Commissioners to meet with congressional representatives on flood-hit areas

Lycoming County commissioners will meet with congressional officials and tour flood damage in the area next week in hopes of getting the federal government to declare a disaster that would open up more funding for flood recovery.

Sheriff Mark Lusk, speaking about the recovery at Trout Run at the commissioners’ meeting this week, said that from an infrastructure standpoint, volunteer work and the support the county provides through the commissioners, resource management services, county planning and the sheriff’s office, “It’s all been very, very helpful.”

Lusk said the problem is that Trout Run is a small town with a lot of people who “I have no money to rebuild.”

“What we’ll see on Tuesday when they tour is that they simply don’t have the money to rebuild and federal support is absolutely needed to help places like Trout Run, Pennsylvania, or if they don’t get it, in many situations it won’t be rebuilt.” The sheriff said.

“I truly believe there is money in the federal government somewhere to help these people.” he added.

“We are very encouraged by the presence of the federal government on Tuesday. It will be a great advantage,” he added. said Commissioner Scott Metzger.

“We told them by email that it was not possible to do them justice by looking at a photo. You had to be there in person. So they accepted our invitation,” he said.

In other action, the Commissioners approved the following: Selection and finalization of the Community Development and Block Grant for FY 2024; FY 2022 CDBG Subrecipient Agreement with Jersey Shore Borough in the amount of $78,870.00; FY 2023 CDBG Subrecipient Agreement with Jersey Shore Borough in the amount of $78,868; Purchase of network switches from EPlus for $91,206; Rental of a long-reach excavator for Resource Management Services (RMS), from R&L Development Company for $5,000; 6.6 Jason Yorks – Rental of a D4 bulldozer from Cleveland Brothers for RMS; agreements with White Deer Run, LLC dba Adelphoi Village and the amendment to the agreement with DSC Solutions, all for the Juvenile Probation Office; the Municipal Waste Planning Grant Agreement with the Department of Environmental Conservation in the amount of $56,611; the amendment to the Church of the Savior Social Hall Sale Order with H&P Construction in the amount of $870 relating to work on a polling site at that location; agreements with Trisha D. Hoover, Esq., Robert Hoffa, Esq. and K. Michael Sullivan, Esq., and an amendment to the agreement with Matthew A. Diemer, Esq. for the Public Defender’s Office. It was noted that appointments to the Public Defender’s Office were not approved budget items, but funds were available.

Commissioners also approved hiring Ron Gosnay as a full-time recycling worker at $14.50 an hour.

The next meeting of the commissioners will be held at 10 a.m. on September 5 in the Board of Commissioners Chambers on the 3rd floor, Third Street Plaza, 33 West Third St.

Today’s latest news and more delivered to your inbox