Clinton County Commissioner’s Meeting Recap: October Proclaimed Domestic Violence Awareness Month, 2024 Audit Results Show Strong Financial Health
By Emily Wright
LOCK HAVEN – The Clinton County Commissioners tackled a full agenda at their meeting on Thursday, October 2, 2025. Representatives from the auditing firm Zelenkofske Axelrod LLC presented the 2024 audit results, highlighting the county’s stable financial condition. The commissioners also declared October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and heard from Rayne Burgin of Roads To Peace during the meeting. At the end of the meeting, Commissioner Jeff Snyder expressed his disapproval of the county’s recent real estate tax upset sale, claiming that late and inaccurate notifications for the tax sale prevented certain properties from being sold, resulting in a loss of tax revenue for the year.
The meeting began with two representatives from Zelenkofske Axelrod LLC, who shared positive findings from the 2024 audit of Clinton County. Their report brought reassuring news for taxpayers. “We’re happy to say, the 2024 financial statement was an unmodified opinion; that’s the highest level of assurance they can give you,” they announced. The auditors noted that, even though pandemic relief funds had ended, the county’s financial health remained strong, citing a $7.6 million increase in net position, a $3.5 million increase in unrestricted net position, and a $6.3 million rise in capital assets.
The auditors reported that the county’s General Fund balance stood at approximately $18.7 million as of the end of 2024, reflecting a decrease of approximately $1 million from the previous year. “I think the key message is the financial strength improved in 2024,” one of the auditors summarized. Another notable achievement for the county was a rare positive shift in its pension fund, which reportedly moved from being a liability in 2023 to an asset in 2024.
While expenditures increased in certain areas—most notably, prison costs, which rose by approximately $800,000 in 2024—human services spending decreased due to the end of pandemic-related funding. The auditors noted that this trend is common among counties across the state. The auditors also mentioned a “repeat finding for bank reconciliations,” although they did not discuss the details of the finding or its implications.
The board unanimously adopted Proclamation No. 15 of 2025, officially designating October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Clinton County. Commissioner Angela Harding read the proclamation, which affirmed that “domestic violence is a serious crime that affects people of all demographics,” and emphasized the need for collective action: “Only a coordinated community effort will put a stop to this crime. Now, therefore, we the Clinton County Board of Commissioners, do hereby proclaim the month of October 2025 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Clinton County, and urge all citizens to actively participate in Roads to Peace scheduled events, programs, and to work towards the elimination of intimate partner crime and violence against all community members.”
Commissioner Harding, reading from the proclamation, provided sobering local statistics on domestic violence incidents: “Roads to Peace received 440 hotline calls and provided emergency safe shelter to 50 survivors, for a total of 1,903 nights of shelter.”
Rayne Burgin, Prevention Education & Outreach Medical Advocate at Roads to Peace in Lock Haven, attended the meeting to receive the proclamation and briefly addressed both the board and the community. “Even though Domestic Violence Month is only a month, it is important to remember that domestic violence affects people year-round, and it doesn’t stop and wait for October,” Burgin said.
Providing insight into a victim’s perspective, Burgin explained that abusers often use tactics such as “isolating the victim from their support system” in order to exert control. She stressed to everyone at the meeting and those watching it remotely, “You are never alone; not in your experience, and not in support. As you’ve heard with the statistics that the commissioners read, domestic violence is common, even in our community. Roads To Peace can offer those experiencing domestic violence help. We have a free and confidential 24/7 helpline available at 570-748-9509.” Burgin continued, reminding the public that anyone experiencing domestic violence or who is concerned about someone else can call Roads To Peace just to talk about what they’re experiencing, learn about how to help another person experiencing domestic violence, and more, highlighting the supportive resources available at Roads To Peace.
