SUNBURY - Northumberland County commissioners approved appointments to various boards and authorized payments for retirees and medical insurance waivers Tuesday afternoon.
The following appointments and re-appointments were made:
- Charles Beck, Edward Christiano, Commissioner Vinny Clausi and Sandra Ressler to two-year terms and Thomas Diehl and Carmine Picarelli to one-year terms on the Affordable Housing Fund Board.
- Edward Helfrick Jr., Timothy Clark, Timothy Krebs, John Laukaitis, Edward Linkus, Donald Rosini and Ronald Smith to five-year terms on the Northumberland County Airport Authority.
- Clausi and Joseph Pancerella to five-year terms on the Northumberland County Authority.
- Frank Marcinek to a five-year term on the Northumberland County Housing Authority.
- Clausi and Commissioner Merle Phillips to five-year terms on the Northumberland County Industrial Development Authority.
- John L. Shalongo to a five-year term to the Northumberland-Montour Joint Airport Authority.
- Northumberland County Engineer Charles Hopta Jr. to a one-year term on the Wyoming Valley Levee Raising Mitigation Board.
- Christiano and Philip Zalar to four-year terms on the Northumberland County Planning Commission.
- Benny Snyder to a three-year term as township supervisor director to the Agricultural Land Preservation Board.
- Thomas Boop and David Becker to three-year terms as at-large directors to the Agricultural Land Preservation Board.
- William Geise to a one-year term as chairman of the Agricultural Land Preservation Board.
Commissioners Phillips and Frank Sawicki authorized payment of $483,816.55 to retirees for health and welfare benefits. Clausi was absent due to health reasons.
The commissioners also authorized payment of $100,716.52 for 2011 medical insurance waivers and health and welfare benefits.
A contract was awarded to Metro Flag Company for American flags at 44 cents per flag for a total of $10,454.40.
The board authorized the 911 center to charge any outside agency 25 cents per page for copies or prints made at the center, including but not limited to criminal histories, J-Net, Livescan or any driver or vehicle registration information.
The board adopted a resolution approving the master site development plan for the Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area. The plan, which is complete and in accordance with the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) grant agreement, is pending final review and approval from DCNR and the state Department of Community and Economic Development.
At the board of elections meeting that preceded the commissioners' meeting, Northumberland County President Judge Robert B. Sacavage, Northumberland County Judge William H. Wiest and Deputy Court Administrator Kevin O'Hearn resigned their positions as board members to allow the commissioners to resume their posts on the election board. The two judges and O'Hearn were appointed to serve on the board of elections because the county commissioners ran for office in this year's election.
Sacavage said the 2011 election ran very "smoothly" and thanked election board director Alisha Herb and her staff for their outstanding cooperation during the year. The judge said he was grateful for the opportunity to serve on the board and congratulated recently-elected commissioners Clausi, Steve Bridy and Attorney Rick Shoch.
A swearing-in ceremony for the new commissioners and other elected county officials will be held at 11 a.m. Jan. 3 in Courtroom 1 at Northumberland County Courthouse in Sunbury.
Reorganization meetings for the commissioners, election, salary, retirement and assessment appeals boards will be held at 3 p.m. Jan. 3 at the Northumberland County Administration Center public meeting room, followed by the regular commissioners' meeting.
A special meeting for the Northumberland County Department of Public Safety and planning department will be held at 1 p.m. Jan. 5 at the administration center to review risk assessment for the county hazard mitigation plan.