The Lebanon County Commissioners agreed this year, again, that the county should be part of the Statistical Automated Victim Information and Notification network, or SAVIN, as approved by the county commissioners during the 2020 reorganization meeting held Monday, Jan. 6.
“This is an annual agreement out of the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Institute, with the county agreeing to participate in the program that notifies victims of crime when their offender is released,” said County Clerk Jamie Wolgemuth.
Under this agreement, which is expected to be approved by all Pennsylvania counties, victims have the right to be notified of an escape by their offender, when the offender is sentenced, and any pretrial escapes from a correctional facility.
Victims are also entitled to receive notification of the date of the offender’s release, including work release, and any furloughs or paroles, any release from boot camp, release on bail, or community treatment center placement.
“It’s a program that gives the victim the ability to keep tabs on the offender,” Wolgemuth said.
In other matters, the commissioners took care of business by way of a “sine die meeting,” in effect, adjourning the business of the past year and closing out the business of the respective boards, Wolgemuth said.
After everything has been cleared from the boards, then all boards are opened again in the new session, including voting for personnel.
Commissioner Bob Phillips was confirmed again as chairman of the board, Bill Ames continues as vice-chairman, and Jo Ellen Litz as secretary of the board.
Wolgemuth was once again appointed Chief Clerk and solicitor David Warner Jr. was re-appointed as solicitor for the board.
All employees were re-appointed to their respective positions for 2020.
The commissioners also approved their 2020 schedule, with meetings scheduled for the first and third Thursdays of the month, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The public is invited to attend.
Regarding the Salary Board for the county, Phillips was reappointed as chairman, with County Controller Robert Mettley as vice-chairman, Ames as secretary, and Warner as solicitor.
Litz was appointed chair of the Board of Assessment, with Ames as vice-chairman.
County employee Daniel Seaman was appointed Chief County Assessor at no additional compensation.
For the Board of Elections, Ames was appointed chairman, Litz as vice-chairman, and Stephanie Axarlis, Esq., as secretary.
Michael Anderson was re-appointed as Chief Clerk of the Election Board, after the commissioners praised his work over the past year, as well as the challenges Anderson undertook with the new voting apparatus.
Warner will continue as solicitor for the election board.
Phillips explained that he cannot be part of the board of elections this year, as he is chairing District Attorney Dave Arnold’s campaign for the State Senate seat, to avoid a conflict of interest.
Arnold, 48, a Republican, is running against Democrat Michael Schroeder, 61, an associate professor of history at Lebanon Valley College, for the Senate seat in a special election that will take place on Jan. 14.
The new state senator will finish the term of Mike Folmer, who resigned last September after being arrested and charged with possessing child pornography.
The 48th State Senatorial District comprises all of Lebanon County, and parts of York and Dauphin counties.
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Full Disclosure: The campaigns of Bill Ames, Bob Phillips, and Jo Ellen Litz were advertisers on LebTown during the previous election cycle. The campaigns of Dave Arnold and Michael Schroeder are advertisers on LebTown at present. David Warner has a financial interest in the ownership of LebTown’s parent company Lebanon Publishing Company. He has no involvement in editorial/newsroom operations, including this article. LebTown does not make editorial decisions based on advertising relationships and advertisers do not receive special editorial treatment. Learn more about advertising with LebTown here.