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Marino and Thompson favor health care repeal

Locally elected and appointed officials voted on the following matters in the past week:

Federal

The House passed House Resolution 45 228 to 193 to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. U.S. Reps. Thomas A. Marino, R-Cogan Station, and Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Howard, voted in favor.

State

The Senate passed Senate Bill 579 48 to 0, which would increase the complement of the state police from 3,940 members to 4,310 officers and enlisted personnel. Sen. E. Eugene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township, was not present for the vote.

The Senate passed Senate Bill 5 49 to 0, which would create the Community-Based Health Care (CHC) Program in the Department of Health to provide grants to community-based health care clinics. The grants would be used to improve and expand health care access and services, to reduce unnecessary utilization of hospital emergency services, and to encourage collaboration between CHC clinics, hospitals and other health care providers. Sen. Yaw was not present for the vote.

The House passed House Bill 451 196 to 1, which would allow the use of a leashed blood-tracking dog to track white-tailed deer in an attempt to recover an animal that has been legally killed or wounded. Reps. Garth Everett, R-Muncy; Matthew E. Baker, R-Wellsboro; Michael K. Hanna Sr., D-Lock Haven; and Rick Mirabito, D-Williamsport, voted in favor.

The House passed House Bill 714 196 to 0, sponsored by Rep. Baker, which would amend the provision in the crimes code regarding identity theft to provide that when a person commits an offense against a child that the grading of the offense is enhanced one degree. Reps. Baker, Everett, Mirabito and Hanna voted in favor.

County

Lycoming County commissioners approved an agreement that would pay the county $36,000 from the Pennsylvania College of Technology for consulting, training and marketing services for the college’s Energy Technology Education Center. Commissioners also approved nutrient trading credits for 15 county farmers. Voting in favor of both measures were Jeff C. Wheeland and Ernie Larson. Tony Mussare was absent.

Municipal

Jersey Shore Borough Council voted to hire HRI Inc. to pave streets this summer at a cost of $105,308. Voting yes were Kenneth Scheesley, Wade Snyder, Sean Simcox, Janet Barnhart, Deborah Colocino, John Pisarcik and Mary Greene. Marguerite Dyroff was absent.

Montgomery Borough Council voted to finalize an agreement with West Branch Regional Authority to pay bills regarding a regional wastewater treatment plant should the authority default or cease to exist. The plant will serve the borough and three other municipalities. Voting were 5-0 were Jim McCarty, L. Whitlow Wertz, Lynn Crist, Rick Williams and Donald E. Feaster. John (JJ) Magyar II and Rodney Metzer were absent.

Williamsport City Council voted 6-0 to hire Shea Industries of Clarks Summit for $825,300 to remediate and demolish the former Brodart warehouse on Memorial Avenue to create room for a 72-unit housing complex. Voting in favor were President Bill Hall, Bonnie Katz, Liz Miele, Donald Noviello, Randall J. Allison and N. Clifford “Skip” Smith. Council Vice President Jonathan Williamson was absent.

Williamsport Zoning Hearing Board ruled on four requests. Mary Lou Baldys, chairwoman; Bonita Kolb, Mary Zeitler and Judy Sarrett voted in favor of granting Diane and Allen Page of 1200 Woodmont Ave. a setback variance to place an attached garage in a residential zoned district; they also granted – Robert Wosniak, of 123 Parkwood St., permission for an additional accessory driveway and Victor and Connie Mines, of 2205 Boyd St., a table of use variance to locate a construction office in a residential district. Baldys, Kolb, Zeitler and Sarett denied a request by Kurt and Vicki Brungard of 706-708 Funston Ave. who sought to obtain a table of use variance to permit multi-family housing in a residential zoned district. Absent was hearing board member Linda Crockett.

Loyalsock Township supervisors voted to award the bid to replace the Sheridan Street Bridge over Millers Run to Nestle Road Contracting for $773,810, of which the township will pay 5 percent. Voting in favor were Virginia Eaton, Marc Sortman, Rick Wheeland and Jeff Rauff. John Bower abstained.

Hughesville Borough Council voted to award the 2013 paving contract to low bidder HRI Inc., for $72,707, to buy a leaf box for the new F-550 truck for $4,940, and to hire Dincher and Dincher Tree Surgeons, Williamsport, to take down two Bodine Park trees for $3,720. Voting in favor were Jeff Berger, Andrew Mook, Richard Smith, James Savage and Curtis Michael. Mary Burns was absent.

Woodward Township Supervisors voted unanimously to award a paving contract to Haymaker East Tar and Chip for $71,418. Voting were Thomas Frantz and Wayne Robinson. Allan Worth was absent.

South Williamsport Borough Council voted 7 to 1 to include three streets – Sylvan Drive, Grandview Place and Eckmont Avenue – in a UGI Natural Gas pilot program to expand gas service in the municipality. Voting in favor were Dan Cupp, J. Bernard Schelb, Jeff Tompkins, Henry Frey Jr., Benjamin Landon, Richard Harris Jr. and Edward Weinhoffer. Robert Cronin voted no; Anthony Mussare was absent.

Old Lycoming Township supervisors voted 2 to 1 to form a stormwater appeals board. Supervisors also voted to amend an ordinance that requires gas and oil operations and water withdrawal facilities to be placed at least 750 feet away from existing buildings and 200 feet away from lot lines. Supervisors John W. Eck and Linda Mazzullo voted in favor of both measures; Supervisor Janet Hall voted against each.

School district

Montoursville Area School Board approved a preliminary budget that includes a real estate millage increase of .20. Voting in favor were Ellen Stoner, Thomas McNamara, George Hagemeyer, Dale Ulmer, Dora Pioli, James Bergen, and Jeff Schans. Jill Kaplan and Scott Konkle were absent.

Loyalsock Township School Board voted 7-0 to approve a proposed final budget. The proposal includes no real-estate tax increase. Voting in favor were board members William Carlucci, Stephen Dewar, David Hornberger, Christina Kiessling, John Raymond, Sheila Yates and Paul Young II. Board members Edward Ade Jr. and Maureen Carey were absent from the meeting.

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