MERCER COUNTY Grant to control West Nile

Last year the virus was found in every county in the state.
By MARY GRZEBIENIAK
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
MERCER, Pa. -- A three-year grant to continue the West Nile virus control program has been accepted by Mercer County commissioners.
The $242,152 grant from the state department of environmental services will be used to hire personnel to track the presence of the mosquito-borne virus in the county and try to reduce its spread.
Funding for one full-time and one part-time employee will be provided, as well as supplies and other related costs.
The county received its first grant for controlling the virus in 2000 after the deaths of six people in New York City from the disease. Last year, the virus was found in every Pennsylvania county, according to Jim Mondok, director of the Mercer County Conservation District, which oversees the program.
The three-year grant will allow the county to have the full-time employee working 11 months out of the year and collect one month of unemployment. Previous grants were awarded on a one-year basis and this caused a later yearly startup.
Mondok said anyone noticing large concentrations of mosquitoes should notify his office at (724) 662-2242.
Public defender post
Also Thursday, commissioners created a first assistant public defender position, and named Dana Flick to the post, effective June 1. They also created an additional part-time public defender position and two new intake/investigator positions for the office.
Public Defender Raymond Bogaty said the new positions are needed in anticipation of an increased caseload due to a law change July 1. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a public defender has to be available to any defendant facing the possibility of incarceration or probation. This means for the first time, a public defender must be available to those accused of summary offenses, which are less serious than a misdemeanor, if those offenses could result in jail time or probation. One example of such a case would be driving during suspension, alcohol-related. Bogaty said that he is not sure what the effect will be on his office but that there is a potential for 3,000 or 4,000 more cases per year. In addition to Bogaty, his office already employs five part-time and three full-time attorneys, as well as an investigator, a paralegal and two support staffers.
The additional part-time public defender will be paid $23,260 per year. The first assistant will receive an additional stipend of $100 per month. The intake/investigators' pay will be based on an annual full-time salary of $29,340.
Transportation program
Commissioners also agreed to apply to PennDOT for a state lottery grant of $551,950 to continue the Shared Ride Program for senior citizens. They also authorized applying for $18,297 in additional funds for the Mercer County Shared Ride Transportation System.
Bill Jones, Mercer County Transit manager, said these annual operating grants provide 85 percent of the fare for people age 65 and over. The remaining 15 percent is covered by the Area Agency on Aging. As a result, senior citizens ride free although the cost of the average fare is $11. The agency also receives grants to subsidize rides for the disabled, those on medical assistance and the elderly. As a result, seniors can ride for a 50-cent copay, the disabled for a $1 copay, and people using the service to get medical assistance ride for free. About 65,000 rides are given per year.
He said that a fare increase will have to be instituted this year to cover a 49 percent increase in health insurance costs at the agency as well as the increased cost of fuel. But he said it is too early to know how much it will be.