SUN-GAZETTE FILE PHOTO Workers move garbage at Lycoming County’s landfill.

Lycoming County commissioners received an update on efforts to correct matters at the county landfill, or the Resource Management Services waste disposal and recycling facility in Brady Township.

“Everybody’s heard and read that we’re losing money,” Commissioner Marc C. Sortman said during a section of the meeting reserved for commissioners’ to take action on proposed items before it on the agenda. He then spoke directly with Gary Staggert, interim director of county RMS.

“Gary has worked tirelessly so far at correcting a lot of the wrong and making that come back around,” Sortman said.

Staggert immediately chimed in.

“With that I have some good help,” he said.

Sortman responded: “It takes a team, direction from one individual to help that team.”

Commissioner Mark Mussina also weighed in on the landfill’s progress forward from its struggles.

“We’re just trying to figure this out,” he said. “We don’t have the answers, either, and you’ve been great to work with,” Mussina said to Staggert.

“As we sit down at the table and . . . ‘what about this, what about that’ it’s been really refreshing,” Mussina said of the discussion with RMS and Recycling officials. “We feel like we are certainly in the right direction.”

Staggert received approval for the purchase of a $20,794 odor control product from Kroff Chemical.

He explained just what that is and how it not only helps the clients, employees but also the surrounding neighborhoods.

“If you have been to our site, you will see pipes along the litter fence around the perimeter,” he said. “We have four different enclosed trailers at each one of certain stations,” he said. “This chemical gets metered into the system and neutralizes the odors, as you drive by our landfill,” he said. “We try to keep the odors down and keep the clients happy.”

“It’s very important,” Commissioner and Chairman Scott Metzger said.

“It sounds like a lot of money, but I’m sure the residents of Montgomery are thrilled that we use this,” Sortman said.

“I’m shocked by how there is no odor in the drive by,” Mussina said.

“Sometimes you can smell this, like a cinnamon type smell,” Staggert said. “It is designed to neutralize it, not mask it.”

Sortman remarked how Staggert’s been filling in for a month as the interim director at the landfill and recycling center. “He has been just doing a phenomenal job,” Sortman said.

Staggert told the Sun-Gazette how he and the whole team are turning things around. He also noted how appreciative he was to the financial office personnel for helping to dive into the prior years’ of financial records, getting them straightened out and caught up.

“Not just us but the whole county,” he said.

Under the action taken by commissioners, there was an agreement with Martz Technologies (technology equipment), and Davis-Ulmer Sprinkler Co., which inspects the sprinkler system, which is especially important at the recycling building.

Under further action taken, county Coroner Charles E. Kiessling Jr. presented a proposal for approval for an agreement with Advanced Detection Solutions for maintenance service of the CT scanner for the second and third year of ownership in the amount of $96,000.

“We’re heading toward bringing all activities under one roof,” Kiessling said of the coroner’s building at Wahoo Drive.

The coroner’s office not only investigates deaths but does many programs throughout the community to prevent deaths. Commissioners voted last week to put the CT scanner in the new coroner’s building. This agreement will provide preventive maintenance for the equipment over the next three years.

Mussina offered his thanks to Kiessling and the professional staff.

“Sometimes, your work is truly heartbreaking,” he said. “We thank you for the way you go about your business.”

The county Salary Board Thursday approved several pay changes and renamed a title of a job position.

For the county prison, the board approved increasing the starting pay for prison nurse supervisor to $35 per hour and reclassified the first sergeant position to sergeant/training coordinator.

For the District Attorney Office, the board reclassified Deputy Assistant District Attorney to a level up to adjust it to be consistent with other positions (PG 12 to PG 13) and renamed Clerk III title to Legal Assistant.

Under information items, the commissioners heard from Mya Toon, financial director, acknowledge the county is requesting bids for Zoning Hearing Board Solicitor service.

Mike Hagen, director of Human Resources, announced the following elected officials in personnel actions:

Clerk of Courts – Mandy Shultz, Criminal Processing Clerk; full-time $16.6 per hour; Controller – Noah Hunt, Accountant I, full-time, $46,315 per year and Controller – Toni Hennigan, AP/Payroll Specialist, $19.75 per hour.