Reimbursement

WAYNESBORO, PA. -- Franklin County, Pa., submitted a detailed application to have snow-removal costs from February reimbursed by the federal government. The application was completed in early March, but additional work must be completed with it, Emergency Services Director Dave Donohue said. Notification about the reimbursement amount probably will take a few months, he said. "Between everyone, the county and municipalities, we submitted just under $800,000," Donohue said.

A discussion about reimbursing city officials for their expenses was switched from closed session to open session at Tuesday's Hagerstown City Council meeting, but nothing was resolved. It was one of two topics scheduled to be part of a private executive session. Councilman Lewis C. Metzner made a motion to discuss only the reimbursement issue in executive session - then announced that he would vote against his own motion. Metzner explained to his confused colleagues that he purposely wanted the motion to be considered so it could be defeated - which it was, unanimously.

By LAURA ERNDE Staff Writer For years, Tri-State area victims of fire could count on their local fire department's help without getting billed for that service. But these days, as volunteer fire companies look for new and creative ways to make ends meet, the idea of billing is no longer a taboo subject. Some area fire companies are considering seeking reimbursement through insurance companies. And many fire companies in the Tri-State area are already trying to get paid back for incidents involving hazardous materials.

Visitor Bureau seeks reimbursement By SCOTT BUTKI / Staff Writer The Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau wants to be at least partially reimbursed for expenses it will incur for a convention to be held in Hagerstown, the bureau's executive director said Monday. The Convention and Visitors Bureau is asking the Washington County Commissioners for funds in addition to those it receives from the hotel-motel tax, Bureau Executive Director Ben Hart said.

waynesboro@herald-mail.com WAYNESBORO, Pa. - The Waynesboro Area School Board has authorized the architect for its $40 million high school renovation project to ask the state for an additional $1 million reimbursement. The board already was approved for about a $12 million reimbursement from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, according to Larry Glenn, school board president. Reimbursement is based on the number of students in a school compared to the available instructional space, said Barry Dallara, superintendent of Waynesboro Area School District.

HAGERSTOWN - Robert Shipley once drove 6,000 miles a year on behalf of the organizations for which he volunteers. He claims the mileage on his income tax return, but that doesn't help much, he said. A bill introduced this week in the U.S. Senate would give the IRS discretion to raise the mileage deduction rate that Shipley and others like him would be able to claim on their returns. Under current law, mileage rates for charitable activity are fixed under the Internal Revenue Code at 14 cents per mile, according to a news release from the office of Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Md.

One Franklin County, Pa., municipality will be getting flashing lights to protect pedestrians, while another continues to wait for state reimbursement years after installing a set of lights. The Borough of Waynesboro will soon buy materials needed to install sets of flashing lights at pedestrian crosswalks. The $87,900 project will place the lights at the intersections of Sunnyside Avenue and East Main Street, Fairview Avenue and West Main Street, South Potomac and Gay streets, and South Potomac and West Second streets.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - A process that could lead to the construction of another new elementary school in the Chambersburg Area School District took a step forward this week with a public hearing on the purchase of 10 acres of land in Greene Township. The Plancon C hearing held Wednesday is required if the district is to receive reimbursement for the acquisition and site development costs for the property, which is adjacent to the north side of the 10-acre Grandview Elementary School site on the 5500 block of Cumberland Highway.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. -- Tackling renovations to the Franklin County Career and Technology Center and construction of an academic wing for the Chambersburg Area School District as one project instead of two could lower costs and increase state reimbursement, but Chambersburg officials say much homework lies ahead. "There is a way to do it under the (Franklin County) Technical School Authority ... to save local taxpayer dollars for all the school districts," Chambersburg Business Manager Rick Vensel said Wednesday.

It cost about $96,000 to shelter, feed and transport eight state lawmakers representing Washington County during the last legislative session in Annapolis. All eight members of the Washington County delegation to the Maryland General Assembly were reimbursed for hotel rooms or private homes they rented, according to state guidelines. Del. Andrew A. Serafini, R-Washington, was the only local state representative not to ask for reimbursement for travel and food costs during the session, passing up potentially thousands of dollars.

