An Emergency Watershed Protection grant application for damage from Tropical Storm Debbie in the amount of $1.6 million was approved by the Lycoming County Commissioners at a recent meeting.

Seven sites have been approved so far and committed from the federal government, Mya Toon, the county’s director of financial management, told the commissioners. The other part of the project-a total of 14-were approved but, Toon said, are “stuck in the federal freeze.”

“Once that becomes available, which we’re certain that they’ll lift, we’ll then amend the agreement to include the additional sites,” she said.

“But right now the seven sites that we have approval on, we’d like to move forward with those and those are all located in the Trout Run area,” she added.

The commissioners also approved applying for a Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant on behalf of Valley View for a $2.5 million project. This would be a pass-through grant. Because Valley View is not a municipality, the county applies on their behalf.

Other agenda items approved by the commissioners were: an agreement with Lecce Electric, Inc. for professional services on an as needed basis for labor and materials for the 911 Center, backup center and remote radio towers; a resolution authorizing Matt Long signatory approval for lease documents under the Cattle Chute Program on behalf of the County; .a resolution for the auction of miscellaneous IT surplus property; and a CAP (Corrective Action Plan) Subrecipient Agreement with Loyalsock Township for Millers Run in the amount of $100,000 for a sediment reduction project.

They also approved agreements with the following entities: Elizabeth White, Esquire, to provide legal representation in guardianship proceedings at $90 per hour; Attorney Patricia Shipman for professional services as needed at $90 per hour; Language Services Associates, Inc., to provide telephonic interpretation services as needed at $1.25 per minute with 40 percent reimbursed by the state; and Dance Drier, Esquire, for professional serves in the Public Defender’s Office when there is a conflict, $90 per hour.

A request from Resource Management Services for approval of a Notice of Intent for the south entrance NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit with the state’s Department of Environmental Protection was tabled.

Under personnel, the board approved filling the following full-time positions at the rates of pay listed: Hailey Phillips custodial worker in Facilities Management $13.81 per hour; Myanna Sampson, custodial worker in Facilities Management, $13.28 per hour; Todd Shelow, truck driver at the Transfer Station, $18 per hour; and Louis Camphor, truck driver at the Transfer Station, $18.54.

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