Submitted photo Mifflin County Commissioners designated a new Mifflin County Bicentennial Tree during the board’s meeting on Thursday. The tree is an American Sycamore located at the county-owned Potter’s Field. Pictured are Coroner Andrea Alcalde, Commissioner Kevin Kodish, Commissioner Rob Postal, and Commissioner Noah Wise.

LEWISTOWN — The Mifflin County Commissioners on Thursday proclaimed a new symbol of the county’s heritage, an American Sycamore in Potter’s Field, as the official Bicentennial Tree, replacing the one lost earlier this year to natural causes.

The proclamation, read by Commissioner Robert Postal, honors the county’s 200th anniversary celebration held in 1989 and preserves what the board called “the spirit of cooperation and unity” that marked that milestone. The newly designated tree, estimated to be at least 200 years old, will be “perpetually cared for” by the county as a living tribute to Mifflin County’s history and heritage.

“This isn’t just about a tree,” Postal said as the measure was approved unanimously. “It’s about honoring who we are and where we’ve come from.”

Following the proclamation, the board turned to a series of business items ranging from election preparations to infrastructure and personnel.

Director of Elections Paula Hoffman briefed the board on preparations for the upcoming general election. Voters have until Tuesday, Oct. 20, to register or update their registration and until Oct. 28 to apply for a mail-in ballot. The election office will remain open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

Hoffman said her office has mailed a little over 2,100 ballots so far, but that returns have been “slow for this time of year.” She expects a surge closer to Election Day.

A key change voters will notice, Hoffman added, is the introduction of electronic poll books for check-in. “When you go to your polling place, you’ll sign in on an electronic pad instead of a paper notebook,” she said. “The voting process itself remains the same — you’ll still receive and complete a paper ballot.”

The board approved a request to exonerate delinquent real estate taxes on a duplicate property entry from 2023 and approved three liquid fuels allocations totaling $13,079 — $5,727 to Armagh Township, $5,185 to Brown Township and $2,167 to Bratton Township — for road salt, road work and tree trimming, respectively.

Commissioners also awarded an $18,533.79 contract to H&P Construction of Kulpmont for repairs to the county-owned Barefoot Road Bridge. Postal said the work involves “relatively minor improvements” but must be completed before cold weather sets in. The board approved both the notice of award and the notice to proceed.

Postal was reappointed to a five-year term on the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority, which oversees regional freight operations. He noted that effective Jan. 1, the authority will operate independently of SEDA-COG after over four decades of partnership.

“When Conrail abandoned secondary lines back in the ’80s, we stepped in to save them,” Postal said. “That effort has kept our manufacturers — Standard Steel, Trinity and others — connected to rail service and helped sustain local jobs.”

Commissioner Kevin Kodish added that the authority’s transition to an independent structure represents “a continuation of that long record of success.”

The board also approved the reappointment of Dwight Yoder of Belleville to a five-year term on the Mifflin County Airport Authority.

In personnel matters, the commissioners accepted the resignation of part-time corrections officer Jennifer Henry, effective Oct. 10, and approved the hiring of Garrett Nichols as a part-time corrections officer, effective Oct. 13.