, and occupancy date – $111.27;
• Approved the agreement with Upward Broadband for the Allensville Tower;
• Approved the Tri-County Justice System Response Improvements Program Agreement between Juniata Valley Tri-County Drug & Alcohol and Mifflin Juniata Human Services for technical support, reporting, and coordination of data collection and analysis for the period April 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2024, for $6,000;
• Approved contract extensions with Tra Electric and PBCI-Allen Mechanical & Electrical for the Shelter and Derry Township Senior Center Projects, extending the completion date to Sept. 8;
•Approved Lewistown CDBG Southside Improvement Project: Approve the alternates for the paving part of the project--Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc. – $82,784 plus the base bid amount of $262,133.00 for $344,917;
• Change Order No. 1 with Big Rock Paving for the Reedsville Walnut Street Sidewalk project for an additional $547.50;
• The Commissioners rejected all the Walnut Street Sidewalks Phase 2 project bids and will restart the bidding process;
• Rescinded the hiring of part-time Corrections Officers Cassidi Wileman, Tyler Wileman, and Kyler York, effective May 8;
• Promoted Arthur Stanton and Nathan Reese from Children and Youth Caseworker I to Caseworker II, effective May 22;
• Approved the appointment of Maddie Hummel as a Human Services Intern, effective May 22.