Potter County Today

A workshop titled “How to Start and Finance Your Business” will be conducted by Clarion University’s Small Business Development Center on Wednesday, Sept. 27, from 9 am to 12:30 pm at the Potter County Education Center on Water Street in Coudersport. Topics will include financing, license and tax information, business planning, regulations, research tools, available resources and other factors to consider. Cost is $20 and registration is required. To learn more or to sign up, call 1-877-292-1843.

Pennsylvania Bureau of Consumer Protection advises telephone customers that they can limit the number of unsolicited calls they receive by signing up for the Do Not Call Program. A list of phone numbers is updated and provided to telemarketers on a quarterly basis. Telemarketers in Pennsylvania are required to purchase this list and must remove every name on it within 30 days. If they don’t, they can be fined up to $3,000. If they get caught a second time, the sanctions are stiffer. There are two ways to register your home phone and cell phone numbers. You can call 1-888-382-1222 or you can visit the website, donotcall.gov.  Your name will remain on the Do Not Call list for five years. After this time, you will need to re-register.

Exceptions are made for calls in response to a consumer’s previously expressed request; calls made in reference to a debt, contract, payment or performance; established business relationships and calls made on behalf of a tax-exempt charitable or fraternal organization, veterans organization, political group or candidate.

Businesses in several Potter County communities may be eligible for funding to help pay for cosmetic improvements under a grant being administered by the Pennsylvania Route 6 Alliance and the Pennsylvania Wilds organization. Maximum grant is $5,000 and must be matched dollar-for-dollar by the property owner. Included in the “regional façade improvement program” are Galeton, Coudersport, Austin and Ulysses boroughs, as well as the townships of Roulette, Eulalia, Sweden, Ulysses and Pike. Those interested in learning more are invited to attend a public meeting at 10 am Wednesday, Sept. 20, at the Gunzburger Building in Coudersport.

“To attract visitors and most other kinds of investment, communities need to appear welcoming,” said Pa. Wilds Center executive director Ta Enos. “This program helps communities achieve that.” Eligible types of restoration activities include design assistance, paint, signs and repair or replacement of awnings. More information is available from the Pennsylvania Route 6 Alliance office in Galeton, telephone 814-435-7706.

Hundreds of people are directly affected by programs offered by Potter County Human Services (PCHS), but few take the opportunity to provide input on how those services are delivered. An Advisory Board that’s in place to accommodate public comments and suggestions will hold its next meeting on Thursday, Sept. 21, at 5:30 pm in the PCHS building at Roulette. PCHS operates programs for victims of alcoholism and other drug abuse, older citizens, the mentally ill, children who are at risk, and the intellectually disabled. Advisory board members are appointed by the Potter County Board of Commissioners. Anyone interested in being considered for appointment to the board should contact the Commissioners Office at 274-8290, extension 207.

During the board’s most recent meeting, members reviewed the Children & Youth Services Department, which experienced a decrease from 77 abuse reports in 2015 to 65 last year. Some of the cases that were investigated were determined to be unsubstantiated, according to director Joy Glassmire. This could be the result of misinformation, false reporting/retaliation, the application of discipline that did not meet the criteria for abuse, or other factors. Glassmire discussed many other elements of the C&YS program that support the safety and well-being of Potter County’s children and she complimented her staff for its dedication to that mission.

Also at the most recent meeting, members discussed changes in the Medical Assistance Transportation Program and other transportation challenges that are inherent in a rural, low-population county. There was also discussion of trends in drug and alcohol abuse services.

Members attending were Susan Valentine, Bob Wicker, Norman Weeks and LeAnne Brodhun.

A videoconferencing system is now operating at the Potter County Jail. It’s expected to reduce costs, enhance communications and improve access to services for inmates who are diagnosed with mental illness or other behavioral health issues. The system’s $4,100 cost was covered by state grants and installation was completed in-house. County maintenance director Joe Kurtz and information technology director Bill Solomon worked with jail management to develop and interconnect the videoconference facility. Experiences in other county jails have demonstrated that the conferencing technology cuts down on transportation costs that would otherwise be incurred for in-person court appearances. The system will also be used for attorney/client communications, criminal conferences involving prosecutors and defense lawyers, and inmate consultation with therapists, counselors and other service providers. Videoconferencing can also be used for family visitation. The Potter County Criminal Justice Advisory Board approved the plan to seek funding for the system, with concurrence by Judge Stephen Minor, District Attorney Andy Watson, Jail Warden Glenn Drake and Deputy Warden Angela Milford. The project was also supported by Commissioners Doug Morley, Susan Kefover and Paul Heimel. Colleen Wilber, the county’s director of drug and alcohol services, secured the funding and developed the operational plan.