MERCER COUNTY Commissioners hire fiscal administrator

Commissioners also moved to help build an apartment for the elderly in Hermitage.
By MARY GRZEBIENIAK
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
MERCER, Pa. -- Mercer County commissioners have hired a new fiscal administrator.
John Logan of Mercer was chosen from 13 applicants for the job. Commissioners voted to hire him at $57,304 annually. He will begin working part-time Sept. 7 and assume full-time duties Sept. 20.
A CPA since 1969, Logan earned his MBA in 1971 at Penn State University and was a senior accountant for Price Waterhouse. He worked on grants and allocations at the University of Pittsburgh and has been controller and chief financial officer of several companies. Logan replaces Tresa Templeton, who resigned to become business manager of the Sharon school district. The fiscal administrator plans, manages and coordinates the county's fiscal program.
Apartment project
Also at their meeting Thursday, commissioners approved use of $100,000 from the Mercer County Affordable Housing Fund to serve as a local match in a grant application for funds to build a 40-unit apartment project for the elderly in Hermitage. It would be located at Lamor and North Keel Ridge Road.
Frank Gargiulo, a planner for the Mercer County Housing Authority, said the proposed housing would consist of one and two bedroom handicapped-accessible apartments. The $100,000 in local funds could attract in $5 million in other grants for the project. Affordable Housing funds are derived from a fee charged on deeds recorded by the county.
In other business Thursday, commissioners:
UExtended for one more month a higher gas reimbursement for county employees. Through the end of August employees will receive 34 cents per mile because of the high gasoline prices. The regular reimbursement is 32 cents.
UEntered an agreement with First Baptist Church, 60 Shenango St., Greenville, which will provide counseling services through the Greenville After School Program at a cost of $34,572. The program provides drug and alcohol education and counseling, and other services for any interested youth, grades six to nine.
UApproved new annual contracts for the County Intermediate Punishment/Day Reporting Program. Contracts are with: UPMC Horizon, 110 N. Main St., Greenville, for drug and alcohol treatment for up to $189,228; Community Counseling Center, 406 N. Buhl Farm Dr., Hermitage, for vocational training for a maximum $12,618 for the year; and Mercer County Family Center, 36 Case Ave., Sharon, for teaching English and preparation for the high school equivalency exam for a $10,000 contract maximum.
UReappointed L. DeWitt Boosel as executive director of the Mercer County Housing Authority; and Art Catterson, of Sharon Tube Co., Sharon, to the West Central Workforce Investment Board, both for three-year terms. New appointees to the board are Eric Huttenlocher of Reynolds Food Packaging, Grove City; Spike Mancuso, of International Timber and Veneer, Jackson Center; and Rex Knisley of First National Bank of Pennsylvania, all for three-year terms.