County Commissioners Hear Important Updates During Meeting and Pass Resolution Offering Financial Independence for County Employees with Disabilities

By Emily Wright

LOCK HAVEN—The Clinton County Commissioners held their bi-weekly voting meeting Thursday morning, passing multiple resolutions and hearing important updates regarding a change to Lock Haven’s First Ward polling location and also new software that will be implemented by the county’s emergency services personnel at the dispatch center.

The commissioners passed Resolution No. 5 of 2024, which makes PA ABLE accounts available for county employees with disabilities. This comes from a partnership between the commissioners and the Pennsylvania Treasury Department, aiming to promote financial independence for these employees by enabling them to contribute directly to a PA ABLE account from their paychecks.

PA ABLE accounts provide individuals with disabilities and their families a tax-free way to save for disability-related expenses. These accounts, authorized by federal and state law, are designed to help individuals with disabilities maintain their government benefits while building financial security for their future. The initiative offers stability for those living with disabilities in addition to financial independence.

Pennsylvania Treasury Board Director Stephen Shope was in attendance at the meeting, and he reported that 26 states currently offer the ABLE program; those states have collectively formed a national ABLE network, of which PA State Treasurer Stacy Garrity has been appointed inaugural chair. “I received an email from Treasurer Garrity with a quote that she wanted to share this morning,” Shope said. “From Treasurer Garrity, ‘I congratulate Clinton County Commissioners for making a great decision. PA ABLE empowers Pennsylvanians with disabilities to live more independently by allowing them to save their own money without impacting their eligibility for important benefits; it’s a tremendous program. Giving employees the option to save for disability-related expenses with an automatic payroll deduction will have a dramatic impact, and it’s easy to set up. My team is ready to work with employers,’” he said.

During the “Reports from Elected Officials and Staff” portion of the meeting, several announcements were made. Clinton County Election official Maria Boileau began with an important announcement regarding a change to Lock Haven’s First Ward polling location.

With the Primary Election set for Tuesday, April 23, 2024, Boileau provided important information regarding the change, “At the beginning of this year, we were notified that Lock Haven’s First Ward’s polling place, which was at Hand-In-Hand Hose Fire Company on Henderson Street, is up for sale due to their consolidation, so we’re going to relocate the polling location,” she said. The Clinton County Board of Elections will hold a public hearing on Monday, March 18, at 9:30 a.m. in the 2nd-floor conference room of the Piper Building, located at 2 Piper Way, Suite 300, to consider the change in polling location for Lock Haven’s First Ward.

“The new proposed site is the Lock Haven Regatta Association (formerly Lock Haven Jaycees) meeting place, which is located at the rear of 352 East Water Street in Lock Haven’s First Ward. The space meets the ADA requirements including a ramp to the entrance of the building. We have posted signs at the old site and also at the proposed new location. After the change is approved, the Elections Office will notify all of the Lock Haven First Ward voters and provide new ID cards,” Boileau said.

Boileau reminded voters that on Election Day, polling places are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., and the last day to register to vote or update your voter registration is Monday, April 8. The last day to apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot is Tuesday, April 16. Boileau said anyone with questions is welcome to call 570-893-4019 or email voter@clintoncountypa.gov.

Clinton County Sherriff Kerry Stover attended the meeting to request the use of property around the Piper complex for the third annual “Night Out” event for first responders. “It went very well the first year, and I was worried that we couldn’t improve on it the second year, but I was told that we did, so it’s a tall order, but we’re going to try to keep making things better and have a good “Night Out” for people in the county if you’d allow us to have it here again,” Stover said. In response to Stover’s request, Commissioner Harding replied, “It’s a great event, and we look forward to it,” she said.

Clinton County Director of Emergency Services Jonathan Plessinger was also present at the meeting to provide updates from the Department of Human Services. “We enacted a new software called Prepared Live, which enables our dispatchers to get live video from callers that are calling in for help,” Plessinger said.

The Prepared Live software enables 911 call recipients to send dispatchers a live-streamed video of an emergency. This allows the dispatchers to understand the situation better and send appropriate help. The software also includes a feature that enables dispatchers to exchange text messages with the caller so that they can communicate even in situations where the caller cannot speak. Additionally, the software provides more accurate location information for the caller.

Plessinger explained how the dispatch center will be able to see what’s going on at the location of an emergency, which can include structure fires, wrecks, and CPR. According to Plessinger, dispatchers’ ability to see and assess an emergency situation can improve possible response times and patient care. “If we can see someone actually doing CPR on somebody, we can actually tell them if they’re doing it wrong or need to improve on it,” he said.

Plessinger noted that the county’s Emergency Medical Services will post more information on social media to spread awareness about the software.

In closing, Plessinger mentioned that three full-time positions are currently open at the dispatch center. “We are planning a hiring event or interview event in April, so please watch our Facebook page as well as the county Facebook page for that information, and we’re planning on doing on-site interviews at that event,” he said. To see the Clinton County Department of Emergency Services updates, visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ccdes35/.

The next Clinton County Commissioners meeting will be held on Monday, March 18, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. All meetings are live-streamed on the “Clinton County Government” Facebook page and can also be attended in person in the 2nd-floor conference room of the Piper Building, 2 Piper Way, Suite 300.