Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOMM - Meeting Minutes - 148 - 12-23-1970 - COMMISSIONERMINUTE BOOK 365 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA MICHAEL R. FLYNN, JOHN P. BEVEC, JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS 1 �1 1 RPmindpr- Chairman made note that the Courthouse will close on December 24, 1970 at 12:00 Noon. Payday for all employees will be on December 23, 1970, at 2:00 p. m. The next regular board meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 23, 1970 at 10:00 a. m. adjourn. Moved by Mr. Bevec, seconded by Mr. Mazza, that the meeting Meeting adjourned. THE FOREGOING MINUTE READ AND APPROVED: ATTEST: CHIEF CLERK Minute No. 148 1970 a Office of the County Commissioners Washington, Pa., December 23, 1970 The Board of County Commissioners met in regular session with the following members being present: Commissioners Bevec, Mazza, and Flynn. Also present being: County Solicitor Capano; Deputy Controller Whalen; Mr. Jack Merdian of WJPA Radio, Reporter Roule of the Mongongahela Publishing Company; and Reporter Robertson of the Observer -Reporter. Meeting called to order by Chairman and roll call taken: Mr. Bevec - Present; Mr. Mazza - Present; Mr. Flynn - Present. Chairman asked if there were any corrections, additions or omissions to Minute No. 147, each Commissioner having received a copy. Moved by Mr. Mazza, seconded by Mr. Bevec, that Minute No. 147 be approved as read. ;4 Roll call vote taken: Mr. Bevec - Yes; Mr. Mazza - Yes; Mr. Flynn - Yes. Motion carried unanimously. 36 MINUTE BOOK BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA MICHAEL R. FLYNN, JOHN P. BEVEC, JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS Old Business: Solicitor Capano read correspondence under date of December 21, 1970 from Clay Graham, Land Acquisition Agent, directed to Mr. Robert Beilo, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Fish Commission enclosing the minutes and the accounting of the General Meeting on December 8, 1970 regarding Harmon Creek Site 481, and the Minutes of the Washington County Commissioners Meeting of December 17, 1970, passing the resolution in accordance with the discussion of December 8. Solicitor Capano informed the Board of a check received and deposited it the amount of $3, 195. 02, for Mon -Valley United Health Services, Inc. - Day Care Contract #21-157 from the Department of Public Welfare. Solicitor Capano informed the Board of a check received and deposited in the amount of $10;.000. 00 from the Department of Agriculture as reimbursement for the Wheeling Creek Watershed. Solicitor Capano read correspondence under date of December 18, 1970, from Thomas E. Morgan acknowledging a letter from Mr. Flynn and saying that he has gotten in touch with the housing officials concerning Project PA-OSA 321 and shall inform him just as soon as information is received. Solicitor Capano presented to the Board a Recommendation for Payment to the Board for approval. Moved by Mr. Bevec, seconded by Mr. Mazza, that the following invoice be approved for payment subject to a final report from County Surveyor Yuhas. 1. Joseph F. Bontempo & Associates, Recommendatio* for Payment, Project: Washington County Juvenile Detention Home. Contract No. L - 1 -- Site, Estimate No. - Final, dated December 21, 1970, in the amount of $7, 908. 94. Contractor: Richard Construction Company, Inc. Invoice in the amount of $7, 908. 94 is hereby approved. Remarks: Mr. Bevec: Mr. Lightholder called me this morning and wanted totknow why he poUld A get his money and I said if you would turn your bills in, you would get your money. I told him that he would get it after the first of the year. Mr. Mazza: There would be for no work done or work not properly done. Mr. Bevec: There are a few details that have to be checked out up there Roll call v8te taken: Mr. Bevec Yes; Mr. Mazza - Yes; Mr. Flynn - Yes. Motion carried unanimously. J 1 MINUTE BOOK 37 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA MICHAEL R. FLYNN, JOHN P. BEVEC, JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS Public Information Officer Huber entered the meeting. New Business: Adoption of Budget for 1971 tion: Mr. Flynn suggested that the Board formally adopt the following Resolu- RESOLUTION WHEREAS„ the 1971 Washington County Budget in part is based on tax revenues to be derived from the assessed valuation of real estate; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Washington County Commissioners do hereby adopt and again establish the ratio of 30% of Market Value as the basis for levying of taxes for 1971, and that the assessed valuation be set at $242, 493, 235 as certified to the Board of County Commissioners by Mr. Charles H. Bush, Chief Assessor, under date of December 2, 1970. Moved by Mr. Bevec, seconded by Mr. Mazza, that the Budget for the County of Washington for the fiscal year 1971 be finally adopted by the County Commission- ers, said Budget having been available for Public Inspection in the Office of the Chief Clerk to the County Commissioners from December 1, 1970 to this date, in accordance with the Provisions of the Act of Assembly of July 18, 1935, as amended. Resolution as to Tax Levy and appropriation of the County of Washington and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania fixing the tax rate for the year 1971 and appropriating specific sums estimated to be required for the specific purposes of the county government, herein after set forth, during the fiscal year. Be it resolved and enacted by the Board of Commissioners of the County of Washington, Pennsylvania, that a tax be