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Mercer County official to testify for track slots
Beader believes the track will bring jobs to Mercer County as well.
MERCER, Pa. — Mercer County Commissioner Brian Beader will testify in favor of a slots license being granted to the proposed Valley View Downs harness racing track in Lawrence County.
A hearing is set on the track at 9 a.m. May 15 at the Mahoning Township Community Center, 4538 W. State St., Hillsville.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has set the hearing to give a chance for local government officials, community organizations and individuals to comment on the application that would allow operation of 3,000 slot machines at the proposed $420 million harness racing facility on 250 acres off U.S. Route 422 near the intersection of Pa. Route 551.
Beader said at the commissioner’s Wednesday work session that he was asked to testify by supporters of the track because he has been a proponent of the facility which he believes will mean jobs for Mercer County.
Commissioner Kenneth Ammann said he also will attend the hearing and will testify in favor of the slots license if necessary although he has not been asked to do so. Commissioner John Lechner did not attend the meeting because of a family emergency.
Commissioners also said they plan to accept three $1,000 state grants for the Hermitage, Farrell and Mercer school districts. The money, from the Early Childhood Community Engagement Transition Activities Grant, will be used to help children make the transition from home to kindergarten.
Frasier Zahnizer of the Penn State Extension Service said after the meeting that the grants supplement state money which the extension service receives for the same purpose and which is used for Jamestown, Commodore Perry, Greenville, Mercer, Hermitage, Farrell and Sharon school districts.
The $1,000 grants are making possible extra programs to help next year’s kindergartners adjust to school.
Registration and Elections Director Jeff Greenburg reported that two people were allowed to vote in the April primary election despite not being registered as a Democrat or Republican. State law prohibits this and could impose a $15,000 fine and seven years in prison on a poll worker who intentionally allowed the people to cast ballots.
Greenburg said after the meeting, however, that he believes it was an error — not a deliberate act on the part of the poll workers in the two precincts involved — because “dozens” of people tried to vote in the primary and were turned away because they were not registered as party members.
He said no election results were affected by the two voters. He is referring the matter to District Attorney Robert Kochems for review.