Lycoming County Commissioners on Thursday agreed to open an $8 million account with the Pennsylvania Local Government Investment Trust that is expected to produce revenue for expansion of the county landfill's waste fields.
The money comes from bond proceeds that were issued earlier this year by the county.
Beth Johnston, county director of fiscal services, said the investment will be held in short-term accounts that will enable money to be taken out at six months, one year and two years as the landfill expansion continues.
According to Johnston, the trust offered the best interest rate out of five firms that presented proposals to the county.
"This is why we have to get the public to recycle more," Commissioner Jeff C. Wheeland said. "These (waste) fields are very expensive."
Commissioners also gave approval for application of a $193,002 grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development for the city YWCA emergency shelter and rapid rehousing program. The YWCA will provide $186,000 for the program, said Mya Toon, county grants administrator.
Employment agreements with attorneys Trisha Hoover and Donald Martino were approved by commissioners to handle about 65 cases as conflict attorneys who defend clients on behalf of the county public defender's office when multiple people in a case are being represented by that office.
The attorneys will be compensated up to $35,000 each for their work.
Additionally, employment agreements for Martino and attorney W. Jeffrey Yates for defending clients for the county Juvenile Probation office were amended. Each man's salary was increased by $5,000 to a maximum salary of $40,000.
A surplus natural gas vehicle refueling appliance from the landfill was authorized to be donated to Pennsylvania College of Technology.
"Penn College has an identical item that failed," said Michael Hnatin, county Resource Management Services engineer.
The item costs between $3,000 and $5,000 in new condition, he added.
Commissioners also approved seeking the rights of way to place underground utilities for a county emergency communications tower site at Shrivers Ridge in Bodines.
