2 retiring commissioners reflect on changing the county [Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.]

Dec. 26--Schuylkill County commissioners Chairwoman Mantura M. Gallagher enjoyed leading the board for the last four years, and thinks she and fellow Democrat Francis V. McAndrew improved county government in that time.

"We've accomplished all we set out to do in these four years," Gallagher said last week in reflecting on leading the first board with a Democratic majority in almost 40 years.

McAndrew, who has been unable to attend the last several commissioners meetings due to illness, agreed.

"I think our administration did a great job," he said. "We accomplished a lot of things."

Gallagher and McAndrew did not run for re-election, and Republicans regained control of the board in the Nov. 8 election, with incumbent Frank J. Staudenmeier and George F. Halcovage Jr. gaining two of the three seats. Staudenmeier, who has been the minority commissioner the last four years, is expected to chair the board, as he did from 2003-07, with Gary J. Hess serving as the panel's lone Democrat.

Gallagher was the minority commissioner for the four years Staudenmeier chaired the board, and she said she preferred being in control.

"In the majority, your wishes can come true," she said.

She said she and McAndrew brought a wish list of 10 items to the job when they took control and they were able to accomplish all 10.

"They were items we felt needed to be addressed," Gallagher said. "If we had chosen to run for re-election, I know I would have had another (list)."

Those included:

- Selling the 1912 Building to Penn State Schuylkill, which has since demolished it.

"The 1912 Building was a liability. It was in deplorable condition," Gallagher said. The county's insurance carrier had advised selling the building due to its condition, she said.

- Reducing the number of polling places to 125 from 167. Gallagher said that has saved, and will save, the county $79,750 per election, or $159,500 per year, by reducing the number of poll workers needed.

- Resolving the New World computer system controversy, in which the county lost $569,000. The system was prone to crashing and never worked properly. Gallagher said. The matter was settled without having to go to trial.

- Instituting the PPL Energy Savings Plan, which guarantees savings of $1 million over the next 15 years, according to Gallagher. Additional savings will be realized from upgrading lighting systems in several county buildings, she said.

- Consolidating positions in county government. Gallagher said the commissioners eliminated 15 positions by attrition, saving almost $600,000 in salaries and benefits annually.

"We reduced county government significantly ... by attrition, without having to lay off employees," she said.

- Creating the Schuylkill Transportation Authority to manage the Schuylkill Transportation System. Gallagher said the savings from the change will be invested in the system.

- Improved monitoring of positions that are funded by grants. The commissioners are now notified when grants expire and can take appropriate action on the positions, she said.

- Holding five board meetings per year outside the courthouse, which Gallagher saw as some of the highlights of her term.

"We had the opportunity to meet our citizens face to face," she said.

- Restructuring county offices. Gallagher said restructuring the Public Defender's Office saved $29,000, while doing the same with the Tax Claim Bureau allowed for the launch of an aggressive effort to get properties back onto the tax rolls.

- Renovating the Children & Youth Services building.

"When Gov. (Ed) Rendell came through with $500,000 for our Children & Youth building, which was something I'd been lobbying for," it was one of the highlights of the term, Gallagher said. The money will enable the agency to hire more caseworkers and improve services, she said.

Fiscal discipline also was a hallmark of the four years.

"We held the line on taxes," McAndrew said.

"This is all because of prudent financial planning," which also resulted in Standard & Poor's upgrading the county's bond rating to A-plus from A, Gallagher said. "We were always cognizant of keeping taxes manageable for our citizens."

Gallagher also said it was a group effort of all three commissioners.

"This board of commissioners operated as a team because we knew the citizens voted for three of us," she said. "I cannot say enough how fortunate I was to work with two men, Frank McAndrew and Frank Staudenmeier, who were not only gentlemen but were advocates for the citizens of the county."

Gallagher looks forward to retirement because she will be able to share it with her husband, James T. Gallagher, who also is retiring as superintendent of the Pottsville Area School District, the same district where she taught for 31 years.

"My husband and I have many plans," she said. "We have dreamed about these days for a long time and have many plans to enjoy them together."

Mantura Gallagher's main advice for her successors is to trust the people who already are in county government.

"We have exceptional talent in our department heads. The two new commissioners can learn a great deal by meeting with, listening to and heeding the advice of our department heads," she said. "The reason that we were able to accomplish all that we did is that we stood on the shoulders of giants, and those giants were our department heads."

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(c)2011 the Republican & Herald (Pottsville, Pa.)

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