MERCER COUNTY Officials alter plans for jail traffic
Commissioners approved bonds for two projects, one of which will create jobs.
By MARY GRZEBIENIAK
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
MERCER, Pa. -- County commissioners have taken action to ease the concerns of neighbors about traffic problems tied to the new county jail.
Neighbors worried about increased traffic on Thompson Road, but commissioners purchased 14.5 additional acres in Findley Township, which will make the sole access to the new county lockup from Pa. Route 258 instead.
Commissioners approved the purchase from Robert Vish and Renaldo Vish Jr. for $50,000 when they met Thursday.
The additional acreage will require the building to be re-situated on the property, but Commissioner Olivia Lazor said the purchase will actually save the county $150,000.
She explained that the estimated cost of widening Thompson Road, which would have involved disturbing wetlands, would have been more than $200,000, not counting the cost of obtaining right of ways for the project.
Commissioner Gene Brenneman said a meeting was held with residents to let them know of the altered plan, and he said they appeared to be pleased.
He said the county can move forward and will put out a request for proposals for the new facility as soon as possible. The $18 million jail will house 266 prisoners and be financed with a $30 million bond issue borrowed by the county for the jail and other projects.
Also on agenda
In other business, commissioners approved tax-exempt status for Mercer County Industrial Development Authority bonds to be issued for two projects.
One is a $3.3 million project for the Moroco Family Limited Partnership to be used by the American Cap Co. Inc. for buying land, improving and expanding buildings and buying equipment and machines for the facility at 15 Church St., Wheatland.
Outstanding principal of bonds issued in 1997 also will be refinanced at a better rate. The project will create 15 new jobs at the facility, which employs 85.
They also approved $500,000 in MCIDA bonds for a building project for Community Counseling Center of Mercer County.
That project consists of demolishing a building and constructing a new facility at 125 and 133 S. Irving Ave., Sharon. The new facility will include emergency housing for clients.
Wireless facility
Commissioners also agreed to negotiate with Jefferson Township supervisors to lease property owned by the township to construct a wireless telecommunications facility, which will include a 300-foot tower.
Jim Thompson, 911 director, said the tower will improve communications in the county, which has unique problems because it has five major phone providers and two area codes.
He said that while there is no location in which a radio would cover the entire county, the tower will be a relay point between the Mercer area and Shenango Valley. He said it will allow elimination of expensive phone lines needed to cover certain areas.
The state health department is paying for the project because Mercer County has been designated the worst county in Pennsylvania for ambulance communications.
In related action, commissioners approved a $4,560 agreement with Cattron Communications, Sharpsville, for licensing fees for the emergency radio system. It also will be funded by the state health department grant.