Final Commissioners’ Town Meeting Tonight In Coudersport

Potter County Commissioners Doug Morley, Susan Kefover and Paul Heimel will conclude their round of evening “town meetings” with a visit to Coudersport Elementary School on Tuesday night at 7 pm. Format of the meetings is informal. Following brief presentations from each of the commissioners, the floor will be open to questions and a roundtable discussion of issues affecting the county and/or local communities. Although the meetings are open to all, the commissioners have been especially encouraging attendance by residents of the school district and surrounding townships where each meeting is being held.

During their town meeting Monday night in Shinglehouse, the commissioners heard from a broad range of public officials and other citizens on topics ranging from real estate tax assessments to economic development. One citizen called on the board to exert pressure on elected officials in Harrisburg to eliminate waste, rather than cutting state appropriations in future years for vital services, such as libraries and programs for the needy. Strong opposition was voiced to a proposal by some legislators to require townships and boroughs to make per-capita payments for Pennsylvania State Police coverage.

The complexities and ramifications of a real estate reassessment were discussed in some detail. Oswayo Valley School Superintendent Charles Wicker pointed out that the five public school districts in Potter County have commissioned a detailed examination of the local, county and school district tax system to determine economic forecasts and options for future financial decisions. That study is expected to be released sometime in early 2011 and will be a valuable tool in evaluating the county’s tax assessment options.

Discussion of the impact of natural gas development centered on the need for greater communication between municipal officials, industry representatives and citizens who are concerned about the potential environmental impact or other consequences of the industry’s imminent growth.