mreuther@sungazette.com
Lycoming County commissioners voted to approve $25,000 for the Let’s End COVID group to further educate the community about coronavirus and the need for being vaccinated.
The vote did not come until after much discussion and members of the group talking to commissioners about the education efforts.
Commissioners agreed to initially fund the group $25,000 with the intent to provide another money stream later.
Let’s End COVID had requested $50,000 for its educational campaign.
Much of the discussion during the meeting revolved around funding, which is to be reimbursed to the county by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
Federal
⢠The Senate voted 52-42 on the confirmation of Janet Garvin McCabe, of Indiana, to be deputy administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. U.S. Sen. Robert Casey, D-Scranton, voted yes. U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Zionsville, voted no.
⢠The House was out of session.
State
County
⢠Lycoming County commissioners approved just over $1 million in Community Development Block Grant funding for the Franklin Township sewer project and $130,901 in CDBG money for the Muncy public library. Rick Mirabito, Tony Mussare, and Scott Metzger voted yes.
City
⢠City Council voted 4-2 to accept an $8.8 million River Valley Transit budget for 2021 and 2022. Voting against it were Bonnie Katz and Adam Yoder. Council President Randall J. Allison, Liz Miele, Vince Pulizzi and Jon Mackey were in favor. David Banks was absent. Katz and Yoder asked for more details and description similar to a proposed budget in 2019 presented to council and were not comfortable withou
The battle between Lycoming County commissioners and an elected official whose employees they voted to transfer from her office earlier this month went to court
Krista Rogers
Lycoming County commissioners have filed a lawsuit against an elected official for they what they claim has been a failure to properly carry out duties.
Commissioners at their meeting Tuesday clarified their reasons for transferring four personnel from the county Controller’s office to the budget and finance department.
The transfers approved last week drew yet another sharp rebuke from Controller Krista Rodgers who claimed the move violated county code.
Rodgers is the target of the lawsuit filed in Lycoming County Court Tuesday.
“My thought is they are grossly misrepresenting the situation,” she said following the commissioners’ meeting.
Federal
⢠The House voted 217-207 in favor of the Paycheck Fairness Act. U.S. Reps. Fred Keller, R-Kreamer, and Glenn Thompson, R-Howard, voted no.
State
⢠The House was out of session.
County
⢠Lycoming County commissioners voted 3-0 to approve a grant and monitoring agreement with Mansfield University for police training. Tony Mussare, Rick Mirabito, and Scott Metzger voted yes.
School Districts
⢠The Williamsport Area School Board approved Lisa Nible, 1404 Walnut St., to fill a vacancy on the board left by the resignation of Nancy Somers last month. The remainder of Somers’ term runs until the end of November. Nible will officially be sworn in by a member of the judiciary prior to the next board meeting, May 4. With Nible’s appointment, the board is still down one member as the resignation of Marc Shefsky, effective April 13 was also approved at the meeting. The board has 30 days to fill Shefsky’s spot and voted to advertise the position and conduc