An estimated 850 Adams County volunteer fire and nonprofit emergency medical service providers may be able to see a property tax credit of up to $250 beginning with the 2024 tax year. Passed by the PA state legislature in 2021, this voluntary program is not funded, but “it is certainly appropriate to be involved in this effort,” Commissioner Randy Phiel said. The commissioners authorized the public advertisement of a new ordinance at Wednesday’s meeting. If the ordinance is adopted, it will allow volunteers who live and work in Adams County an opportunity to apply for the credit.
Phiel hopes the tax credit will be accepted by those who qualify as recognition for what they are doing. “It’s a small gesture to show how much we appreciate and need them.”
County manager Steve Nevada said the number of current volunteers is a rough estimate because data pertaining to active volunteers and their hours has not historically been kept.
Each volunteer must complete an application that lists their activities between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 of a tax year. By using a point system that reflects specific volunteer events, applicants must earn 50 points to qualify.
Examples include fire or ambulance calls, one point; training and classes, two to five points; and meetings, two to four points. Scheduled work details earn five points, and fire prevention and public education event participation, three to five points.
The chief or manager of the volunteer fire company of an emergency medical service agency must maintain a log of all credited activities and submit them by Jan. 15 following the immediately preceding tax year.
Phiel noted that attracting, training, and retaining volunteers in these areas is difficult and hopes that the tax credit might enhance the process. He said volunteer municipal services of this sort are in the municipalities’ best interests and far cheaper than paid services.
Proclamations
The Gettysburg Chamber of Commerce, domestic violence, and drug take-back day were honored through proclamations.
Issac Bucher, Chair; Bryan Johnson, Vice Chair; Wes Warehime, Treaurer and Maura Herron, Membership represented the Gettysburg Chamber of Commerce and thanked the commissioners for their support of the organization with its recognition of Oct. 18 as Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce Day. The Gettysburg Chamber’s 104th annual meeting will occur on Nov. 9 at the Gettysburg National Military Park & Visitors Center at 4:30 p.m. For more information, go to www.gettysurg-chamber.org or call 717-334-8151.
A second proclamation announced October as Domestic Violence and Awareness Month and Oct. 16 to 21 as Week Without Violence. “Domestic Violence is dire,” said Nancy Lily, Advocacy Director of the YWCA in Gettysburg. Recognizing and supporting survivors of domestic violence and gender-based violence is a joint program between the YWCA of Gettysburg and Adams County and the YWCA Hanover Safe Home.
National Drug Take-Back Day is slated for Oct. 28, with multiple drop-off dispensaries throughout the county. Commissioner Phiel thanked Center for Youth and Development data and prevention specialist Lisa Lindsey and new youth director Lyric Gallagher for their work in creating a safer environment. “When you look in your medicine cabinets, it’s amazing the stuff we have in there.” He suggested that county residents make medicine clean-out a yearly event, especially if they are in households with children and teenagers.
Due to the increase in prescription drug overdoses, there are more fatalities in the United States related to drug overdoses than car crashes. Prescription opioid analgesics cause more overdose deaths than heroin, cocaine, hallucinogens, and inhalants combined. Unused or expired medications, including pet meds, can be disposed of at a local collection site Oct. 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. More information can be found at www.cyfgettysburg.com or by calling 717-338-0300.
Other Board Business
The commissioners approved an application for nearly $200,000 in grant funding to implement and expand the medically assisted treatment program at the ACACC. Made available by the Commonwealth’s 2024 residential substance abuse treatment program, a county match of 25 percent will come from the commissary funds for a total of $259,483. The money will provide additional staff, medication, training, and supplies.
Waste Management of Pennsylvania Inc. has been contracted for solid waste removal from the Adams County Courthouse, human services building, emergency services building, and the Adams County Adult Correctional Center (ACACC) complex. This consolidation of contracts was created to provide a more streamlined approach to waste removal within county service agencies. Annual cost is $34,024.
The county IT department received approval for several technological updates:
- Computer Design and Integration LLC for professional services to assist with network equipment transition and set-ups: $11,600
- Link Computer Corporation for VMWare products that manage servers within the county’s virtual server environment: $21,004
ePlus Technology, Inc., a reseller of Rubrik products, for the purchase of the Rubrik Security Cloud, three-year contract: $222,305
Sideview, LLC of renewal of the county’s license support and maintenance for reporting and analytics app: $1,600
Judith Cameron Seniura is a freelance reporter. She began her journalism career in the early ‘70s and has written for newspapers, magazines, and other media in Ontario, Canada, Alaska, Michigan, Nebraska, San Antonio, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.