I served as a township supervisor for ten years and have been asked from time to time if I was interested in running for Lycoming County Commissioner someday. I quickly answer — “No!” Having been an active spectator since 2014, I greatly understand the demands and difficulties that the board of three commissioners must face in an organization that employs over 500 people and has a budget of 100 million dollars. Not only this, but the area of responsibility covers 1,244 square miles, the largest county in land area in Pennsylvania, inhabited by 52 municipalities; a city, nine boroughs, and 42 townships, wrapped around a river, eight major creeks, and vast amounts of woodlands. There are countless priorities such as economic development, housing, transportation, public safety, social welfare, environmental concerns, and much more that must continually be considered and balanced. At times, navigating through this with very limited revenue requires the county commissioners to make very difficult decisions that are also quite unpopular.

This was the case at the commissioners’ meeting on Thursday, June 15, 2017. Commissioners Jack McKernan, Tony Mussare, and Rick Mirabito proposed an ordinance for a $5 fee on every non-exempt vehicle registered in the county. This would then be leveraged into a bond to be used to repair structurally deficient bridges in nineteen different municipalities in Lycoming County. This was critically important as even repairing a small bridge cost upwards of $100,000 or more in necessary permits, studies, engineer designs, actual constructions, inspections, etc., which is a budget buster for almost all townships and boroughs as well as the city of Williamsport.

It was an inspired idea, but not to the average citizen. The backlash was astounding. At that June 2017 meeting, there were many who came to voice their opposition. Tony Mussare noted that he had personally received 33 phone calls urging him not to pass the ordinance. Surprisingly, even at the Lycoming County Association of Township Officials meeting three weeks before, there was a heated discussion with the commissioners about this proposal. Those at the meeting even took a vote on the issue simply to express their sentiments, which barely passed.

The deliberation on that June 15, 2017, commissioners’ meeting went on for an hour. Yet when all the dust settled, the commissioners hung in there and voted unanimously to pass Lycoming County Ordinance 2017-02 for the $5 fee added on to car registrations.

Now, fast forward to the County Commissioners Meeting on Thursday, March 3, 2022, where Austin Daley from the Lycoming County Planning Department made a project update on the first phase of the Lycoming County Bridge Bundling Program. He gave an outstanding overview of the progress being made in the repair of some seventeen locally owned bridges that are being funded through the $7 million PennDOT PIB loan, which is being paid for by Act 13 funds and that $5 local vehicle registration fee.

The multiple bridge repairs were ‘bundled’ to save in costs, and this idea was birthed right here in Lycoming County. The concept is the first of its kind in Pennsylvania, and even though it is a pioneer program, it is already one year ahead of schedule. The result of this initiative will not just result in keeping these bridges in good condition and thus keep these roads open, but also save millions of dollars in costs to these townships in later years as well as savings in taxes to these residents.

And it would have never happened if those three commissioners had not had the courage to stand up to the masses that wanted to keep that $5 in their pocket no matter what.

Since that time, Commissioner Scott Metzger has replaced Jack McKernan, but there was no change in focus. If anything, Scott Metzger has pushed it along even more as an enthusiastic supporter of the initiative.

The military has many ways to recognize outstanding service, and it seems to me that those in local government should be acknowledged as well. So, it is my privilege to present the first Webb Weekly County Hall Corner Distinguished Service Award for “exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility” to Commissioners Jack McKernan, Tony Mussare, and Rick Mirabito for the inauguration of this historically significant project. Commissioner Scott Metzger also deserves an Outstanding Service Award for his leadership in shepherding this critically important agenda forward. To many, this may not seem like such a big deal, but other government entities around the Commonwealth are watching this program develop. It is leadership with a capital L.