The Franklin County (Pa.) Commissioners are expected to enter into an agreement this week with Waynesboro's New Hope Shelter to reimburse the shelter for services it provides to people being released from jail. The homeless shelter takes in Franklin County Jail inmates who do not have approved housing plans when they are ready to be released. Once there, the individuals receive not only meals and beds, but also job-readiness training, life skills instruction and one-on-one counseling.

One Franklin County, Pa., municipality will be getting flashing lights to protect pedestrians, while another continues to wait for state reimbursement years after installing a set of lights. The Borough of Waynesboro will soon buy materials needed to install sets of flashing lights at pedestrian crosswalks. The $87,900 project will place the lights at the intersections of Sunnyside Avenue and East Main Street, Fairview Avenue and West Main Street, South Potomac and Gay streets, and South Potomac and West Second streets.

It cost about $96,000 to shelter, feed and transport eight state lawmakers representing Washington County during the last legislative session in Annapolis. All eight members of the Washington County delegation to the Maryland General Assembly were reimbursed for hotel rooms or private homes they rented, according to state guidelines. Del. Andrew A. Serafini, R-Washington, was the only local state representative not to ask for reimbursement for travel and food costs during the session, passing up potentially thousands of dollars.

The John R. Marsh Cancer Center in Washington County is in a unique position. It’s part of Meritus Health, but isn’t at the hospital, and therefore doesn’t qualify for Medicaid reimbursement. Del. John P. Donoghue, D-Washington, presented a bill on Tuesday to change that, making a “provider-based outpatient oncology center” eligible for reimbursement at a percentage of the applicable Medicare rate. According to Raymond A. Grahe, Meritus Health’s vice president for financial services, who spoke during the hearing, the center had $2.6 million in charges during the last six years that were considered “charity care” because the system wasn’t reimbursed.

The smaller winter storms that blanketed Washington County recently might be more tolerable than last winter's blizzards, but they are threatening local snow-removal budgets. Based on midwinter assessments, some governmental jurisdictions are likely to exceed fiscal year 2011 budgeted expenses for materials needed to keep streets passable. "Small storm or big storm, you have to treat the roads," said Eric Deike, Hagerstown's manager of public works. Many jurisdictions exceeded or doubled budgeted expenses for snow removal last winter.

About $16,000 that was overspent by the Morgan County Partnership will be paid back to the Morgan County Commission. At the Morgan County Commission meeting Thursday, Morgan County Partnership Board President David Ambrose said the discrepancy was found in funds from the Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grants (SPF SIG) that totaled $552,000 in a five-year period. The funds are used to run the partnership. Ambrose said the partnership will pay back the commission by the end of December.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. -- The Washington Township Supervisors during a workshop session on Wednesday explored options for dealing with a projected general fund budget shortfall of $300,000 this year, as well as ways to cut costs in 2011. The projected shortfall is due primarily to reductions in earned income and real estate transfer tax revenues, according to Township Manager Mike Christopher. If the trend continues, he estimates, the general fund will fall short by approximately $300,000.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- One of two men accused of taking money for tickets to a concert in Jefferson County that was supposed to feature pop music stars Lady Gaga and Adam Lambert struck a deal with the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney's office to dismiss the fraud charge against him. A felony count of obtaining money by false pretenses that was filed against Sherman L. Loy, 45, of Martinsburg, will be dismissed if authorities are able to...

City Council discusses reimbursing county for land acquired for library project The Hagerstown City Council discussed reimbursing Washington County for land acquired for the expansion of Washington County Free Library. The city committed $1.5 million toward land acquisition and demolition, Finance Director Alfred Martin told the council at Tuesday's worksession. Washington County requested reimbursement of $1.4 million used to acquire land for the project. Because this was part of the city's original commitment to the project, Martin said he and City Engineer Rodney Tissue recommended the city approve the reimbursement.

WAYNESBORO, PA. -- Franklin County, Pa., submitted a detailed application to have snow-removal costs from February reimbursed by the federal government. The application was completed in early March, but additional work must be completed with it, Emergency Services Director Dave Donohue said. Notification about the reimbursement amount probably will take a few months, he said. "Between everyone, the county and municipalities, we submitted just under $800,000," Donohue said.