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NEWS
Pavlock issues order closing courthouse to public
SMETHPORT — McKean County President Judge John Pavlock has closed the county courthouse and related offices to visitors until April 13. Offices will remain open, with only essential employee staffing. County business will be managed through phone calls, email, internet and by appointment only for anyone who must enter the building. In the McKean County Court of Common Pleas, Pavlock said the court will still process essential business that requires immediate attention. “What it does mean is that we are limiting certain proceedings, particularly those that require group attendance like trials and sentencing and plea days, until April 13,” he explained. “Further, we are limiting the number of employees at the courthouse. Only essential employees are to report to their offices. However, the employees not reporting are required to be available electronically or via telephone to assist with work operations during normal work hours as needed.” Essential business includes emergency legal matters, mental health reviews, bench warrants and detainer hearings, emergency and temporary protection of abuse processing, emergency juvenile dependency and delinquency hearings, emergency guardianships, preliminary hearings for jailed defendants, preliminary arraignments and bail hearings.
File Photo Smethport Court House
The judge reiterated, “The court will continue to function.” Pavlock added that it was “not an easy measure to take. “However, at this point we are being advised by many governmental organizations and leaders to do all that we can to limit interaction between our citizens; and, we are receiving repeated concerns from our citizens about having to appear, such as for jury duty, and interact with others. Therefore, we, like many other counties across the state, felt compelled to step up to this next level of action.” County residents can access many services online including securing dog licenses and registering to vote. The county tax claim office can receive payment for delinquent taxes by mail or over the phone by credit card. Anyone with an inquiry about transactions or business related to the county or courts
Hospital official says COVID-19 likely here By MARCIE SCHELLHAMMER
should place a direct call to that department. All county department direct lines are on the county website. McKean County Commissioner Chair Tom Kreiner said county business will continue. “We will conduct all necessary and essential county business,” he explained. “Business will go on as usual with limited staff in offices as is deemed by department heads and elected officials. In a crisis, we all must work together to ensure the safety of our community while meeting the needs of the citizens.” Any visit to the courthouse must be scheduled in advance with a phone call to the department head. Each office will notify courthouse security of the visitor’s name. All approved visitors will be required to check in and out of the building. Anyone who visits the courthouse with an appointment should not bring any other individuals
or children with them, unless they are on the list submitted to security. McKean County Recorder of Deeds will be closed for public access until April 13. Land records are available online at www.landex. com. Documents will be accepted for recording by mail or by E-Recording. Anne Bosworth, Recorder of Deeds, can be reached by email ACBosworth@ mckeancountypa.org or direct dial phone at 814-887-3250. “At this time, we are conducting all meetings by conference call as much as possible,” said Commissioner Cliff Lane. “Conference call technology will be available for the public to participate in next week’s commissioners meeting, scheduled for Wednesday. State employees may not travel and conferences have been canceled. Locally, we are asking that non-essential meetings be canceled or held by telephone. We must utilize technology at every opportunity.” McKean County Chief Clerk Pamela Burlingame indicated that protocols have been changed by the Office of Open Records regarding Sunshine Laws and Right to Know requests. “The immediate impact is that we must provide two-way communication access to the public for any meetings where official business will take place,” she said. “The county is well-leveraged to maintain
our regular meeting schedule and proceed with essential business.” In a briefing Wednesday morning of county officials, Burlingame was named as the McKean County Public Information Officer to manage news releases to the media. The county will place a legal notice for information regarding next week’s regular bi-monthly commissioners meeting. The media will be notified on how the public may access that meeting. Tracy Carl, director of McKean County emergency services, added, “We are in contact with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and are getting updates every day, if not multiple times in one day. We have taken inventory of our equipment and are doing all we can to meet the needs of our first responders and to monitor any incoming 911 calls as they may be related to COVID 19.” Kreiner added, “The most important thing people can do right now is to work together to reduce the transmission of this virus. We all need to make sure we know the facts, and that we follow the information on social distancing, hand washing and staying home. If you do become ill, you are advised to call your healthcare provider so our hospitals do not get overwhelmed. If we all remain diligent and follow procedures we can ease the burden and preserve our resources.”
Sena Kean Manor helps residents keep in touch with loved ones amidst pandemic
By CHRISTINE HOLTZ SMETHPORT — During the COVID-19 pandemic, staff at An official with Upper Sena Kean Manor have been Allegheny Health System working diligently to make sure said Thursday that he residents are safe, entertained believes COVID-19 is and able to stay connected to already in McKean and loved ones and the community. Cattaraugus counties, but The facility recently started added that isn’t cause for posting pictures on their alarm. Facebook page of residents Jeff Zewe Dr. William Mills, holding signs with handwritten senior vice president of messages to their loved ones. He said UAHS officials quality and professional Many residents wanted people have spoken to U.S. affairs for the parent to know they are safe and a Rep. Glenn Thompson, company of Bradford common theme was reminding Regional Medical Center R-Pa., who said there are community members to wash and Olean (N.Y.) General no positive cases in the their hands. Hospital, told the media in entire 15th district, which Heidi Scrivo Passmore, a call on Thursday that the includes McKean County. director of business He added, too, that hospitals stand ready. development, said they obtained BRMC has not seen “My personal opinion the idea from another facility in the number of cases of is we probably have it the state. sickness that Olean General here now, but I can’t “We thought it would be a guarantee that because of has seen. Laughing, he great way for the residents to the delay in testing,” Mills said, “The hope is maybe share a personal message with the folks in Bradford are a their family and friends, while said. “What we do in the interim, if we have people little smarter than the folks allowing the families to see in Olean and are doing the their loved one and know they we are suspicious of, we social distancing more.” treat them as if they are are alright,” she explained. “We On a serious note, COVID-19 positive. We also thought it would give our Mills said if the virus is have none yet because residents an additional form of in the community, it isn’t we don’t have that entertainment and provide an prevalent to the extent that confirmation, but we have additional activity for them to people who most likely do the community should participate in.” be worried. He added have it.” Passmore noted staff at the again that people should There are 96 facility are working hard to follow the CDC rules for people quarantined in engage residents individually or Cattaraugus County, Mills social distancing and hand in groups of two or three. washing as a precautionary said, but added that the “We are playing cards, doing measure. Pennsylvania Department puzzles, special arts and craft Testing is still being of Health does not release projects,” she said. “We are performed through the specific numbers about delivering special treats to their states’ departments of quarantines or patients rooms and we have a coffee/ who have been tested and health, he explained, and drink cart that goes around a may be waiting on results. tests are in short supply. couple times a day.” In addition, staff is helping
Submitted Photo Patty Pratt, resident at Sena Kean Manor, holds up a sign with a message to her loved ones.
residents call home so they can speak to their families. Some family members have even stopped by to get a glimpse of their loved ones. “We have family members that have stopped and peeked in a window to see their loved one,” Passmore said. “On Saturday, we opened the window enough for an “I love you” exchange.” To keep residents safe and healthy, the facility is requiring all staff to sign-in when they arrive and complete a screening tool related to any exposure or health issue. In addition, they must also take their temperature before starting their shift. “We then have nurses assigned each shift to monitor for any change in condition of a staff member,” Passmore explained. “We are closely monitoring the health of each of our residents
and taking their vitals, including temperature every day. However, if a resident would present with any sign or symptom of illness, they are moved to a private room when available and monitored more closely.” The facility’s infection preventionist is also in daily contact with the Department of Health and is “continuously monitoring updates, recommendations and guidance from The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” Passmore said they regularly receive updated information from the aforementioned centers, at times hourly. Until further notice, the agency is requesting that all visitors refrain from visiting to ensure the safety of the residents.