INDIANA--Commissioners Bernie Smith, Jim McQuown and Randy Degenkolb Wednesday agreed to add another year to the life of Indiana County's property tax abatement program--an incentive which is meant to stimulate economic development. Indiana County, meanwhile, is pursuing a development of its own: renovation of a rear one-story section of the courthouse annex at 827 Water St., Indiana. District Justice Richard Orendorff will move his office to the refurbished area, leaving a vacancy at the adjacent annex at 801 Water St. "This will free up space for the planning department, which is much needed," said Smith. The office of planning and development currently occupies the remainder of 801 Water St. It's hoping to add new staff and programs, while easing cramped quarters for some existing employees. On Wednesday, the commissioners awarded the general contract for the annex renovation project to M.C. Builders of Punxsutawney, at a cost of $61,330. Work slated at the annex includes reconstruction of a rest room and installation of suspended ceilings, as well as new doors, windows and wall and floor coverings. Electrical work will be performed by Thomas Electric of Torrance, at a cost of $10,123.05. Through the move, which is expected to occur in April, the district court will increase in size from about 1,600 square feet to about 3,600 square feet. According to Nick Rado of the county planning office, the new location--which once housed the local Department of Revenue office--will provide expanded parking and a visitor waiting area. A meeting room will be designated for conferences between attorneys and their clients. An entrance to the new district court will be placed on the west side of the annex building. At their regular meeting, the commissioners also voted to advertise a proposed one-year renewal of the PROSPER ordinance. PROSPER (Promoted Rehabilitation of Subsidized Properties for Economic Revitalization) provides a five-year abatement of real estate taxes for industrial, manufacturing and technology developments. To have its full impact, the PROSPER program also must be approved by local municipalities and, particularly, by school districts. Many of those local tax abatement measures also are up for renewal. "It's an incentive for entrepreneurs to invest in our county," said Smith. "If we don't have it, it could make it difficult to compete with other counties." Indiana County is applying to state officials for a 2002 emergency shelter grant of $114,929. If approved, the money would be used to fund operating expenses, programs and improvements at the Steppingstone bridge housing facility in Graceton and at the Pathway emergency shelter in Black Lick. Both facilities are operated by the Indiana County Community Action Program. Director Sandi Dill noted ICCAP sought a shelter grant of about $80,000 last year and was approved for just $50,000. Steppingstone was opened in the early 1980s. Its four apartments provide transitional housing for those who have fled domestic abuse and are working toward independence. Dill said the facility is due for new siding, insulation and interior cabinets. Pathway can house up to 13 individuals, including family groups, for 30 days. Dill said ICCAP would like to use some of the shelter grant to provide its residents job search and resume assistance and transportation to job interviews. Dill noted the numbers being served at Pathway are on the increase. During the previous fiscal year (July 2000 through last June), 106 people were housed; that figure has already reached 86 during the past five months. To qualify for the shelter grant, ICCAP will provide a local match, through in-kind services valued at $230,670. ICCAP, which operates a food bank for needy county residents, will continue with that program at least through September 2006. The commissioners extended an agreement under which ICCAP receives surplus government commodities from the Department of Agriculture for distribution to food bank clients. Because ICCAP's program operates as a subsidiary of the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank, it is being affected by short supplies at that regional warehouse. Dill said some businesses are stepping forward with extra funding so ICCAP will be able to provide meat certificates to all its food recipients for the holidays. Dill noted ICCAP always welcomes monetary donations. When supplies are available, ICCAP is able to use its dollars to purchase food through the Greater Pittsburgh Bank, at just 10 cents per pound. Indiana County agreed to accept a second position, behind a local financial institution, in the event Gorell Enterprises would default on repayment of loans it received to help it re-start the former Season-all window plant in the 1990s. The county agreement allows Gorell to refinance a total of $20 million in loans with PNC Bank. To assist the Gorell start-up, the county loaned the company $1.6 million in 1994 and another $400,000 in 1997. McQuown noted those funds were obtained through a state grant, intended specifically to support the plant development. When it is repaid, he said, "Eventually this money does come back to the county"--returned to a revolving loan fund, where it can be used for other economic development efforts. County officials noted Gorell has been thriving and meeting its loan payments. "This was a good project for the county," Smith said. "Hundreds of people are employed there." Indiana County increased the amount of liquid fuels money it is planning to spend on two proposed traffic improvements. The commissioners earmarked an additional $225,000, setting aside a new total of $425,000, for improvement of the High Street Bridge in Saltsburg. Also, they designated an additional $400,500 for the proposed Rose Street II extension off Rt. 286 west of Indiana. Insight Pipe Contracting of Harmony will complete inspection of a sewer line along Saltsburg's Walnut Street, at a cost of $1,580. M.J. Smith, deputy director of the county planning office, explained inspection of the line originally was being handled by the Blairsville/Indiana Council of Governments. But the COG's camera device could not navigate around a blockage caused by a lateral line breaking through into the main sewer pipe. Insight has the equipment needed to drill through the blockage and finish inspecting the remaining third of the line. Saltsburg officials are hoping the line will be in good enough condition that it can be repaired, rather than replaced, as part of a project to separate the borough's interconnected sanitary and storm sewers. According to M.J. Smith, the initial two-thirds of the inspection was promising, showing only two sections of pipe which may have to be repaired. In support of the Saltsburg sewer project, the county has allocated $250,000 from its 1999 and 2001 community development block grants. Indiana County also administers Green Township's own block grant program. In that capacity, the commissioners approved a $134,713.20 bid from Heeter Enterprises of Knox. The firm will construct a block grant-funded storm sewer system in Commodore. Also, on behalf of Green Township, the county entered into a cooperation agreement with the Green Township Municipal Authority, for administration of a water line replacement project in Barr Slope. Construction of that project is to begin next spring, funded by $35,000 from the township's 2001 block grant. Following the lead of Berks County, the commissioners agreed to amend Indiana County's farmland easement program--allowing the county to purchase easements on farm tracts which may cross over municipal boundaries. Bernie Smith noted such instances could occur if farms in the Marion Center or Smicksburg area were to participate in the easement program. Easements help protect designated farmland from unwanted development. Infocon of Ebensburg will provide software and support services for computerizing marriage licenses and orphan's court records in the office of county Register and Recorder Patricia Streams-Warman. The firm will receive a total of $22,000. Streams-Warman noted she has previously worked with Infocon to bring other areas of her office into the computer age. The firm's fee will be paid from an improvement fund generated through a $2 fee charged for various services in the office. Bernie Smith noted new exterior lighting has been added at the courthouse. It complements holiday displays on the courthouse grounds and also allows the county to fly the U.S. flag 24 hours a day. The courthouse will be closed Christmas Day. The next commissioners' meeting has been rescheduled from Dec. 26 to Dec. 28, at 10:30 a.m.

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