Juniata County Commissioners approve interim tax collector

Officials discuss opioid settlement fund allocation

MIFFLINTOWN -- Juniata County Commissioners Tuesday approved Juniata County Treasurer, Laurie Hower as the interim tax collector for the remainder of 2024 and discussed other business.

Hower took over the position due to a conflict of interest with the prior tax collector. Commissioners adopted a resolution for the interim tax collector agreement between the Juniata County Commissioners and Susquehanna Township.

Hower will collect the rest of the year's county and municipal taxes through Dec. 31, 2024. The School District will continue to collect their taxes.

Hower shared that checks must be payable to the Susquehanna Township Tax Collector and sent to the Treasures Office at PO BOX 68, Mifflintown.

Hower can be reached at (717) 436-7742 to answer any questions regarding this change of duty.

Executive Director, Mike Hannon of the Juniata Valley Tri-County Drug & Alcohol Abuse Commission updated Commissioners regarding opioid settlement funds for Mifflin, Juniata, and Huntingdon counties.

"This money allows us to fill in the cracks," said Hannon.

"$60,000 a year per county is the estimated budget. This funding will go towards treatment, both inpatient and out, Student Assisted Program services, case management, and recovery support services," said Hannon.

Commissioners also approved the projects and allocations for the Federal Fiscal Year 2024 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding that officials submitted and discussed at two prior meetings.

These CDBG funds go toward a project for the Mifflintown Municipal Authority Mifflin Hill Water Main Rehilberation on Valley St. with an allocation of $131,000 and a project for the McAlisterville Joint Authority Water Storage Tank and Well Development Phase 2 with an allocation of $57,780.

Commissioners then approved the resolution to submit the Juniata County FFY 2024 CDBG application to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Officials approved a fair housing resolution and a resolution for a 504 Officer as well.

In other news, commissioners...

• Approved a Professional and Administrative Services Agreement between Juniata County and SEDA-COG for administrative services related to the Federal Fiscal Year 2023 CDBG at a cost not to exceed $51,000.

• Approved a loan-out agreement between the Juniata County Commissioners and the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission to continue displaying the Spanish American War Cannon.

• Approved Juniata County's initial Medical Assistance Transportation Program allocation in the amount of $111,207 for Fiscal Year 2024-2025.

• Approved the Purchase of Service Agreement between Juniata County Children & Youth Services and Justice Works Youth Care, Inc. et al for Family Reunification Program Services The total cost of the contract is not to exceed $71,656.49.

• Approved the purchase of service agreements between Juniata County Children and Youth Services, the Juniata County Probation Department, and Adelphoi Village, Inc., and George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania

• Approved a tax exoneration for Greenwood Township.

• Approved payment of checks in the amount of $295,600.28.