MONEYSAVER Smethport, East Smethport, Crosby, Gifford, Rew, Cyclone, Hazel Hurst, Mt. Jewett, Port A, Roulette, Duke Center, Eldred, Rixford, Turtlepoint
July 21, 2020
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NEWS
Planning Commission approves frackwater processing site By FRAN De LANCEY SMETHPORT — With one abstention, the McKean County Planning Commission voted unanimously for final approval Tuesday for the first phase of the Mount Jewett Evaporation Site by the Seven Mile Mineral Project, in Sergeant Township. Prior to the vote, Nicole Bartoletta and Steve Dombroski of Highland Field Services LLC explained the project, which is located across the road from Georgia Pacific, and will involve removing heavy minerals and salt from water used in the fracking process of directional drilling. Some of the rare earth minerals could possibly be marketable. Others would be sent to a landfill. The developer’s plans call for using four buildings, one of which already exists. The first building is to be the site of pre-treatments. Mineral recovery is slated for the second and third buildings, and evaporation and reuse will be in the fourth structure.
When questioned about the plant’s design capacity, Dombroski said it would handle 7,500 barrels a day — one barrel equals 42 gallons. After receiving a satisfactory answer about noise generated at the site, Leroy “Butch” Schaffer inquired about the lighting. “It will be LED,” Dombroski replied. Commission member Richard Kallenborn of Port Allegany did not vote. “I must abstain because our company could be a bidder on the project,” he explained. In personnel matters, commission members Kallenborn, Schaffer, Anthony Clarke and Nancy Rathbun were reappointed to four-year terms. Planning Director Jeremy Morey introduced Gabrielle Neubert of St. Marys as the planning office’s GIS summer intern. She will be a junior at the State University of New York College at Geneseo. Morey noted that a planning commission meeting will be held in August.
McKean County rates second in region for Census replies By FRAN De LANCEY SMETHPORT — McKean County now ranks second in the six-county North Central Region of the state in the number of self-reported replies to the 2020 Census. These counties, Elk, McKean, Potter, Jefferson, Cameron, are the same ones served by the North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission. In a report to the county commissioners Tuesday morning, Jeremy Morey, chairman of the county’s Complete Census Committee, noted that McKean with 61.3 percent of residents already counted, trails Elk County and is slightly ahead of Clearfield County. Of the county’s 22 municipalities, Bradford Township tops the list with 76.5 percent of self-reportings, followed by Wetmore Township with 72.8 percent and Foster Township at 72 percent. “It’s not too late for residents to respond,” Morey said. “You may respond by mail, telephone or online.” In August and continuing through Oct. 31, census takers, in an effort to see everyone is counted, will be visiting homes that have not yet responded. During the brief busi-
Fran De Lancey photo Jeremy Morey, director of the McKean County Planning Department and chairman of the county’s Complete Count Committee for the 2020 Census, stands behind the banner that shows Smethport’s response rate for the 2020 Census.
ness agenda, commissioners approved an agreement with the McKean County Conservation District for the goatstrue treatment program at no cost to the landowner, the county. Under the terms of this contract, the conservation district, Allegheny Plateau Invasive Plant Management Area and a third party — a licensed contractor — will provide invasive plant treatment and mitigation services to the conservation district’s goatstrue program at the McKean County Fairgrounds. In another unanimous vote, commissioners OKd a Memorandum of Agreement with the Center for Internet Security and
McKean County Voter Registration for Endpoint Detection and Response Services as a federally funded service at no cost to the county. Also gaining a nod was the intergovernmental renewable agreement for the Bureau of Child Support Enforcement from 2020 to 2025. The purpose of this contract, according to the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, is to maintain and improve the effectiveness of the federal program and to assure financial and medical support for minor children, and where appropriate, for the custodial parents of the respective minor children. SYNRGO Inc. received
LAKEVIEW HEALTHCARE & REHABILITATION
the contract for providing electronic recording of deeds for the purpose of e-recording documents in the Recorder of Deeds office. One application for Municipal Liquid Fuels County Aid gained approval. Bradford City has allocated this allocation of $15,240.54 for a road resurfacing project this year. In personnel matters, Commission Chairman Thomas Kreiner announced the hiring of two new employees: Staci Corbett in Adult Probation and Zoe McKenzie as a law clerk. The commissioners’ next meeting is slated for 10 a. m, July 28.