Abolition of Jury Commissioners, and impromptu comments about Marcellus Shale drilling highlight the Feb 8, 2012 Pike County Commissioners Meeting.
In keeping with Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Act 108 of 2011, passed last year., the commissioners voted on and approved a resolution (12-05) to abolish the office of Jury Commissioners. The act, as stated in PA HB 1644, “After review of the procedures in effect within the county to ensure that lists of potential jurors are a representative cross section of the community, the governing body of a county of the second class A or third through eight class may adopt, by a majority vote, a resolution abolishing the Office of Jury Commissioners. Upon approval of the resolution, the Office of Jury Commissioners shall expire at the completion of the current Jury Commissioners' terms of office. The resolution shall not be passed in any year in which the Office of Jury Commissioners is on the ballot.”
“This is an archaic position,” commented Commissioner Rich Caridi. He cited the fact that today's technology, which made jury selection for the courts at the courts, made the Jury Commissioners' duties obsolete. Commissioner Karl Wagner agreed, repeating that the “court does it and the Jury Commissioners aren't needed.”
On the agenda was payment of County bills ($375,301.94), payment form Bond Series B for EMS Building ($139,390.20), Act 8 Funding for ArchInfo Maintenance and Assessment scanning ($14,831.80), Hotel Tax funding for February Lock Data web hosting ($475.00), payment to the Pike County Employees Health Insurance fund ($57,710.10), payment from the EMS Communication Grant ($128,556.00) and payment from the AG Land Preservation Program Operating Account for the ShopLocal sponsorship – as recommended by the AG Preservation Board - ($1,000.00).
Motion was made to advertise bids for the sale of 4 vehicles (makes, models and VINs available through the Commissioners' office).
During the press and public comment portion of the meeting, a question from local media in attendance was posed about the Marcellus Shale impact fee and how it would play out in Pike County. Commissioner Rich Caridi was very vocal in his opinions of both the impact fee and the role of Pike County in the Marcellus Shale debates.
"Its not happening,” Caridi said of the impact fees. He spoke of how Pike County has no wells, would not benefit from the project but would be burdened with all the responsibilities – pipeline right of way maintenance, spill containment, etc. “I don't know why the state would saddle the counties with unfunded mandates," expressed Commissioner Caridi. "I'm tired of the state putting undue burdens on the counties.”
Caridi said the burden of the fees should be on the state and not the counties. And he publicly thanked Sen. Lisa Baker (R-20) for her support of the counties' rights and her opposition to the bill.
Of the bill, which passed the PA Senate Bill 1100 (31-19), Sen. Baker stated “I respect the intensive effort and good intentions that went into putting together this compromise. However, the goal was not just to reach a political consensus. It was to reach agreement on provisions that would sufficiently satisfy serious concerns that people expressed. After all the time I have spent speaking with local officials, landowners, environmentalists and anyone else with a point of view on the issue, I am not certain these issues have been sufficiently addressed.”
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