COUDERSPORT — Though a budget has been passed by the state, a related Fiscal Code has not been passed, which is causing headaches for school districts and other entities.
Potter County Commissioner Doug Morley addressed the issue during a commissioners meeting held on Thursday, stating, “There is still a piece out there that’s significant. It’s not the big money, but it is important money.”
The Fiscal Code deals more with one-time expenditures, such as the Plancon (Planning and Construction) money pledged to school districts for capital improvements. Many districts across the state depend on the payments, and may have to raise property taxes in order to keep up with loan payments on projects completed more than a decade ago.
Commissioners also mentioned that a job fair scheduled for this month was cancelled due to ongoing uncertainty and lack of funding because of the state budget impasse.
In other business, commissioner Paul Heimel will be part of a task force organized to compile a list of changes for the legislature to adopt in order to reduce the revolving door system of incarceration and release for individuals with mental health and substance abuse issues.
The task force will meet a handful of times in Harrisburg prior to releasing their findings in August, when they expect to have concrete suggestions to help reduce jail populations and expenses and support at-risk populations before they become engaged with the criminal justice system.
Heimel stated this is an important move for the rural advocacy committee, as rural counties have seen inmate populations and jail costs skyrocket. Most individuals incarcerated in Potter County suffer from substance abuse and/or mental health issues and without proper treatment often return again and again to the courts and jail.
Some of the measures being discussed include additional or improved training for jail staff, expanded drug and alcohol and mental health treatment options within the community, reentry services for veterans, and crisis intervention training for law enforcement personnel.
The newest edition of the Potter County Veterans Newsletter is available, featuring information on two new displays at the Potter County Historical Society honoring veterans of the Revolutionary and Korean wars; expansion of efforts to enroll eligible individuals in the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system; financial assistance for homeless or at-risk veterans in Potter and surrounding counties; accolades for Potter County’s recognition of Vietnam veterans; and the New Veterans Community Initiative (VECI) and MyVA programs.
Efforts to inform veterans of the benefits for which they are eligible and enroll them in different programs are being redoubled through a number of programs. The VA is reaching out to about 545,000 veterans who stopped applying for benefits because difficulties with their applications arose.
“Many veterans don’t realize they’re eligible, and there are more than half-a-million nationwide who began applying, hit a snag and gave up,” stated Heimel. “Will Worthington (County VA Director) is working on it. I’m sure this situation would touch some Potter County veterans.”
Commissioner Susan Kefover recently attended a presentation on the AmeriCorps program, which she stated is similar to the Peace Corps but projects are based in the United States.
Participants are assigned jobs ranging from mentoring youths to rehabilitating abandoned or blighted homes. Volunteers are paid $12,000 per year plus health care and child care costs. They can also earn an education credit that can be used or passed down to children or grandchildren.
The Career & Technology Center (CTC) in Port Allegany is looking into accepting participants for employment. The workers cannot perform fiscal-related tasks or replace a paid employee, but there are few other restrictions, and ages range from just out of high school to retirees.
A second presentation will be given in Galeton on April 6. Kefover stated that the Galeton Pride committee is interested in having volunteers for after school programs and possibly a drug education/prevention type program.
Galeton Borough will not participate in the Circuit Rider program that many boroughs and towns in Potter County are involved in, but residents are still working on a number of projects to include façade rehabilitation and related projects.
Commissioners approved a contract with the Association of Probation Officers representing county employees. The four-year contract will run through Dec. 31, 2019.
The next meeting of the Potter County Commissioners will be held on April 14 at 11 a.m. The meeting will include a Retirement Board presentation from C.S. McKee representative Jeff Davidek.
