SUN-GAZETTE FILE PHOTO

Funding for an environmental assessment, the first step in moving forward with subdividing parcels at the White Deer Golf course, was approved by the Lycoming County commissioners this week.

An agreement with Larson Design Group for $19,750 to do the assessment was approved.

The assessment will be on five parcels on the White Deer property that will be subdivided and also on a parcel owned by the Pennsylvania College of Technology which the county is planning to convert into a recreational area.

Back in the 1970s a federal grant had been given to the Williamsport-Lycoming Recreation Authority, which is no longer in existence, for the entire 435 acres.

“Therefore we couldn’t sell anything,” said Commissioner Scott Metzger.

“The golf course isn’t something that we’re interested in selling…but the property around it, we’re interested in selling,” he said, adding that it could be used for housing.

In order to sell the parcels, the county had to do a conversion because the original federal grant had stipulated that it would only be used for recreation.

“We’re one step closer to making this happen with our partner Penn College. Once that’s completed, then we can move forward with the sale and hopefully it brings more housing to that area,” he said.

In another action, a grant of $100,000 from the Department of Community and Economic Development to assist with the coroner’s office and judicial services building was approved by the commissioners.

The county has until June 30, 2026 to spend the funds.

The commissioners also approved the following action items: a project modification request with the state’s Commission on Crime and Delinquency for the Victim/Witness Services grant; an Appalachian Regional Commission 2023 POWER grant application for a $50,000 matching grant — the grant will be matched with American Rescue Plan Act funds; and a subscription agreement with the Technology Enterprise Group Inc. for a trial of mapping software in the county’s Department of Public Safety.

Under personnel, the commissioners approved hiring the following persons for the positions and pay rates listed: Dakota Lity and Laura Wertz, full-time new positions, recycling laborers at Resource Management Services, $14.50 per hour; Jimmy Bennett, full-time internal transfer replacement, operations supervisor at Resource Management Services, $25.26 per hour; Joseph Ruby, full-time internal transfer replacement, assistant district attorney, $62,478 per year; Patrick Maggs, full-time internal transfer replacement, maintenance III in Facilities Management, $30.24 per hour; and Cindy Steinback, full-time replacement, resident supervisor at the Pre-Release Center, $18.10 per hour.

During the meeting, the Salary Board approved the following action items relating to the budget and finance department: a request to remove the deputy director, paygrade 11, from the TDA; a request to add two senior accountant positions, paygrade 10, starting rate of $29.65 per hour to the TDA; a request to add one accountant II position, paygrade 10, starting rate of $26.96 per hour to the TDA-reclassification to Carissa Seals, general accountant; to remove two general accountant positions, paygrade 10, from the TDA; to add one accountant I position, paygrade 10, starting rate of $24.51 per hour-reclassification to David Burkhart, general accountant.

The changes were then approved by the commissioners.

Interest in the sale of the Executive Plaza office building continues, Metzger said. He encouraged anyone who is interested in touring the building with an eye to possibly putting in a bid for purchasing to contact Real estate Excel, a Girio Realty Co., which is the realtor handling the sale. The list price for the building is $2.25 million. The deadline for submitting a bid is May 4.

The next meeting will be at 10 a.m. April 20 at the commissioners board room, first floor Executive Plaza, 330 Pine St.