Clarion County Budget Receives Final Approval, No New Taxes

Ron Wilshire

Ron Wilshire

Published December 28, 2016 10:46 pm
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CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — As promised, Clarion County Commissioners passed a $14.5 million 2017 budget at this week’s commissioner meeting that also holds the line on real estate taxes.

Director of Accounting Rose Logue said there were not a lot of changes in the budget that was tabled at an earlier meeting, and the biggest change was the release of $300,000.00 from capital reserve to fund the renovations of the newly purchased former Goodwill Building at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Liberty Street in Clarion. The building will be renovated to house some county offices that will move from currently rented space.

The budget revenue includes 20.5 mills for the general budget, 1.5 mills for debt service, and a $5 per capita tax rate.

“Salaries and benefits amount to 55 percent of the total operating budget for 2017 which is up from 2016. Several factors account for this. Salaries for workers covered by collective bargaining agreements will increase an average of 2.5 percent, benefit costs to the county for employee health insurance has increased as have benefit costs for workers’ compensation and state unemployment,” states a final budget narrative available at https://co.clarion.pa.us.

“The County Commissioners also budgeted for an increase in salary of $400.00 to each full-time, and $200.00 for each part-time employee not covered by a collective bargaining agreement. The net effect on the county budget is an increase of $210,000.00.”

A debt service taxes are being placed in an account to service the debt, with the remaining funds being used as a signing fund for either retiring portions of the current debt or reducing future borrowing needs for renovations.

In other business:

• Commissioners awarded the 2017 Clarion County Liquid Fuels Municipal Grants to Piney Township ($25,000.00), Salem Township ($12,000.00), Salem Township ($5,000.00), Madison Township ($18,208.00), and Richland Township ($10,000.00). Salem is receiving funding toward two separate projects.

• Clarion County is switching its credit card to Northwest Business Visa. The move will increase the credit limit and provide more local service, according to commissioners.

• Commissioners proclaimed January as Big Brothers Big Sisters National Mentoring Month in Clarion County.

• Approved an agreement with Butler Community College for fire Hazmat training PTM for Emergency Management Agency for 2017 at a cost not to exceed $2,000.00 per year.

• Reappointed Joe Burns Junior to the Clarion County planning commission for a four-year term from January 2017 through December 2020.

• Reappointed three members to the Clarion County Airport Authority Board for terms from 2017 through 2019. The appointments included Donald Cumpston President, Dr. Norman Wagner, and Dave Cyphert.

• Appointed Andrew Kirby secretary treasurer of the Clarion County Airport Authority Board for a two-year term of December 20, 2016 to December 31, 2018. Two other terms have expired on the airport zoning board, and volunteers are needed.

• Commissioners announced a recent letter from the EADS Group advised them that Knox Township Clarion County Municipal Authority located in Lucinda is filing Water Quality Management and General Permits for Gravity Collection in a recirculating sand filter sewage treatment system proposed for construction in the Village of Lucinda.

• A letter was also recently received from RESCOM Environmental Corp proposing the construction of a 190-foot self-support style telecommunications tower at the address of 2100 Camp Coffman Road, Cranberry, Clarion County, PA 16319.

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