Commissioners Hint at Tax Increase – Dziak Gets National Nod for Opioid Efforts

Photos and story by Rick Hiduk

(Also published in the Rocket-Courier)

The proposed 2019 Wyoming County is available for public inspection and depicts a shortfall of at least $437,234 attributed to lost tax revenue. According to chief clerk Bill Gaylord, the county’s assessed real estate value dropped by $1,739,000. Public safety grants and additional state funding will not be enough to offset increases in salaries and health insurance, he noted.

We’re just not growing the way we want to grow,” Gaylord stated.

Commissioner Tom Henry maintains that the county stayed within its budget for 2018, but the coming year looks tougher. “We’re doing everything we can,” he offered, “but it looks like there might be a tax increase.”

The commissioners should approve the $14,177,525 budget at the their Dec. 27 meeting.

Bright Spots Highlighted in Opioid Epidemic Reports

Gene Dziak was at Tuesday’s public commissioners meeting with news on various topics and was credited by Henry and fellow commissioner Judy Mead for putting Wyoming County in the spotlight for efforts to curb the opioid crisis. An article in Emergent News cited the county’s high overdose rate compared to its relatively low population and acknowledged Dziak for spearheading efforts to put naloxone in the hands of first responders and law enforcement officials.

Henry and Dziak agreed that it may never be known precisely how many lives have been saved, but the estimated 80 reversals “could have been 80 more deaths,” said Henry. There were 21 confirmed overdose deaths in Wyoming County in 2016 and 17 in 2017.

Henry also thanked Dziak and administrative assistant Linda Stacknick for working together over the past few weeks to fine tune the county’s lawsuit against opioid manufacturers. The process was started more than a year ago but, according to Henry, the application was sent back several times with requests for additional information. The deadline was last week, and the application was approved.

We have a pretty good chance of getting a settlement,” Henry remarked, suggesting that the county’s share could be upwards of $10 million, which can be used for anything opioid-related, including probation, prothonotary expenses and reimbursement for emergency services.

Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf announced this past week that naloxone (aka – Narcan) will be available to the public at no cost. Henry said that family members of those with addictions can pick up a kit at the state office in the Skyline Motel on Route 6 west of Tunkhannock beginning Thursday, Dec. 13. Training classes will soon follow.

Residents Misusing Recycling Centers

Recycling director Mike Rogers reported that residents are ignoring signage at centers across the county and creating messes that are costly and unnecessary. During a particularly wet and windy year, recyclables are getting soggy and being blown around the lots, often simply because people are not closing the bins. Others are simply leaving items on the ground, often just out of view from security cameras.

If it gets saturated,” Rogers said of newspaper, cardboard and magazines, “we have to throw it away. If there’s a name on it, we call the people and make them come and get it.”

Much of the dirty work by residents occurs on the weekends. The weekend drop-offs are convenient for a lot of people, Rogers acknowledged, but Monday mornings have become a headache. In addition to that which is no longer worth recycling, people are dropping off trash such as toilets, carpets, furniture, styrofoam and five-gallon buckets, none of which are recyclable. “We have to pay to dispose of it,” he related. There are many re-uses for five-gallon buckets, Rogers suggested, and people are often seeking them.

The additional costs are coming at a time when the world market for recyclables is down, especially mixed paper and magazines, which once fetched as much as $100 per ton. The going rate for the commodity, which used to go primarily to China, is down to five dollars per ton or lower. Prices for aluminum are traditionally low at this time of the year, and glass has never been a hot commodity.

Rogers encouraged residents to call the center at 570-836-0729 with any questions they have. Help is also available on site on weekdays between 7 am and 3:30 pm. “Just pull up and honk your horn,” he offered. (Current list of recycling dos and don’ts below)

In the meantime, Henry related that there are plans to offer more convenience at the recycling center in Tunkhannock Township, including being able to drop off electronics more often that the twice annual events that have proven so popular. The county is looking to secure DEP funds to enhance the program.

County Room Tax Grants Announced

Mead, a member of the Endless Mountains Visitor Bureau board and county room tax committee revealed the winners of grants for 2019. More than $78,000 will be disbursed among eight entities. Only a few of the smaller grants were awarded in full, but the Wyoming County Community Fair was the big winner with $13,500 earmarked toward promotion of the summer fair and the HalloWine Fest that is entering its third year next October.

Keystone College garnered $7,500 in funding for summer community events, music and sports camps, the Gathering, the 24th annual Christy Matthewson Day celebration, concerts, and poetry and art exhibitions. The Tunkhannock Library will receive $4,000 for the marketing and promotion of the 2019 Books & Brews festival. The Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce was awarded $3,700 toward website redesign. The Oldest House-Laceyville Historical Society will use a $3,850 grant for event advertising.

The Wyoming County Room Tax Committee will retain $10,000 for wayfinding signage to help steer visitors to established sites and attractions like Tunkhannock’s Riverside Park, the Tunkhannock Viaduct at Nicholson, and The Oldest House in Laceyville.

The PA Room Tax program is designed to promote events and venues in each county outside their respective areas. A five percent tax is assessed by the state to all hotel and bed and breakfasts stays that is returned to the counties. “Our rooms are full, so we are doing very well with room tax,” Mead said of the appreciable sum.

County Supports Watershed Project

Henry related that the USDA reached out to Wyoming County as a potential sponsor for a watershed project that will include stream bank erosion mitigation such as reshaping and stabilizing banks and planting vegetation. The project is a joint effort of the US Department of Agriculture, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Wyoming County Conservation District.

According to Henry, there is no cost to the county, but the USDA requires a municipality to sponsor the program. Henry and Mead approved the sponsorship contingent on the solicitor’s approval.

Any time we can get some help with our stream banks, it’s a good thing,” said Henry.

On a related issue, Dziak noted that FEMA was expected at the county Emergency Operations Center on Tuesday afternoon to reveal new flood maps after conducting a similar meeting in Bradford County. “I’m sure that we are going to hear that the 100-year flood plain has expanded,” Dziak remarked, adding that he was under the assumption that this particular phase of the mapping concerned only the Susquehanna River and not its tributaries.

Chaz Mead was slated to meet with FEMA while Dziak attended a meeting in Bloomsburg about ice jams.

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