COUNTY GOVERNMENT Mercer commissioners defend several moves

Officials agreed to borrow $5 million to cover county expenses until taxes come in.
MERCER, Pa. -- Mercer County commissioners found themselves defending their decisions on several issues when challenged by a Hermitage resident at their meeting Thursday.
Helen Burns, a senior citizen, is angry about the commissioners' announced intention to raise taxes by 2 mills when they adopt the 2005 budget next week. The increase will hurt those on fixed incomes, she said.
Asked and answered
Burns questioned several county expenditures. Commissioners responded as follows:
They said a recent contract with a Pittsburgh legal firm, Klett, Rooney, Libber & amp; Schorling, which specializes in labor contracts, is nothing unusual and that even though a $30,000 limit was put on the contract, it is unlikely the firm's services would be utilized to that degree. Commissioners said the firm has been used only once so far in negotiations, which have been going on for several weeks. Commissioner Olivia Lazor said the board of commissioners has used outside legal labor experts for several years.
They attributed the needed increase in taxes in 2005 to required contributions to the county's retirement fund, the hiring of 36 more full-time equivalent employees to staff the new jail and an increase in health costs.
Overruns on construction costs of the new jail are not unreasonable and are within the 5 percent contingency provided in the original contracts, according to Fiscal Director John Logan. The problem, according to Commissioner Brian Beader, is that enough money was not projected in the original loan to pay the costs and money will now have to be found elsewhere. One contributor to the cost overruns was a $319,000 state-mandated sewer system. The delay in completion of the jail was not the contractor's fault, Beader said, but rather caused by the 2003 floods. May is the new target for completion.
Will borrow $5 million
Also Thursday, commissioners agreed, by a split vote to borrow $5 million from investment securities firm Boenning & amp; Scattergood through Citizens Bank in Mercer. Interest cost is $115,594. The loan will cover county expenses until taxes come in. Beader voted against the motion, stating he believes the county should have borrowed the money from First National Bank, even though it would have charged $1,650 additional interest, because it is a local company.
Also Thursday, commissioners appointed Colleen McFarland of Grove City and Judith Fey of Sharon to the Mercer County Commission for Women for three years effective Jan. 1. They accepted the resignation of Heather Martin from that commission.
And they approved a three-year Project Stabilization Agreement with the Building and Construction Trades Council of Mercer County, AFL-CIO to apply to all county construction projects over $25,000 involving building trades. The agreement states that the county can only hire workers who meet a training standard and who are provided with pensions, health care and benefits comparable to union workers. Bridge construction and renovation is exempted from the agreement.