Greene County commissioners to auction off property
WAYNESBURG – The Greene County commissioners plan to auction off an 83.5-acre land parcel near Ryerson Station State Park that they originally purchased late last year amid controversy. The commissioners had bought the property from National City Bank for $55,000 last November with the intention of using it for an all-terrain vehicle trail; however, they failed to make the purchase in a public meeting, a violation of the state Sunshine Act, and drew complaints from some members of the public.
The commissioners publicly admitted to what they called a “mistake” weeks later and ratified the purchase in a public meeting. The plans for an ATV trail spurred public outcry, leading the commissioners to hold a public meeting on the subject.
In authorizing county administrative staff to place the property up for public auction, the board required that a minimum reserve bid be set at exactly the cost the county has incurred.
Commissioner Dave Coder said the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, as well as several private individuals, have expressed interest in purchasing the land, located along Bristoria Road.
Commissioner Farley Toothman said the property was a “good investment” after all, and the county stands to make a profit from its purchase.
Kim Laskowsky, the owner of the property, which includes a double-wide mobile home and log cabin, sued the county and the commissioners to reclaim the property. That lawsuit is still in court.
In other business, the commissioners voted to send a letter to the state drug and alcohol licensing agent regarding the establishment of a men’s halfway house in Jefferson. The commissioners have publicly stated that they are opposed to the location of the halfway house, which The Turning Point of Washington would operate.
Commissioner Farley Toothman said he and his fellow commissioners objected to how current and former Turning Point clients spoke out at a public meeting on the halfway house last month at the Jefferson Fire Hall.
He said it was “inappropriate to parade people in the system, or who have been in the system, in front of the public to discuss ‘not in my backyard’ and labeled the action a “violation of professional conduct.”
Added Coder, “We’re in opposition to the site location.”
The commissioners also heard a report from Mary Potter, chairman of the county Solid Waste Advisory Committee, who asked them to consider establishing a permanent site where county residents can dispose of “hard to recycle” items such as construction debris, mattresses, white goods, tires and furniture. The committee asked that the site be open only to Greene County residents, that it be supervised, and that it not be used as a transfer station for haulers.
“If the site is centrally located and has easy access and there are not a lot of hoops people have to go through to use it, it could go a long way toward getting the county cleaned up,” she said.
The commissioners noted that a “reasonable fee” would be charged for this service.
The commissioners also conducted the following business:
– Authorized the chief clerk to solicit bids for the demolition of the Curry Home and to solicit bids for asbestos removal.
– Approved a grant agreement between the county, the state and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission for the continued preservation of county documents by placing them on microfilm.
– Awarded a $110,882.35 contract to Victor and Sons of Monongahela for the Rices Landing street pavement project. The funds will be obtained through the state Department of Community and Economic Development to repair 12 streets that were damaged by the construction of a new sewage treatment facility there.
– Acknowledged a no-cost government-financed construction contract with Crucible Cleanup Co. for the reclamation of 97 acres of riverfront property, formerly part of the Crucible Mine in Cumberland Township. The county plans to turn the area into a park with a public boat access.
– Presented a certificate of appreciation to Gertrude Busti, who at 82 is the county’s oldest worker. Busti serves on one of the temporary assessment appeals boards.
– Recognized Wilma Johnson, who has been selected by the state Foster Parent Association as the caseworker of the year. Johnson has worked in county government for 44 years.