Representatives of local agencies were guests at Tuesday’s McKean County commissioners meeting, when March was declared Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.
“People with disabilities have a right to an everyday life, a life that is no different than all other citizens,” said Commissioner Carol Duffy, reading from a proclamation for the designation.
In attendance were representatives from Evergreen Elm, Futures Rehabilitation Center Inc. and Community Links, who were recognized.
“We salute you and we applaud you,” said Commissioner Tom Kreiner.
Also at the meeting, Jeremy Morey, director of McKean County Planning, gave an update on local efforts to encourage participation in the 2020 Census.
Census results determine how much federal funding counties receive, as well as federal representation.
In fact, according to Morey, the potential loss of funding to the county over a 10-year period is more than $166 million due to people not filling out the census survey.
He went over how well county municipalities did at self-reporting during the 2010 survey. The township that was best at self-reporting was Bradford Township, with 76.7% response, and the lowest was Hamlin Township, with 31.6% response. When it came to boroughs, the highest response came from Lewis Run, with 77%, and the lowest from Mount Jewett, with 50.3%.
Morey said the survey is easy to complete and safe.
“Commissions have established a complete count committee to ensure that everybody is counted in the census,” Morey said.
To spread the word, committee members will host activities at school districts in the county, as well as have appearances this week in The Hound and WESB radio stations.
Morey noted the census is a “constitutionally mandated” activity, and the first was done in 1790.
Zach Pearson, McKean County director of veterans services, mentioned a couple of upcoming events.
On May 16, Bradford Regional Airport is bringing in two World War II military planes, and Pearson’s department will be set up there, too. On May 20, the annual veterans resource and job expo will be held at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
Kreiner reminded the group that we are in the middle of a health crisis — the spread of COVID-19 — and asked that people continue to take the proper precautions to prevent the spread.
Under the human resources update, it was noted that Linda Frey started Monday as the new director of voter registration, and Kathy Roche is no longer director of human resources. Holly McGarvey is currently filling in for Roche.
Immediately after the commissioners meeting, Carolyn Stroup, president of the Mount Jewett to Kinzua Bridge (MJ2KB) Trail Club gave a presentation on the group’s activities.
Members of the MJ2KB Trail Club are stewards of a 3.8-mile section of the Knox & Kane Rail Trail from Lantz Corners to Kinzua Bridge State Park, Stroup explained. People can ride snowmobiles, ski, hike, bike and ride horses on this section of the trail.
The 74-mile-long Knox & Kane Rail Trail goes from Clarion to McKean counties, and there are several groups that work on it. The other group in McKean County that works on the trail is the Trail Association of the McKean/Elk Divide (TAMED).
In 2018-19, MJ2KB completed tasks such as adding handrails to three old rail trestles, fixed sluice pipes, got a tractor for trail grooming, put up half-mile markers, built a kiosk near the Kinzua Bridge Skywalk, installed a two-sided bulletin board, added benches, added an equestrian rest area and bought a leaf vacuum.
The next steps for MJ2KB include adding a finished surface to their leg of the trail, finding someone to haul away railroad ties that were removed from the trail property and finding equipment so senior citizens and disabled people can go out and enjoy the trail.
Upcoming events include a 10K on July 25, followed by a half marathon — the Kinzua Half Marathon — July 26 organized by Wolf Creek Race Management. More than 525 people are registered for the half marathon, so there will be many visitors in the area looking for lodging and food that weekend. Other races are also being scheduled.
Visit the club’s website for more information: www.mj2kbtrail.club.
The next commissioners meeting will be at 10 a.m. March 25. The next meeting is being held on a Wednesday rather than Tuesday because the commissioners will be out of town on Tuesday.
