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The Medical Assistance Transportation Program received over $2 million following the approval by the Lycoming County Commissioners of a subrecipient monitoring agreement with STEP Inc.
The $2,018,287 in pass-through funds for 2026-27 will help provide approximately 33,057 trips which will affect close to 1,300 consumers through the shared ride system, through mileage reimbursement and through STEP's partnership with the River Valley Transit Authority in transportation to "much needed medical appointments," according to Daniel Merk, STEP's transportation manager, who presented the request for approval to the commissioners at their meeting this week.
The commissioners pointed out that the service offered by STEP Inc. is critical in this area because of the lack of public transportation in rural parts of the county.
Commissioner Mark Mussina called it a "valuable resource to a segment of our society."
It's "just a wonderful value to our community," said Commissioner Marc Sortman, noting that the pass-though funds do not come out of local taxpayer money.
In other actions, the commissioners approved a resolution confirming the purchase of the property at 19 Wagner Road, Linden, PA and authorizing Shannon Barnes, director of management operations, to sign all closing documents on behalf of the county. The property will house Magisterial District Judge Denise Dieter's office.
Sortman characterized it as a "great purchase."
"That building that our Jersey Shore magistrate's office was in was not only a security issue, it was definitely an old building that did not serve the purpose and we were paying rent," Sortman said, adding, "The new building we will own."
Funds for the building will come from Act 13 impact fees.
The commissioners also approved, an amendment to the agreement with Richard Trowbridge which will extend the contract in order to cover services performed for a two-lot subdivision which will come out of operating expenses, and an amendment to an agreement with McNerney, Page, Vanderlin & Hall to include payment for law clerks, to come out of operating expenses.
Elected officials' personnel actions included hiring Jonni Woodling as a full-time legal assistant in the District Attorney's Office at $15.02 per hour.
Under personnel, the board approved the following new hires: Colten Hajicek, full-time EMA Coordinator in Public Safety EMA, $43,660 annually; Public Safety / Communications Center - Chloe Gordner, part-time telecommunicator trainee in the Public Safety communications center,, $20 per hour; and Daniel DeSanto, part-time recycling laborer floater in Resource Management Services, $14.50 per hour,
Gillian McLean was also hired as a part-time LPN at the Prison at $30 per hour.
The next commissioners' meeting will be at 10 a.m. September 3 at the Commissioners' Board Room, 3rd floor, Third Street Plaza, 33 West Third St.