The Lycoming County commissioners often discuss saving tax dollars and at their meeting this week they helped do that by eliminating around 90 positions that had not been filled but were still costing the county money because of insurance benefits that include them when calculated.

The commissioners stressed that the positions do not go away permanently, but are removed from the list because they have never been filled. They estimated that if the jobs would be filled, the cost would be around $2.8 million, although the savings is based on insurance costs.

Commissioner Scott Metzger said they were “basically cleaning and scrubbing” the list to save money.

He noted that if it is found that any of the positions are needed in the future, they will be added to the list again.

The commissioners approved three projects which will be financed by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. They include; a subrecipient agreement amendment with West Branch Regional Authority in the amount of $750,000; a subrecipient agreement amendment with the Hughesville Wolf Township Joint Municipal Authority in the amount of $405,505; and a subrecipient agreement with the City of Williamsport doing business as the Williamsport Fire Department in the amount of $109,360.

In other actions, the commissioners gave the okay to an agreement with Peter Lovecchio, Esquire, for work in the Public Defender’s office when there is a conflict of interest at $90 per hour; and an agreement with Donald F. Martino, Esquire, for a specific defendant at a rate of $100 per hour, not to exceed a total of $9,999.

An amendment to the agreement for a time extension with Loyalsock Township for the Reed Street project was approved. In addition, the commissioners agreed to the following agenda items: An amendment I with BRS to extend the contract for the Brownfield project; the tax and revenue anticipation note resolution with the Department of Community and Economic Development in the amount of $5,989,000; the submission of the PHARE (Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement) grant application to the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency in the amount of $1,095,000; a lease agreement with the Salvation Army to rent space in Third Street Plaza for the Festival of Trees; an agreement with John Sanso Concrete in the amount of $5,500; and a grant application for the Lycoming County Victim Witness Services in the amount of $122,201.

Under personnel, the commissioners approved the following hires at the rate of pay listed: Noah Derr, correctional officer at the prison, a union position, $20 per hour; and Nicholas Dirk and Nolan Loss, recycling laborers at resource management services at $14.50 per hour each.

The next commissioners meeting will be at 10 a.m., Nov. 7 at the Commissioners’ Board Room, 3rd floor Third Street Plaza, 33 West Third St.