CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield County Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously voted to approve an ordinance that will change the county’s pre-determined ratio.
Beginning with tax year 2025, the county will change its current pre-determined ratio from 25 percent to 50 percent, which will also require any county taxing entities to do a millage reduction.
The pre-determined ratio is defined, in Pennsylvania law, as “the ratio of assessed value to market value established and uniformly applied in determining assessed value in any year.”
The county’s ratio has been set at 25 percent since 1989, but under state law, it can be set up to 100 percent, according to previously-published reports.
Also, on Tuesday, the commissioners announced the board will have a special meeting at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 30, with the primary issue being the potential alteration of the county’s boundary.
Commissioner Dave Glass said the county would be considering the alteration of its boundary so that a very small, triangular portion of Falls Creek Borough that lies within Clearfield County would be united and form one municipality entirely in Jefferson County.
Glass also announced several upcoming meeting changes.
Due to an anticipated lack of quorum Nov. 26, the commissioners will meet Nov. 19, and it’s anticipated that their Dec. 3 work session will possibly become a voting meeting. There will be no commissioners’ meeting Nov. 5 due to the election.
Glass said the county has wrapped up its budget hearings with department heads, and he and Controller Rob Edwards anticipate having a preliminary budget for presentation Nov. 19.
In other business, the commissioners:
- approved the 2024 Clearfield County Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application, which also includes Clearfield Borough and Lawrence and Woodward Townships by Resolution #6-2024 and its accompanying documents.
- approved advertisement for Request for Proposals for a pole building to be utilized by Clearfield County 911.
- approved an addendum for a two-year extension of its lease agreement for the DuBois magistrate’s office.
- approved a memorandum of understanding for Clearfield Comprehensive Treatment Center on behalf of the county’s Probation Department.
- approved a letter of collaborative agreement with Community Guidance Center on behalf of the county’s Children, Youth & Family Services Department.
- approved a social work affiliation agreement with Pennsylvania Western (Penn West) University on behalf of the county’s Children, Youth & Family Services Department, which will offer an internship-like experience (unpaid) in exchange for college credits and hopefully serve as a recruitment tool for the department.
- approved a software licensing upgrade and maintenance agreement with Michigan Environmental Controls Inc. for the HVAC system at the Clearfield County Prison.
- approved BMS Training & Service with Michigan Environmental Controls Inc. for maintenance and IT staff at the Clearfield County Prison.
- approved a copier lease agreement with Xerox for the Clearfield County Prison.
- approved a purchase of services agreement with Hoffman Homes Inc. of Littlestown, Pa., on behalf of the county’s Children, Youth & Family Services Department.
- announced four vacancies on the Community Connections Advisory Board. Anyone with a background in social services and or mental health is encouraged to submit a letter of interest to the commissioners’ office for consideration.
- appointed Fabio D. Fortunato—a DuBois area outdoorsman—to the Clearfield County Recreation & Tourism Authority.
- proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and November as National Adoption Month.
- approved the personnel report consisting of one new hire and one employee leave of absence.
- approved the minutes of the Oct. 8 board meeting as presented by the chief clerk.
- approved the bills as presented by the Controller’s Office.