and the same is hereby levied on all property within the said County subject to taxation for County purposes for the fiscal year 1971 as follows: Tax rate for general County purposes, the sum of 18 mills on each dollar of assessed valuation. This rate of taxation upon val- uation of properties of the County of Washington, is required for purposes of meeting the necessary general expenses for the year of 1971. Remarks: Mr. Bevec: May I point out with reference to increased assessments. It is because of improvements in the assessment program and increased construction in the County. MINUTE BOOK BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA MICHAEL R. FLYNN, JOHN P. BEVEC, JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS Mr, Mazza: I would like to add to what Commissioner Bevec had pointed out. We (Personal Property) ended up 1970 with a surplus of $225, 000. 00. With the increase of our assessed value and our surplus we will be able to go through the year C 1971 with very small cut back in our National Programs, but even so, we are going to have to be very conservative throughout the year of 197 if we are going to end up in the black or with,a small surplus. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Bevec - Yes; Mr. Mazza - Yes; Mr. Flynn - Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Moved by Mr. Bevec, seconded by Mr. Mazza, that in accordance with the provisions of the Act of Assembly, dated June 17, 1913, P. L. 507, as amended that a four (4) mills tax be levied upon all taxable items authorized in said Act, for General County purposes for the fiscal year 1971. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Bevec - Yes; Mr. Mazza - Yes; Mr. Flynn - Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Mr. Flynn: I suggest that the Board of Commissioners approve the 1971 Budget the affixed ratio of assessments to Market Value. Moved by Mr. Bevec, seconded by Mr. Mazza, that the Board of County Commissioners approve the 1971 Budget and the affixed ratio of assessments to Market Value. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Bevec - Yes; Mr. Mazza - Yes; Mr. Flynn - Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Mr. Bevec: Mr. Chairman, the Budget this year if you note will not increase the tax rate which is 18 mills and I might point out it was 18 mills last ye Therefore, we have two years in a row without increase in taxes; but we are continuing programs that we have started with hardly any cut back, in fact, we are adding to some of the programs. We are conti our Flood Control of Harmon Creek and Canonsburg and also Wheeling Creek. In fact, our participation of $150, 000. 00 for Wheeling Creek has now been completed. I might further point out that most of these programs are on a participating basis with Federal and State funds. It is not all County money but in order to get money into the County fro the Federal and State Government we have to particip4te so rather than MINUTE BOOK u0v BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA MICHAEL R. FLYNN, JOHN P. BEVEC, JOHN MAZZA, COMMISSIONERS let the money go by, we participate and improve the County with Soil Conservation, Flood Control, and also the Parks. When you have 80, 000 people participating in our Park Program during this year, you certainly have to continue and improve it. We are going to improve some expansion at Mingo Creek Park. The Budget fund contains monies for renovation of the Court House. We have a heating system that is 70 years old and we have been sighted for air pollution so we are going to take care of the situation this year. About $200, 000, 00 is provided in there for this heating system and other improvements in the Court House. We also plan to renovate Court Rooms 1 and 3 and I think you have all noticed an additional Court Room. This was done without very much ex- pense and it was a wonderful job that was done by our own personnel. Also in the Budget I might say are monies for a Radio Communications System which will -help crime prevention in the County, and will take at least $25, 000. 00. I might point out that I am sure that as we go along people will realize that it is going to be a fair assessment, _so I want you to say this: There are additional monies coming in but we are sticking within the budget limit and we may be able to do something for our own personnel at a later date. Mr. Mazza: Mr. Chairman, I have a few remarks to make and I want it known to the Press and Radio audience that of course as the meeting progesses here this morning as smoothly as it is, it hasn't been as smooth during the course of the because we have had many due to the increase year problems in our County. Year after year I have made charges against it and there are parts of it I am opposedto and I certaily want to make this statement this morning. Much progress has been made in this year of 1970 which created this $19, 000, 000. 00 increase in our assessments in Washington County and I know in the coming year of 1971 that there is no question in my mind that we will continue to improve and bring about equalization in our assessments in our County. Now with that -already being done, there is no question in my mind that we will be in a position to either hold the line in 1971, or be in a position to decrease taxes, it all depends on Econo- mic conditions not only in our County but throughout our Nation. Commissioners Bevec, and Flynn have updated and stimulated many of the programs we now have and there is no question that if our tax structure holds up for 1971, we will carry out many of the programs we have been for the last 8 years.