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Commissioners approve consulting contract

Lycoming County commissioners agreed Tuesday to extend the contract for MCM Consulting Group Inc. for its work with the emergency communications system.

The commissioners had tabled action on the issue last week after questions arose about the company’s failure to carry out all obligations specified in the $440,000 contract.

Commissioner Rick Mirabito remained steadfast in his previous stance that the county should attempt to at least pursue a partial refund from MCM for not seeking Requests for Proposals from companies pursuing the work.

Motorola ended up being hired and reportedly helped save the county money.

“The Motorola contract is not the problem,” Mirabito said. “They (MCM) acknowledged they didn’t do an RFP. I think we should do our own separate analysis and see how much work wasn’t done.”

Commissioner Tony Mussare agreed that MCM didn’t fulfill all aspects of the contract.

“I want to thank you for doing your due diligence, commissioner,” he told Mirabito.

Commissioner Scott Metzger said county officials can certainly ask MCM for a refund, but it’s now time to proceed with the contract extension.

“I really believe they owe some money,” Mirabito said. “We can move ahead with this.”

In other action, commissioners voted to buy Tasers and accessories for county law enforcement agencies under a five-year purchasing agreement,

The agreement, at a cost of just over $44,000, includes training.

“Tasers are necessary,” Metzger said.

They are tools, he explained, that can be used to successfully apprehend people by law enforcement personnel.

Commissioners approved an agreement with SEDA-Council of Governments to administer and disburse the county’s $1.2 million COVID-19 funding allocation targeted for restaurants and bars and other hospitality related entities and businesses.

Each eligible recipient can receive between $5,000 and $50,000.

Mussare asked if SEDA-COG officials were aware that the agency is responsible for disbursing as well as administering the funding,

After some discussion, it was agreed to approve the agreement subject to legal review.

Commissioners approved an agreement with South Williamsport Borough for $87,717 in Community Development Block Grant funding

In a personnel move, commissioners agreed to appoint Elizabeth White as an assistant solicitor at $100 per hour and approved the hiring of Jason K. Kitchen to fill the position of gas technician in the Resource Management Services Department at $15.37 per hour.

In other matters, commissioners approved:

• A Federal Emergency Management Agency buyout agreement with Loyalsock Township for residential property along Warrensville Road.

•A licensing renewal for software for the prothonotary’s office,

• The rebuilding and repair of a compactor for the landfill at a cost of $489,000. Resource Management Services Director Jason York said the rebuild precludes the need to buy a new compactor and will save the county money.

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