Burgin also shared that every October, Roads To Peace hosts a domestic violence vigil in remembrance of those in Clinton County who have lost their lives to domestic violence. This year’s vigil will be held at Triangle Park on Friday, October 24, at 6:00 p.m. Reflecting on the event, Burgin remarked, “It’s somber; it’s not fun, but it’s important to remember those we’ve lost in our communities to such senseless final acts of control and violence enacted on those victims. Their lives mattered, and we keep them alive through our memory and our work to make sure this happens to no one else.”
Later in the meeting, Commissioner Harding shared additional sobering statistics on domestic violence incidents in Clinton County. She explained that the commissioners meet monthly with Jonathon Plessinger, Director of the Clinton County Department of Emergency Services (DES), who provides the board with data on severe domestic violence cases that have occurred throughout the month and year. Among the information provided is the number of domestic violence calls received by the Clinton County DES. “Just for September alone, our 911 center received 40 calls for domestic violence; that’s over one call per day, and year to date, beginning January 1, 2025, we had 364 domestic violence calls here in Clinton County,” Harding reported. She concluded with a strong call to action: “I think that we need to take a stand, and we need to stand up for those that are enduring this type of abuse,” she emphasized. “I stand in solidarity with those that are doing the work to fight against that.”
For anyone in the county impacted by domestic violence or seeking resources and support, free and confidential help is available 24/7 from the dedicated team at Roads to Peace. The Roads to Peace Helpline can be reached at 570-748-9509, and resources and helpful information are available online at www.roadstopeace.org. For the latest updates and initiatives, follow Roads to Peace on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RoadsToPeace1979. Roads to Peace is located at 34 W. Main Street in Lock Haven, and hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The commissioners then proceeded to approve six separate resolutions, all of which pertained to the county’s application for the 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). These resolutions addressed program administration, citizen participation, financial management, access, procurement, and compliance requirements. Although no further details were discussed after the board unanimously approved each resolution, Commissioner Harding clarified, “We did have a public hearing prior to this meeting, at which we reviewed all those resolutions and had an opportunity to ask questions, and so we’re looking forward to working with SEDA-COG and our planning department’s role in the CDBG.”
CDBG grants play a crucial role in community development for Pennsylvania counties by providing financial support for projects such as housing rehabilitation, public infrastructure improvements, and essential services for low- and moderate-income residents. According to the 2024 audit presented earlier in the meeting, CDBG funding increased by approximately $1.8 million over the previous year, making up a significant share of the county’s financial resources. The audit also noted that there were no compliance findings, confirming that the county’s financial statements related to CDBG funds were accurate, complete, and managed properly.
Also on the agenda was a trio of three-year inmate housing agreements at the Clinton County Correctional Facility, which the board approved unanimously without further comment. Mifflin, Lycoming, and Schuylkill Counties will pay $73 per inmate, per day, effective October 2, 2025.
The meeting ended with Commissioner Snyder read a prepared statement that highlighted major challenges with the recent county real estate tax upset sale and emphasized the importance of issuing timely notices to avoid losses in tax revenue.
Snyder reported that out of the 23 properties originally listed for the sale, only 15 ultimately returned to the tax rolls, with some sold at their base cost and others fetching higher values. Prior to the sale, two properties were removed from the list, eight received no bids, five were sold at cost, and eight others were sold for amounts above cost.
“These sales are very important to the county,” Commissioner Snyder stressed. “Last year, the current real estate taxes contributed $13,379,563 to the county’s budget of $55.4 million. Unfortunately, there are $730,000 in delinquent taxes,” he noted. Snyder voiced strong concerns about the tax claim process, stating, “It is imperative that the county treasurer, who has compensated $8,988 to be the tax claim director, make sure that the notices for the tax upset sales are sent out accurately in a timely fashion. Unfortunately, that has not been the case, because the notices were not sent out in a timely fashion. A number of the properties were not able to be offered at the upset sale.”
Snyder also reported that thousands of tax dollars were spent on overtime for deputy sheriffs to ensure the properties were posted within the legally required timeframe. “Because these properties were not legally allowed to be included in the sale, no tax revenue will be generated from these properties for another year. This loss of revenue could result in the county having to raise taxes, and that’s not something that the commissioners wish to do,” he said.
