BY STACI WILSON

The County Commissioners wrestled with questions at the March 11 meeting about the sudden resignation of the county’s voter registrar the week before.

Commissioners Michael Giangrieco and MaryAnn Warren ratified the acceptance of Laura Watts from Voter Registration, effective close of business March 4.
Commissioner Alan Hall was absent from the meeting.

Upon questioning from audience members, Giangrieco said it was a personnel matter and he would not discuss it. He added that the position has not been filled.
Watts resignation came just days before the deadline for candidates to file petitions to appear on the ballot for the May 19 primary.

Audience member Rick Ainey suggested a conflict could exist with the county commissioners hiring someone for the post during an election year where two of the three incumbents are seeking re-election.

Giangrieco said the county solicitor was asked for his legal opinion and said that there was no conflict.

Ainey suggested the election board could recommend a candidate for appointment by the commissioners.

Giangrieco said the party chairs in the county could also seek an opinion on the hiring process.

During a commissioner election year, the election board is comprised of appointed people from the party of the incumbent commissioners. In other election years, the commissioners also serve as members of the board of elections.

Giangrieco is not seeking re-election but has opted to have someone appointed in his stead to the board.

Ainey said he is concerned about the appearance that whoever is hired by the commissioners could throw the election somehow in favor of a candidate.

Edna Paskoff, a Republican candidate for a commissioner seat, asked why a legal opinion was sought from the county solicitor and not from the state election board in Harrisburg.

Giangrieco also pointed out that the county code spells out the way the election board is appointed in commissioner election years.

Paskoff asked the commissioner for a copy of the code which Giangrieco said he would not get for her.

A resolution calling for a one-month burn ban in the county was tabled by the commissioners. If adopted, the ban would have gone into effect March 21.
“Every year we go through this,” Giangrieco said. “How do we know we need a burn ban? What if it rains everyday?”

The burn ban request comes to the commissioners if over half of the fire chiefs in the county request a ban. There are 18 fire departments in Susquehanna County.
The commissioner wanted more information about the actual timeline requirements needed in order to enact a ban.

It is expected the county will revisit the issue at the March 25 meeting.

The commissioners signed the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery Program agreement in the amount of $358,950 for flood drainage improvements.

The pass-through funding is administered for the county by the Susquehanna County Housing and Redevelopment Authority and will go to the Tri-Boro Municipal Authority for updates needed to the sewer service for Lanesboro, Susquehanna and Oakland.

In other business, Molly Edwards, of Susquehanna, was hired to the position of Human Resources Clerk, effective March 12.