Several speakers during the public‑comment period at the Franklin County Commissioners meeting on Oct. 15 urged the board to press the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) to continue an appeal related to the TransSource transmission project.

Laurie (Lori) Rice, president of the Coalition to Protect Franklin County, said recent court activity and project changes justify renewed county action and asked the commissioners to write to PUC Chairman Gladys Brown Dutrieuille (noted in public comment as "DeFrank" in the transcript) urging the PUC to continue the appeal to the Third Circuit. Rice said she and other residents are concerned the project’s scope has changed and that in her view the earlier county agreement with TransSource no longer reflects the current project.

Deborah Case and other residents echoed those concerns and asked that the board preserve written public comments in the meeting minutes and video archive. Speakers said the project’s proposed route and scope have evolved and that many local landowners and farmers are worried about eminent domain, property values, access to fields and community impacts.

Several speakers said a recent Third Circuit court decision favored a federal judge’s prior ruling and that the PUC faces a filing deadline in mid‑October (commenters named a deadline of Oct. 20). Commenters also raised concerns about a perceived conflict of interest because of the PUC chairman’s appointment to a seat at PJM, and they asked the county to ask the PUC to consider recusal. Speakers requested the county meet with citizen groups and consider submitting a letter to the PUC supporting continuation of the appeal.

County staff responded that the commissioners had previously sought legal advice and that county counsel had provided guidance; commissioners invited one speaker to follow up with staff to arrange a meeting.

No vote or formal board action on the TransSource matter was recorded at the Oct. 15 meeting.