MIFFLINTOWN — The Mifflintown Canal House might have a new owner soon.

Juniata County Historical Society President Jessica Easton Guyer told the Juniata County Commissioners during a Tuesday morning meeting that, while PennDOT is currently the owner, the historical society would like to take ownership of the canal house.

“However, they weren’t offering us any financial incentive to do so, and the building is in need of some repairs before we would be willing to take ownership,” Guyer said.

Because of its lack of “financial incentive,” the historical society requested the commissioners’ support in applying for grant funding.

The county commissioners then ratified a resolution designating the historical society as the primary applicant for a Local Share Account grant.

A Local Share Account grant applicant must be a county or municipality, but either can apply on behalf of a non-profit.

“This application is our attempt at getting the money needed for immediate repairs to be able to take ownership of a stable structure,” Guyer said.

“If we are successful with this application and are able to take ownership, we would later still need to apply for other grants for things such as water, sewer, etc., before being in a position to open it as a transportation/river heritage museum in the future,” added Guyer.

Mike Hower, director of the Assessment and Geographic Information Systems Department, updated commissioners regarding the number of open seats on the Juniata County Board of Assessment Appeals.

Hower initially sought individuals to sit on the Juniata County Board of Assessment Appeals during the commissioners’ Oct. 22 meeting.

Hower informed commissioners Tuesday that two seats remain on the Juniata County Board of Assessment Appeals.

He requested commissioners’ approval of the appointment of Andrew Winder to the auxiliary assessment appeals board and Holli Garver to the formal appeals board.

Hower, also of the Juniata County Board of Assessment and Revision of Taxes, shared that residents will receive notification of their new rate through 2026 and will have 40 days to appeal their property value.

Juniata County residents can expect changes to their property taxes in 2027 as a result of a county-wide reassessment, but they will receive their new value in the mail if they haven’t already.

Property value appeals must be submitted by Sept. 1, 2026, for consideration.

Anyone appealing their property value will come before the board of assessment appeals and plead their case.

Call the reassessment office at (717) 436-7740 for more information.

Commissioners also took action to adopt an ordinance authorizing, among other things, the issuance of a general obligation note to the county.

Jennifer Caron of Eckert Seamans in Harrisburg shared information regarding the ordinance.

Caron has been a part of the Juniata County bond council for many years through Eckert Seamans.

Caron shared that this note is for $2,119,000 under the Pennsylvania Local Government Unit Debt Act.

“This note is being issued pursuant to a petition and an order that was just issued Tuesday morning before the Juniata County Commissioners meeting,” Caron said.

“Unfunded debt liability that was created in the way of the 2025 tax revenue anticipation note in which sufficient revenues were not received to repay that,” Caron said.

The issuance as a general obligation note means the county’s tax power will secure the money, and it will bear interest of 6.05% through maturity, which will be on Dec. 1, 2035.

The county can repay the note held by Juniata Valley Bank at any time without any penalty.

Commissioners approved the reappointment of the following individuals to serve as department heads for fiscal year 2026 including Steven Russell as County Administrator/Chief Clerk, Leah Strawser as Director of Finance, Jamie Imes as Director of Human Resources, Donald Zagurskie as Solicitor, Nancy Schrum as Public Defender, Michael Hower as Director of GIS and Assessment, Aaron Miller as Chief Assessor, Hillary Kindervater as Director of Tax Claim, Ashley Baxter as Director of Children & Youth Services, Adam Waite as Director of 911 Services, William Hummel as Director of the Emergency Management Agency, Bradley Kerstetter as Director of Planning and Community Development, Donald Peters as Director of Veterans Affairs, Eva Weyrich as Voter Registrar, Rich Fisher as Director of Maintenance and Denise Hornberger as Head of Security.

Commissioners also reappointed Craig Strawser, Glenn Supplee, and Greg Watkins to a four-year term on the Juniata County Planning Commission effective Jan. 1, 2026, as recommended by Bradley Kerstetter, Planning and Community Development Director.

Commissioners also:

-Approved the tax exonerations for Beale Township, Fermanagh Township and Lack Township;

-Approved the lease agreement with Winslow Financial Services for the new datacenter equipment as presented by Aaron Felker, IT Department;

-Approved the maintenance agreement between Juniata County, Juniata County 911 and Compros Inc., to provide equipment maintenance services. The contract is for one year from the date it is signed, as presented by Adam Waite, 911 Director;

-Approved and authorized a Fiscal Year 2026 interest rate for the Employees’ Retirement Fund account. The current interest rate is 5%.