Only County-Owned Road Set for Upgrades in Jefferson County After Commissioner Approval

Local News Only County-Owned Road Set for Upgrades in Jefferson County After Commissioner Approval Commissioners award resurfacing contract for Service Center Road while issuing a proclamation recognizing Autism Acceptance Month. exploreJefferson Published April 16, 2026 10:30 am Dr. Mary Tatum Autism Acceptance Month brookville jefferson county pine creek township Road Construction BROOKVILLE, Pa. (EYT) — Tuesday the Jefferson County Commissioners approved a bid to resurface the only county owned road. Article by Randy Bartley The Pine Creek Township road leads from Route 28 and dead ends at the county jail, EMA building and two private businesses. The Service Center Road was named for the now demolished Jefferson County Home. “We received a plethora of bids for the project and Terra Works came in the lowest,” said Economic Development Director Jess Seary. “We are very confident they will be able to complete the work.” Seary said the county received a $260,000 Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Multi-Modal grant and will be using county Liquid Fuels money to finance the balance of the $331,131 Project. The road will be resurfaced and drainage issues will be addressed. The time line for the project will be announced at a later date. Commissioner Scott North extended his gratitude to Rep. Brian Smith and Sen. Cris Dush for helping to secure the funding. “It is all tax money but it is nice to see some of that money returning to the county,” said North. Dr. Mary Tatum, acting CEO of CenClear, addressed the commissioners on Autism Acceptance month. She said the disorder varies in severity from person to person. “You can see people you interact with daily and you would never know that they have autism,” she said. “Back in the day when people heard the word autism they acted like it was the worst thing that could happen,” she said. “Since then there has been so much that we have learned that it is no longer that terrible to hear that about a child.” She said early intervention can really impact how a child succeeds in life. In their proclamation, the commissioners noted that autism affects one in every 31 children including 400,000 individuals in Pennsylvania with an estimated 73,000 children and adults receiving autism services in the state and more than 5.4 million people in the nation. The commissioners proclaimed April to be Autism Acceptance Month in Jefferson County. Elise Grovanz, the administrator for the county’s Community Development Block Grant program, said the county is seeking qualified projects. She said the first public meeting will be held in the Punxsutawney Borough. Punxsutawney is the only entitled municipality in the county to receive funding directly through the program. The county will receive applications for CDBG funding at a public hearing Wednesday April 25 at Jefferson Place in Brookville starting at 5:00 p.m. Grovantz emphasized that the program stresses low to moderate income guidelines. She said the county prioritizes infrastructure projects like water and sewer improvements. The commissioners approved Don Pangallo of Pine Creek Township to the Planning Commission for a four year term. The commissioners appointed the following people to the Jefferson County Library System Board of Directors: Marilyn Mumau, Punxsutawney, Mary Withrow, Sykesville, Richard Faller, Brockway, Denise Dennison, Reynoldsville, Lisa Pozza, Brookville and Mark Humes, Jefferson County Commissioner. Recent Articles State Police Investigate Online Contact With Teen, Business Burglary, Harassment in Jefferson County Lois T. Brady Vehicles Blocking Roadway Lead to Multi-Vehicle Crash in West Mahoning Township Fire Marshal Investigating Blaze That Caused $600,000 in Damage in Sykesville PennDOT Driver’s License, Photo Centers to Close for Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day Holiday Case Against Rossiter Man Accused of Texting Coworker’s Intimate Photos to Himself Advances in Court Community Partner