EMPORIUM — The Cameron County Commissioners accepted a bid for purchase of a lot containing several blighted buildings during a meeting held Thursday.
A bid of $1 entered by Emporium Borough was approved, along with tax forgiveness for 2016 property taxes and school taxes for 2016-17. The Cameron County School District will also have to accept the bid in order for the borough to take control of the parcel, which contains the former Admit One building and an adjacent storefront on Fourth Street and an apartment building in the rear that faces Greenwood Street.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds have already been budgeted for demolition of the three structures which have all partially collapsed in recent years. The money is expected to be released within the next month or so, according to CDBG administrator Cliff Clark.
“We’re hoping to get the money in the next month and then it takes about a month to set up,” Clark said. A number of inspections, including an environmental review and asbestos check, must be completed prior to any work being done on the structure.
Clark said the project could be bid in late summer, and if so, demolition could be completed by the end of the year. The nearby Jasper Harris property, about a block from the Admit One property, is also being taken down using CDBG funds, with demolition expected to begin on April 18.
When buildings are demolished with CDBG funds, a number of regulations and rules must be followed. The lot cannot be developed for use unless that use benefits low to moderate income individuals. If that is not an option, the lot can be sold at fair market value or a specified number of years must elapse before the land can be repurposed for general use. Clark said once the buildings are down, discussions will be held on the best allowable use for the property.
Both properties went unsold in judicial tax sales held over the last two years. Plans for this year’s sale are in the works, with the rule to show cause hearing date scheduled for May 25 and the sale expected to take place in mid-June. Officials said there are not many properties left to be placed into the sale after several years of holding them regularly following a nearly two decade hiatus.
In other news, the commissioners attended a meeting with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation bridge engineer George Prestasch concerning the Howard Siding bridge which recently had a lower weight limit placed upon it.
The bridge has made the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) list and is slated for construction in 2018. Engineering studies are to be performed soon, however, and Prestasch said if money was available he would fast track the project.
At a recent meeting of the county Criminal Justice Advisory Board, it was announced that CAPSEA Inc. (Citizens Against Physical, Sexual and Emotional Abuse) will reopen a Cameron County office closed in 2008 due to budget difficulties. The office will be located along Chestnut Street across from Memorial Hall.
Meanwhile, Chief Clerk Brenda Munz said the Cameron County election ballot for the primary has been certified, but it may still have to be changed due to issues with the language for two questions that will appear on the ballot. Court cases have been opened to review the wording of the questions pertaining to pushing back the retirement age for magisterial district judges from 70 to 75 years of age and to eliminate the Philadelphia traffic court judges.
“It’s very difficult for election offices to have this uncertainty and we hope the State Department will recognize that,” Munz said. The deadline has already passed for counties to have the ballots certified. Having the ballots changed after they are certified costs counties hundreds of dollars.
The commissioners contacted Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Brockway, to express their support for House Bill 794. The bill is currently in the Senate Appropriations committee awaiting finalization before a vote. It would give third through eighth class counties the option to increase their hotel tax from 3 percent to 5 percent.
In other news, a bid for installation of a generator at the Driftwood Senior Center was approved. Elco Electrical Co. of Ridgway will complete the work at a cost of $23,485. The generator is necessary as the senior center serves as the Red Cross shelter for southern Cameron County.
An application for county aid was approved from the county to Emporium Borough for $3,500 for the purchase of salt to be used by the county. The money came from liquid fuels funds.
The next commissioners meeting will be held at 10 a.m. April 21 at the courthouse in Emporium.
