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LEWISTOWN--The Mifflin County Commissioners held their regular meeting on Thursday to an agenda headlined by proclamations raising awareness for critical health and safety issues and a major investment to modernize the County's 911 emergency dispatch system.
Commissioners joined with their counterparts in Huntingdon and Juniata counties to declare May 2024 as "Mental Health Awareness Month." The joint proclamation, issued through Juniata Valley Behavioral and Developmental Services, which serves the tri-county region, shines a spotlight on mental health as an "essential part of overall well-being, impacting individuals, families, and communities."
The proclamation pulls no punches in acknowledging that "despite its prevalence, mental health remains shrouded in stigma, preventing many from seeking help." It underscores that "early intervention and access to quality care are crucial for managing mental health conditions and improving quality of life."
Notably, the proclamation celebrates the "tremendous strides made in central Pennsylvania, promoting mental health awareness and increasing the public's knowledge that effective services and support are available." It urges all citizens to "challenge stigma, seek help, support organizations, and create safe and supportive environments for open conversations about mental health."
The meeting also featured three other proclamations, putting the spotlight on critical public safety matters:
Citing the popularity of motorcycling and the unique safety challenges riders face, the Commissioners proclaimed May as "Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month." The move aims to encourage motorists to share the road safely with motorcycles and remind riders to make themselves visible, use DOT-compliant helmets, and never ride while impaired.
Recognizing the critical, life-saving work of first responders, the Commissioners declared May 19-25, as "EMS Week." The proclamation honors the dedication of emergency medical services personnel who provide essential pre-hospital care, transport, and related services 24/7.
The vital but often unsung work of corrections officers earned recognition, with the Commissioners proclaiming May 5-11, as "Corrections Employee Week." The move salutes corrections personnel who work under demanding circumstances to maintain safe and secure correctional facilities across the Commonwealth.
In a move to enhance public safety, the Commissioners green-lit a $550,154 contract with Computer Information Systems of Highland Park, Illinois, to provide data conversion and setup for a cutting-edge upgrade to the County's 911 Computer Aided Dispatch system.
The project stems from an urgent and unexpected development in December when Mifflin County, along with five other Pennsylvania counties, were notified that their current Computer Aided Dispatch vendor would cease support at the end of 2024. Normally a 2-4 year process, the counties scrambled to evaluate replacement options on an accelerated nine-month timeline.
Computer Information Systems emerged as the choice, offering data conversion from the existing system to streamline the configuration of the replacement setup, targeting a go-live in early December before the current vendor's support ends.
Public Safety Director Phil Lucas emphasized that the new Computer Aided Dispatch system will bring powerful new capabilities to help dispatchers "prioritize and record incident calls, identify the status and location of responders in the field, and effectively dispatch responder personnel."
Notably, the system will allow first responders to access enhanced, real-time data through GPS-enabled terminals in their vehicles and on mobile devices, boosting responder safety and situational awareness. By coordinating the purchase and deployment with four other counties, Mifflin County aims to realize cost savings and stay on schedule for the urgent overhaul.
The $550,154 contract will be fully funded through the County's 911 funds, with no impact on the general budget.
In other business, the Commissioners:
Approved the request for exoneration of delinquent real estate taxes and relieved Kathy Whitsel, assistant director of tax services, from collecting this tax: Parcel No. 04,04-0260–,001 – mobile home was removed;
Approved the request for exoneration of 2024 county real estate tax bill and relieved the Tax Collector from collecting this bill: Parcel No. 10,00-0117 in McVeytown Borough – $416.33 – Veterans exempt status, Parcel No. 17,13-0178 in Granville Township – $118.28 – Mobile home was removed, Parcel No. 17,13-0178,001 in Granville Township – $79.64 – Mobile home was removed;
Approved the request for exoneration of 2024 county portion per capita taxes: Newton Hamilton Borough Tax Collector Melody Kane-1;
Approved the contract with Patrick J. Zirpoli, LLC, Milanville, PA, for the Prison Rape Elimination Act audit at the correctional facility – $4,000;
Approved the appointment of William Haughwout as the chairman of the Agriculture Land Preservation Board;
Approved the 2024 Mifflin County Act 13 Marcellus Shale Legacy Funding Round II grant agreement for the Wayne Township Canal Gatekeepers House fencing and landscaping project in the amount of $5,194;
Approved the professional and technical services agreement with SEDA-Council of Governments for the administration of the County's Whole-Home Repairs Program Grant.
Approved the Professional and Technical Services Agreement with SEDA-Council of Governments for the administration of the County's Housing Rehabilitation Program (HOME and CDBG).
Approved the notice of award to C&R Directional Boring, in the amount of $1,454,623 for the purchase and installation of potable water lines for the Hawstone SR33 water line improvement project in Granville Township;
Approved the notice of award to SE Construction Group, LLC, in the amount of $980,471, for the purchase and installation of a potable water tank for the Hawstone SR33 water line improvement project in Granville Township;
Approved the recommendation to begin negotiations with Michael Baker International for the preparation of the County's 10 year Comprehensive Plan Update in the amount of $142,236;
Rescinded the resignation of Briana Estep from Children and Youth caseworker;
Accepted the resignation of Tim Miller from part-time corrections officer effective April 21;
Approved the transfer of Logan Wincott from Children & Youth caseworker to judicial assistant, effective April 22;
Approved the hiring of Douglas Marks for Court Tipstaff, effective May 6.