Jun 19, 2014 3 min read

• Date: June 16

• Action: Board members approved an oil and gas lease with Range Resources for 26.765 acres on Wylandville School property. The agreement includes an upfront payment of $5,000 per acre, which totals $133,825 for the district. The district also will receive an 18 percent royalty payment on production.

The board voted to resolve two outstanding tax assessment appeals at a cost of $12,000 and $28,000.

The board presented the Governor’s Proclamation of Excellence in Pennsylvania award to high school Principal Dave Helinski and Muse Elementary School Principal Tom Theodore. The two schools had Student Performance Profile scores of at least 90 percent.

Middle school students Ethan Hopf, Samuel O’Bryan, Clinton O’Shell and Robby Sanders were recognized for receiving first place in the state eCybermission competition. The students focused on a town comparable to Canonsburg and compared alternative energy sources to natural gas.

The board announced Wylandville Elementary School will receive a $20,000 grant from the Allegheny Intermediate Unit’s Center for Creativity to support the school’s “Living Classroom.”

The board accepted a $2,750 grant from the Ernest Q. Johnson Fund to help defray the cost of purchasing computer parts for the middle school.

The board voted to continue a facility agreement with YMCA for the 2014-15 school year at a cost of $5,000.

The board voted to engage with PNC and Susquehanna Group Advisors regarding financial planning for new projects.

• Next meeting: 7 p.m. Aug. 11 at the administration building

• Date: June 19

• Action: At the request of court administration, the commissioners approved contracts for David Rundquist and Elena Duronio as child custody conference officers at a rate of $200 per case, not to exceed $21,500 for the calendar year.

At the request of the Elections Department, the county will reimburse out-of-district pollworkers for mileage when traveling to and from their assigned polling places.

At the request of the Planning Commission, the board approved two division orders with Range Resources for Avella Land Ventures for a well pad not in Cross Creek County Park.

The coroner’s office has named Scott E. Learn as forensic dentist. The cost of his services are not to exceed $5,000 per calendar year, according to his agreement with the county.

As expected, the commissioners adopted a resolution in favor of a grant application to the Department of Community and Economic Development for $980,737 of state taxpayers’ money through the state Department of Transportation for enlargement of the trolley platform and pedestrian bridge at the Washington County fairgrounds. The county plans to match $220,000 from the Arden-area gas lease revenues.

The commissioners approved an agreement with the Greater Washington County Food Bank for an estimated $37,000 through Sept. 30, 2016, from the federal Department of Agriculture’s Emergency Food Assistance Program.

The commissioners announced that all county offices will be closed July 4 for Independence Day.

• Travel: At the request of the Public Safety Department, the board approved Jonathan Madaras’ and Michael Jurick’s trip to Pueblo, Colo., for the Highway Emergency Response Specialist Course. Costs are estimated at $5,200.

• Next meeting: 10 a.m. July 17 in the public meeting room of the Courthouse Square office building