Clinton County Commissioners Address State Budget Delays, Funding for Local Blight, and Acknowledge Retiring County IT Director at September Meeting

PublisherSeptember 8, 2025Last Updated: September 8, 2025

5 minutes read

By Emily Wright

LOCK HAVEN — The Clinton County Board of Commissioners held their meeting on Thursday, September 4, 2025, to address a packed agenda touching on everything from state budget frustration and local blight remediation to new emergency notification systems and a heartfelt retirement sendoff for a long-time county employee.

After the public comment period concluded, Commissioner Angela Harding led off the meeting with Resolution No. 15 of 2025, which called attention to the consequences of the Pennsylvania state government failing to meet budget deadlines on time and echoed the requests of other counties urging the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the Governor to resolve annual state budget delays. Harding remarked, “As of this morning, there are 28 counties within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who are passing this resolution,” highlighting widespread frustration across the state..

The resolution’s language was clear in its censure: since 2003, Pennsylvania lawmakers have missed 15 budget deadlines, causing “significant disruption”.The resolution noted that while school districts and municipalities in the Commonwealth consistently meet their financial obligations, delays at the state level force counties across Pennsylvania to raise property taxes, forgo reimbursements, or borrow funds just to maintain operations. Commissioner Harding clarified, “I’ll just make a side note that Clinton County is not borrowing money,” as she read this portion of the resolution.

Resolution No. 15 calls on Governor Josh Shapiro and the State Legislature to “prioritize their responsibilities and work collaboratively to finalize a balanced budget without further delay”, and also urges both not to adjourn until a balanced budget is approved. The resolution emphasized that doing so is necessary to maintain financial stability for counties and protect taxpayers from unnecessary financial burdens.

In quick succession, the board—which included Commissioner Harding and Commissioner Jim Russo, as Commissioner Jeff Snyder was absent– unanimously approved the official county holiday calendar and the commissioners’ meeting schedule for 2026. These will be available for the public online at a later date by visiting www.clintoncountypa.gov/government/commissioners.

Jamie Shrawder, Program Manager in the Community Development Dept. of SEDA-Council of Governments, attended the meeting to briefly discuss how funding through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) will be used for phase II of the blight remediation and accessibility improvement projects in Renovo, Mill Hall, and Flemington.

Next, in collaboration with Jamie Shrawder, Program Manager in the Community Development Department of the Susquehanna Economic Development Association – Council of Governments (SEDA-COG), the board approved grant applications for phase II of blight remediation and accessibility improvement projects in the county. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds were allocated as follows:

– Clinton County Redevelopment Authority for blight removal in Renovo: $58,000

– Removal of architectural barriers and installation of curb ramps on sidewalks in Mill Hall Borough: $65,034

– Removal of architectural barriers and installation of curb ramps on sidewalks in Flemington Borough: $72,600

“We reviewed all of these projects for eligibility and fundability, and determined that with the funding that was available, a total of $237,734, with $42,100 for administration, the best use of funds was for the projects just read by the commissioner,” Shrawder explained.

In a move to support local economic development, the commissioners voted to approve a $192,000 loan from the Clinton County Revolving Loan Fund to Good Neighbor Craft House LLC. The loan was approved without any additional discussion following the vote.

Additionally, the board voted to approve a contract for services with Robert J. Meacham, M.S., Psychologist, to provide psychological evaluations, assessments, court testimony, and other services to the Public Defender’s office at $90.00 per hour, and to the Court of Common Pleas for a monthly retainer of $3,300.00 effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.

Following a roll call vote, the board approved an agreement with Motorola Solutions for a software subscription to the Rave Emergency Alerting program, at an annual cost of $11,620. Jonathon Plessinger, Director of the Clinton County Department of Emergency Services (DES), attended the meeting to discuss transitioning from the CodeRed emergency notification system—which the county adopted in July—to Rave Alert mass notification system.

