EMPORIUM — Cameron County commissioners reported on the details of a special meeting held several days ago during their regular meeting held on Thursday in Emporium.
The special meeting was held on Tuesday, scheduled to set raises for elected officials for the next term. Commissioners approved raises of 2 percent per year for the next four years, the term of the next commissioners running from 2018 to 2021.
Commissioner Lori Reed stated that they contacted other counties and the Cameron County School District to see what raises were being given to elected officials across the region. Many were between 2.5 and 3 percent, or even higher. Commissioners stated that they wanted to give a raise that could be matched for hired employees over the same time period, and so kept the elected officials’ raises at a conservative number.
Commissioners approved a contract with Tyler Technologies in the amount of $37,650 for a financial and payroll software program package, which includes conversion and training fees. A yearly recurring fee of $18,425 will be paid for support and cloud services. Travel fees will come to approximately $7,650 for representatives of the company to train county employees at the courthouse.
Chief Clerk Brenda Munz stated that currently, there are several different systems used to track payroll and other items, and the systems are incompatible. A number of other counties have chosen similar systems. A major benefit will be cloud back-up of data in case there is an emergency or disaster at the courthouse, and the ability to enter the system from other locations, in the case of a power outage or employee emergency.
Approval was given to purchase a 365-day CD through PLGIT in the amount of $250,000 with funds from the special reserve in order to get a higher interest yield on county investments. Currently, those funds are earning only 0.25 percent; in the new CD, the funds will earn 1.5 percent.
Two repository bids were received for a lot and home located at 129 East Fifth Street in the Emporium Borough. Cash Now LLC, entered a bid of $1,500, and the Northern Tier Community Action Corporation (NTCAC) entered a $1 bid. Commissioners tabled a decision in order to determine the plans, if any, for the property, to ensure that it will not just be purchased and left to fall into further disrepair. The same company recently purchased another property in the Emporium Borough and rehabilitated it.
The next meeting of the Cameron County Commissioners will be held at 10 a.m. on Oct. 5 at the courthouse in Emporium.
