Safety project moves forward with $1.49M grant
County received 2,700 mail-in, absentee ballots
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LEWISTOWN - Mifflin County commissioners approved a $1.49 million reimbursement agreement Thursday for pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements along Electric Avenue, a corridor county planners identified as the county's highest priority for safety work.
The project will cover state Route 1005 from Ort Valley Road to Derry Park Drive, the entrance to Derry Township Community Park. Plans call for bike lanes, sidewalks, pedestrian refuge islands, ADA-compliant ramps and crosswalk improvements at selected intersections.
Planning Director James Lettiere said the $1,787,688 project includes a $1,489,680.41 PennDOT Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside grant for construction and related services. The county will provide what Lettiere described as a 20% match, or $298,007.59, for engineering and design.
The county's comprehensive plan describes Electric Avenue as a three-lane corridor carrying about 9,500 vehicles daily through Highland Park. It found inconsistent sidewalks and numerous driveways and parking lots that create conflict points between pedestrians and drivers. The corridor also serves Geisinger Lewistown Hospital and lies about a half-mile from Mifflin County High School and Mifflin County Junior High School.
Commissioners unanimously approved Resolution No. 9 of 2026 authorizing the county to execute the agreement with PennDOT. They also approved the reimbursement agreement and the required related forms and certifications.
Lettiere said county representatives met with PennDOT, the Derry Township manager and project engineers on Oct. 13 to walk the proposed route and conduct engineering and environmental assessments.
Engineers will complete a feasibility study and develop alternatives for the corridor. After PennDOT reviews them, the county plans to hold a public open house for nearby business owners and residents before choosing the final design. The project is scheduled to be put out for bids in May 2028.
Lettiere said the county's separate Safe Streets and Roads for All Comprehensive Safety Action Plan reached the same conclusion about Electric Avenue.
"The data collection and inventory analysis of vulnerable roads show Electric Avenue as the highest priority corridor for safety improvements in the entire county," Lettiere said. "So we're addressing that by this project."
Five days before Tuesday's general election, Elections Director Paula Hoffman told commissioners that the county had issued over 2,700 mail-in and absentee ballots and received more than 2,000, a return rate of about 75%.
"We're at 75%, which is a very good turnout for this," Hoffman said.
The deadline to apply for a mail ballot passed Tuesday, although Hoffman said emergency applications remain available for qualifying circumstances, including surgery or other medical emergencies. She urged voters holding mail ballots to return them promptly instead of relying on mail delivery. The courthouse ballot drop box will be available from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, the same hours as the polls.
Hoffman said election workers were emptying the drop box at least twice daily and expected to increase that to three times as Election Day approached.
All polling locations remain the same as during the primary except Burnham's. Burnham voters will cast ballots at the Burnham Lions Community Building, 405 First Ave.
Commissioners also proclaimed November as Veterans and Military Families Month. Veterans Director James Conway thanked them for supporting the county veterans office and introduced Mifflin County Veterans Association President Ed Mann and Navy veterans Frankie and Scott Maretich.
Conway said commissioners consistently responded when his office sought help for a veteran. "You guys always come through to help all our veterans in the community," he said.
Mann said recognizing military families was an important part of the proclamation.
"If they're helping veterans, they're also helping families," Mann said. He said he couldn't have spent a career in the military without his family's support.
"They live what we live," Mann said.
In other business, commissioners approved a $27,404 renewal with California-based Esri for GIS software maintenance through 2027. GIS Director Laura Lettiere said the software serves county offices and supplies data to the 911 system.
The board reappointed Lauren Naylor to the library board and appointed Nakita Rager. Both three-year terms expire Dec. 31, 2029.
Commissioners appointed Edward Curry to a one-year term on the Mifflin County Solid Waste Authority board expiring Dec. 31, 2027. They reappointed Carl C. Smith to a two-year term expiring Dec. 31, 2028; Mark Baker to a three-year term expiring Dec. 31, 2029; and Lonnie Griffith and Mark Conner to five-year terms expiring Dec. 31, 2031.
Commissioners said they staggered the Solid Waste Authority terms so they wouldn't all expire simultaneously.
Commissioners hired Derrick McDonald as a part-time corrections officer, effective Nov. 1, and Brianne Varner as second deputy register and recorder, effective Nov. 2. They promoted Denisha Reigle from a part-time to a full-time telecommunicator position, effective Nov. 1.
The board accepted the resignations of Madalyn Dobbs from Children and Youth, effective Oct. 14; Hayden Spade as a part-time corrections officer, effective Oct. 29; and Glenn Snyder as a part-time maintenance laborer, effective Oct. 30.