Commissioner settle tax appeal with Ward Mftng.

The plant had an assessed value of $3.4 million at the last assessment in 2001. Since then, the county’s Common Level Ratio has changed to 51.6, meaning the 2001 value represents 51.6% of the property’s actual value. When that was applied, that put the value of the plant at $5 million.

For the appeal, both the property owner, county, municipality and school district secured assessments. All came in roughly at the same amount, about $2 million.

“The value of that property has not kept up with the current market value,” Zeyn said.

The change in assessed value reduced Ward’s tax bill by about $68,000 a year, roughly $15,000 for the county, $8,400 for the township and $43,000 for the school district.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Approved a request from SAM, Inc. to use The Green May 13 for a child abuse prevention event.
• Awarded support for the ACT Work Ready Communities initiative through Develop Tioga (see related story on page ?A).
• Approved a four-year union contract with the Tioga County Court Employees Association for both professional and non-professional employees.
• Approved a low phone bid of $5,200 from J.S. General Contracting to repair the courthouse damaged by a vehicle.
• Approved a one-year preventative maintenance service agreement with Van Hook Service Co., Inc. for HVAC at the courthouse, armory, document retention building, Tokishi building, human services (Endurance) building and prison for $6,100.
• Approved a one-year preventative maintenance service agreement with McClure Co. for HVAC at the human services (Strength) building, $1,280; the emergency services building, $4,640; and seven tower sites, $3,750.
• Approved a proposal from Dauphin DataCom for eight wall phones for use by inmates at the Tioga County Prison for $5,569.60. The phones are vandal resistant and were not included in the original purchase. Act 13 impact fees will be used to cover the purchase.
• Approved a change order from CBF Contracting, Inc. for the Highland Chocolates building project for $11,875 to install a concrete sidewalk and supply and install exterior steel handrails to the decks, ramps and steps.