Plessinger explained that Rave “is going to be a very intricate part of our services at the county level” and will be integrated into DES’s systems beginning in January 2026. “CodeRed will be up until the end of this year, and then Rave will take over at the beginning of the year,” he stated.

The Rave Alert is a modern emergency alerting system that enhances the speed and effectiveness of emergency communications. Compared to the current CodeRed system, Rave Alert offers a wider range of features and options for delivering alerts, including text messages, phone calls, emails, and a mobile app. This enables faster and more targeted notifications to residents. The system also offers enhanced user customization, increased accessibility, and the capability to deliver detailed, location-specific information, ensuring that residents receive timely and relevant updates during emergencies. Overall, the switch to Rave Alert will provide Clinton County with a more reliable and comprehensive public alert system, increasing safety and preparedness throughout the community.

Jonathon Plessinger, Director of the Clinton County Dept. of Emergency Services, attended the meeting to discuss a transition from the CodeRed emergency notification system to Rave Alert public emergency notification system, which will be available for residents to use by January 2026.

Plessinger highlighted that Rave Alert will include advanced, customizable features. “The other cool part about this software is that the public can enroll or opt-in for certain features, so if you don’t want to be notified of everything that we send out, you don’t have to be,” he explained. “It’s going to be a better system for our county and what we use it for.”

In closing, Plessinger announced that the Clinton County Department of Emergency Services is currently seeking applicants for a full-time 9-1-1 dispatcher position. “If anyone is interested, please apply, and we’d like you to come on board,” he encouraged. Interested individuals can submit their applications online by visiting the Clinton County website’s “Jobs” page, through the following link: www.clintoncountypa.gov/about-us/jobs-openings.

One of the meeting’s most poignant moments came as the board formally accepted the retirement of IT Director Ernest Jackson, effective September 12, 2025. To honor his 20 years of service to Clinton County, the board presented Jackson with a retirement certificate, which Commissioner Harding read: “Ernest Jackson, in sincere gratitude for his 20 years, September 6, 2005, to September 12, 2025, of dedicated service to Clinton County government. The county will be forever grateful— retired with distinction.”

The Commissioners accepted the retirement of Clinton County Government IT Director Ernest “Ernie” Jackson at their meeting. To honor his 20 years of dedicated service to the county, Jackson was presented with a retirement certificate acknowledging his years of service from September 2005 to September 12, 2025.

Jackson reflected on his long career with Clinton County, noting that in addition to his 20 years of service to the county, he had also worked as a contractor for approximately seven years prior. He recalled the significant technological advancements he witnessed throughout his tenure, describing how the county’s systems evolved from “one little server box in a room just doing the assessment” to today’s comprehensive communication and life safety systems.

Jackson expressed gratitude for his time with the county and the support he had received over the years. “It will be greatly missed, but it is my time to step aside, and I thank you for all the support that you’ve given me throughout the years,” he said.

In another county personnel matter, the board approved the promotion of Desiree Myers, the county government’s current Chief Clerk, to the position of Chief Operating Officer/Chief Clerk. In her new role, effective September 4, 2025, Myers will take on expanded responsibilities, including oversight of County Human Resources Administration, Personnel Policy, Finance and Budget, and Organizational Operations.

The next meeting of the Clinton County Board of Commissioners is scheduled for Monday, September 15, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Meetings take place at the Piper Building, 2 Piper Way in Lock Haven, in the second-floor conference room. For those unable to attend in person, meetings are also livestreamed on the “Clinton County Government” Facebook page.

Members of the public who wish to comment on any agenda item may do so during the public comment period at the start of each meeting by calling 570-893-4000. Questions or comments can also be submitted via email to commissioners@clintoncountypa.gov by 9:00 a.m. on the day of the meeting. Meeting agendas are posted on the Clinton County Government Facebook page within 24 hours prior to each meeting. To schedule a presentation for a work session meeting (held on Mondays), please contact Desiree Myers at dmyers@clintoncountypa.gov.