By Joseph Bell
Ridgway Record Staff

The Elk County Commissioners held their bi-weekly meeting yesterday morning and reviewed several bids for various projects for Community Development Block Grants through the planning department.

Catalone Pipe and Supply offered a total bid of $5,172 for a Highland Township Municipal Authority fire hydrant. According to CDBG Coordinator Tracy D. Gerber, this is the second time the hydrant has been bid.

The board voted to approve the bid.

The commissioners also discussed a bid from Howard D. McClain Building Contractors for the portico and balcony replacement project at the Johnsonburg Community Center.

The company bid $71,166 for the project and Gerber requested that the commissioners table the bid to allow time for a "more in-depth review."

Highland Township Municipal Authority's water treatment generator project received three bids, the lowest from Elco Electric for $19,150.

The commissioners also received a bid from Dave Kronenwetter for $26,500 and from N.W. Services for $29,971.

Gerber again asked that the bids be tabled for additional review.

Three officers from the planning board have been reappointed for new four-year terms ending Dec. 31, 2012, including Randy Gradizzi of Fox Township, Robert Mohr of St. Marys, and Ron Holmberg, representing both Ridgway Township and Ridgway Borough.

Chairperson June H. Sorg acknowledged the officers for being a part of the planning board.

The commissioners also appointed Victor B. Marquez, Human Resource Manager of Electric Infrastructure, as a regional representative on the North Central Workforce Investment Board for the term of Aug. 1, 2008 through Sept. 30, 2011.

Commissioner Ronald T. Beimel abstained from the voting, citing the fact that he was unfamiliar with Marquez.

The commissioners also acknowledged a letter from the Clarion River Municipal Partnership and Millstone Township thanking the commissioners for funding and support for the Clarion River Archaeological Study Program and Field School.

"It was a well-recepted program and hopefully we can do this again," Sorg said.

The commissioners also mentioned a letter from Christine Kuhar, Certified School Psychologist for the Ridgway Area School District, who acknowledged the commissioners' support of the school children in the Backpack Giveaway promotion for the 2008-2009 school year.

"The county was part of the backpack program and it said in the letter how happy the kids were as they received 'treasures' in their backpacks so they could be all ready to go (at school," Sorg said. "They were really excited and hopefully we can do this next year."

In regards to recent economic issues that the country is facing, the commissioners held a brief discussion on the current state of Elk County.

"In light of some of the panic that has happened, Elk County remains fiscally stable," Elk County Commissioner Daniel R. Freeburg said. "We had received a memo from Gov. (Ed) Rendell urging budget cuts and we had already put out a memo to department heads asking to keep spending to a minimum unless necessary."

Despite challenges, Freeburg said the county remains in good shape.

"We're very reserved fiscally and we'll have challenges with the budget but we've been extremely careful and try to be responsible," Freeburg said.

County officials mandate their own budget on a yearly basis and, according to Freeburg, the county has incurred very little debt.

"We're barely in debt and we'll be paid off in three-and-a-half years without taking any other tax money from other sources," Freeburg said.

The commissioners are scheduled to convene again Tuesday, Oct. 21 at 10 a.m. in Conference Room No. 2 of the Courthouse Annex building along Center Street.