Lebanon County Commissioners on May 2 unanimously approved a letter of support for a “proposed new Exposition Building project” at Lebanon Valley Expo Center & Fairgrounds.
The letter of support describes the property and its features and how they serve the community. It will be sent to U.S. Congressman Dan Meuser with the goal of receiving financial support through 2025 Community Appropriation Funds allocated by the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration House subcommittee.
As previously reported by LebTown, the Expo Center is also seeking a $4 million state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant to help build the proposed new 40,000-square-foot arena on the fairgrounds property at Cornwall and Rocherty roads.
The arena would complement the three older existing buildings and, according to the RACP application, would modernize the complex and allow for “increased and enhanced visitor opportunities.” It would reportedly cost a little over $8.5 million and add five jobs to the center’s current six-person workforce. The fairgrounds and the iconic Lebanon Area Fair, which takes place there each July, are major drivers of tourism in the county.
Thursday’s meeting started with commissioners voting unanimously to approve the April 17 workshop and April 18 meeting minutes. A motion to amend the meeting minutes to correct several typographical errors was also unanimously approved.
Commissioner Jo Ellen Litz made a motion to add “one brief sentence that said basically, the dissenting vote was to hear all presentations for ARPA funds before making a decision,” a motion which was ultimately opposed by commissioners Mike Kuhn and Bob Phillips.
Commissioners unanimously approved the treasurer’s report presented by county treasurer Sallie Neuin, which reported a balance of $7,167,019.52.
They also unanimously approved the Palmetto Posting Amendment Agreement. Palmetto Posting is a South Carolina-based corporation that Lebanon County has used as a contractor since 2013 to provide them with “information and postings for tax claim for our sales coming up,” said Neuin.
This is the first time since 2019 that the contractor has raised its prices. The prices are increasing at a rate of $2.50 per year. This raises the price per post to $25 for 2024, $27.50 for 2025, $30 for 2026, and $32.5 for 2027.
Michelle Snavely, human resource director, described personnel transactions, which included six resignations, a termination, a leave of absence, two reclassifications, additions of two interpreter stipends, a promotion, five new hires, and a rehire. Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the entire batch.
Regarding the reclassifications, county administrator/chief clerk Jamie Wolgemuth said, “Both of these are reflective of kind of a shift. This first one particularly was a position for a programmer analyst. And programming is much less needed. And as we shift, a couple of more steps to take to shift, away from a mainframe system to what we’ve been using, the cloud and such. So this is reflective of just a shift to what the department is really doing and more of a technician type, networking, that type of thing.”
Bob Dowd, director of DES, presented a change order for the electrical contract at the DES Center for a total amount of $42,629.84 that was also unanimously approved. “The majority of this change order is the wiring for all of our outdoor networking, security cameras, all the things that weren’t part of the bids,” Dowd said, as the design for the intercom was not complete when it went to bid.
Other expenses in the change order included the purchase and installation of different wiring and outlets to match equipment. There was also a credit for forgoing the factory testing for on-site testing. The testing is almost complete, with an estimated completion date being within the next 30 days.
Dowd’s presentation of a purchase agreement with FirstEnergy for a one-acre tower site on Mount Wilson Road was also unanimously approved by commissioners. ARPA will fund the $5,200 purchase, which features ARPA-eligible land and structures with an existing tower that will be replaced following the purchase.
County solicitor Matt Bugli recommended a permanent right-of-way and easement agreement between Lebanon County and Harry and Melissa MacBride, who live on Michters Road. This agreement stems from the County Bridge project and will compensate the MacBrides with $1,000 for the use of the agreed area being a guide rail. Commissioners unanimously voted in approval.
Wolgemuth’s presentation of a proclamation that recognizes 2024 National Police Week as May 12 through 18 was unanimously approved. “Further encouraging citizens in the County of Lebanon to observe May 14 as Police Officer’s Memorial Day, honoring those officers, who through their courageous deeds, have lost their lives or become disabled in the performance of duty,” with a ceremony in front of the Lebanon County-City Municipal Building on Tuesday, May 14, at 10 a.m.
Commissioners unanimously voted to approve three requests for hotel tax grant funds: Spinstock Flow Arts Festival for a $5,000 grant towards an overall project cost of $11,935; Campbelltown Community Alliance to install 15 year-round flower planters along Route 322 for a $2,625 grant toward a $3,500 project cost; and The Caring Cupboard for its ninth annual TruckTrek that will benefit The Caring Cupboard for $5,000 toward a $15,000 project to expand marketing into additional Palmyra neighborhoods.
“The Commissioners’ support last year made the dream possible of billboards throughout South Central PA. Our attendance doubled last year, and we expect that growth to continue,” Spinstock Flow Arts Festival stated in its application for hotel tax grant funds for its 10th annual festival.
Wolgemuth also presented a hotel tax request from the Swatara Watershed Association that is intended for use on the Bordner Cabin Flood Restoration for an additional year, ending March 3, 2025. The organization is currently working with Chrisland Engineering to submit an application for a permit. If approved within five months by DEP, Swatara Watershed Association will work to make repairs before the March deadline. The extension request was unanimously approved by the Commissioners.
Read More: How to visit Bordner’s Cabin at Swatara State Park
Commissioners also unanimously voted to approve exemption requests of real estate property tax from four disabled veterans and a surviving spouse as well as the reappointment of Dr. Douglas Becker and David “Chip” Brightbill to the board of directors of Clarence Schock Memorial Park at Governor Dick for additional three-year terms.
Lebanon County Commissioner meetings start at 9:30 a.m. on the first and third Thursdays of each month in Room 207 of the Lebanon County-City Municipal Building.
Read More: County commissioners asked to help celebrate U.S.A.’s 250th birthday
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