MIFFLINTOWN - The Juniata County Commissioners approved grant funding for the emergency communications tower project Tuesday.
Each year, the county receives a community development block grant from the state, and the commissioners can choose which projects the money will be used for.
This will be the second year the commissioners put the entire grant - a sum of $182,673 - toward the tower construction. Once it is built, the Black Log tower will eliminate many of the dead spots in emergency communication in western Juniata County.
Jamie Shrawder, a representative of SEDA-Council of Governments, which administers the grant for the county, said the state reduced CDBG funds by about 5 percent this year.
Shrawder also provided some good news about another administrative grant from the state.
Juniata County annually receives state money to pay administration costs for the planning director and special projects, Shrawder said. In 2008 and 2009, the county did not spend all of the grant money, she said.
The leftover $16,652 needs to be used soon, Shrawder said. She recommended the commissioners use the grant, rather than county money, to pay SEDA-COG administration costs. The commissioners approved the budget change.
Also during the meeting, the commissioners:
Approved Geise Associates as the Juniata County information technology provider. Commissioner Chairman Jeffrey Zimmerman called it a step toward updating technology in the county. Individual departments used to contact a technology company on their own if there was a problem, Zimmerman said. By approving Geise as the county provider, the commissioners are telling departments to use the same company, he said.
Ratified grant checks for the Walnut sewer project to Castle Valley Construction for $3,033.70, Penelec for $9,360.37 and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for $1,678.14.
Ratified HazMat check to Grainger in the amount of $260.76.
Appointed Gabrielle Fisher, director of Sunbeam Early Learning Center, to the Mental Health/Mental Retardation/Early Intervention Citizens Advisory Board.
Approved hiring Lacey Wilson and Ben Koch as part-time cooks at the jail.
The commissioners will not hold a regular Tuesday meeting on March 27 because they will be attending the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania Conference.
