Clarion County commissioners on Tuesday reviewed a contract with Pictometry International Corp. for flyover images of the county for the county’s GIS department.
Commissioner Ed Heasley said the contract would include two flyovers three years apart.
“It will benefit not only the GIS department but it will enhance our 911 service,” Heasley said at the commissioners’ work session. “It will also help the assessment office.”
The money is budgeted in the county’s long-term capital improvement plan, Heasley added.
A flyover hasn’t been done in the county since 2014.
Commissioner Ted Tharan said the flyovers would probably begin in March before the leaves come out.
The contract will be approved pending the county solicitor’s approval.
In other business Tuesday, the commissioners discussed a proposal from the hotel tax committee to seek a research consultant to develop a five-year marketing plan for the county.
The hotel tax committee administers funds collected by the county through an assessment on rented hotel rooms. The funds are usually disbursed to organizations that stage events that will bring tourists into the county.
Some of the organizations that received funding from the hotel tax committee in 2019 include the Wolfs Corners Fair Committee, St. Joseph Fourth of July, Fryburg Mayfest and Redbank Valley Trails.
Commissioner Wayne Brosius said the committee isn’t requesting funds at this time.
In a letter to the commissioners, the committee said a cost estimate can’t be provided until a proposal from a consultant is received.
“They want to develop a five-year strategic marketing plan,” said Brosius. He said an ad hoc committee would be formed to search for consultants.
“I think they are just asking if we would support that process before they get started in it,” said Brosius. “They won’t know what the cost is until they search for a consultant.”
The commissioners must authorize any expenditure by the hotel tax committee.
Commissioners are also expected to approve a voting precinct change for Clarion’s third precinct from the old Rhea Lumber building back to the Marwick Boyd building at Clarion University.
No action may be taken at a work session.
Brosius is new chairman
Brosius was elected the new chairman of the commissioners during the panel’s reorganization meeting Monday.
Heasley and Tharan said they both voted for Brosius because of a local tradition that makes the person who received the highest vote total in the general election the chairman.
Tharan was elected vice chairman, and Heasley is the secretary.
Taylor Kriebel was retained as the county’s chief clerk and county administrator.
Looking ahead, Brosius said, “I hope to keep things going, moving forward, and a lot of good things to come. I anticipate working as a team for the benefit of Clarion County.”
In other action at the reorganization meting, commissioners tabled a motion to reappoint Christopher Gabriel of Cafardi Ferguson Wyrick Weis and Gabriel, of Sewickley, as solicitor due to lack of a contract. The solicitor primarily handles labor negotiations and major cases.
The firm of Logue and Urik was reappointed assistant solicitor at an annual contract of $35,000. The assistant solicitor handles local legal needs and is represented at regular commissioner meetings.
The three commissioners were also appointed to various boards and panels.
Commissioners also adopted a schedule for commissioner, salary board and retirement board meetings for 2020. Prison board meetings for this year were also scheduled.