Snyder concluded by stating that the commissioners “will decide in January 2026 if it is in the best interest of the county taxpayers to reassign the duties of the tax claim director.”
Treasurer Michelle Kunes, who was present at the meeting, took to the podium to address the board, defending her office’s handling of the tax sale process. She explained that the complexities involved in property notification, especially when records are inaccurate, have contributed to procedural delays. She pointed out specific issues with trailer properties, noting that some owners had not updated assessment records following demolitions, which made proper notification impossible. “Some properties could not be notified properly with posters because being trailers. They do not go to the assessment office and let them know that there are no trailers there— that they have been torn down,” Kunes explained. “I am just now getting exonerations to take them off the tax rolls.”
Kunes explained that her office had contacted residents of the trailer park where the affected properties are located in order to obtain an updated list of the new property owners. “We still had all [the] old names, and you cannot sell if the proper owner is not notified,” she clarified.
As for the posting of notices, Kunes noted that there were three or four properties for which posters were never printed for unknown reasons. She also pointed out ongoing issues with notifications that were invalidated. “It has to do with the company that prints the posters and the certified mailers, and the certified mailers are supposed to be signed by the homeowner only,” she said. “When they’re returned to us, our security personnel are signing the cards, so it’s showing that there is a signature, but when I go in to see the signature, it is not the homeowner’s signature, so again, they’re not being notified properly.”
Kunes emphasized that properties removed from the sale do not represent a total loss, noting that the owners of those properties still paid their taxes. “Some were paid before the sale,” she explained, “and the day of the sale, they came in that morning or they came in that afternoon. They can still pay their taxes even if it didn’t sell— it doesn’t stop them from paying, and there are fees added on for the sheriff’s cost for advertising.”
Commissioner Harding questioned Treasurer Kunes about the timeline for initiating the sale process, specifically regarding property discovery, determining ownership, and ordering posters. “What does that timeline look like, and do you follow that same timeline each year?” Harding asked.
Kunes acknowledged ongoing challenges and explained the complex process of sending certified mailers, tracking property ownership, and handling returned mail. “When we send out these certified mailers before the sheriff’s go and post, it has to go out in the mail, certified— they’re the ones that we have to get signatures— they come back to us, and we have to look for a new address,” Kunes explained. She noted that her office maintains a comprehensive log for tracking property owners, including information about heirs and deceased owners.
Harding noted that notification issues had occurred in previous years and asked Kunes whether she was allowing sufficient time to complete the process on schedule. In response, Kunes mentioned her efforts to cut costs that are accrued in the process, specifically the expenses related to mailing certified notifications, which had previously influenced the timeline.
While trying to be mindful of cost savings related to certified mail notifications, Kunes explained that the mailings for properties with owners who have been known to pay at the last minute were delayed. “I’m going to say we’re going to start earlier. I mean, I’m starting in March, but there again, I was trying to save because there’s going to be more mailers that go out even though people pay,” she explained.
In closing, Commissioner Snyder stated, “We appreciate your response; we’ll continue to look into it. What I’m referring to is the waste of tax dollars, though, with the information we’ve been given,” he said. “Because [of] the timeliness, the deputy sheriff’s budget has incurred tens of thousands of dollars in overtime.”
The next meeting of the Clinton County Commissioners is scheduled for Monday, October 13, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Meetings are held in the second-floor conference room of the Piper Building, located at 2 Piper Way in Lock Haven. For those unable to attend in person, meetings are also livestreamed on the “Clinton County Government” Facebook page. The meeting agenda will be posted on the Facebook page within 24 hours before each meeting.
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 by 9:00 a.m. on the day of the meeting via email to commissioners@clintoncountypa.gov. To schedule a presentation for a Monday work session meeting, please contact Chief Operating Officer/Chief Clerk Desiree Myers at dmyers@clintoncountypa.gov.
