(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)
The next several days in and around the Beaver County Courthouse are going to be busier than usual, as was discussed at the November 2 work session for the Beaver County Commissioners.
Public Works director Dan Colville pointed to several projects that the DPW will be taking on from now until the end of December; the most immediate of which will be the duct cleaning taking place at the courthouse beginning on Thursday evening. A massive crane will be transporting parts to the roof of the County Courthouse, which will block off Market Street from (tentatively) Thursday evening through Sunday.
“That road is going to ultimately be blocked off, that parking lot’s going to be blocked off, [and] the doors over there are going to be blocked off as well,” stated Solicitor Garen Fedeles. “So anyone parking or utilizing those doors or coming in from that area…you’re going to be affected on Friday coming into the courthouse.”
Treasurer Sandie Egley gave updates on the high amount of paperwork in the Treasurer’s Office heading toward the end of 2022, including about 10,000 mailed reminders to County residents who have yet to pay their 2022 taxes. “That is about the same number as we mailed out last year,” Egley said, “so we’re hoping to end around the 95% collection rate, so we’re on target for that.” Egley also mentioned that 16,000 dog licenses will be mailed out over the next two weeks, and that the renewal period begins in December. Lastly, Egley stated that she will work with the Commissioners on the second week of December to set fee dates and deadlines for the 2023 tax season.
Solicitor Fedeles echoed the recent decision made by Pennsylvania’s high court in regards to mail-in ballots without proper dates or signatures, and that those ballots will be separated and NOT counted. According to Commissioner Chairman Dan Camp, “We have 75 with no date, 75 that are wrongly dated, and 10 with no signature…so 160 roughly right now.” Fedeles mentioned that the County has received approximately 12,000 mail-in ballots so far. It was also announced that the main entrance to the County Courthouse would be closed on Election Day.
No official announcement was made in regards to whether the next work session would be held on the Wednesday following Election Day on November 9.