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Public commenters and commissioners spar over county finances and alleged surplus
Summary
During public comment at the Jan. 28 meeting, residents raised concerns about large balances in county accounts, transfers of ARPA funds and perceived budgetary excess; commissioners and the comptroller responded, saying carryovers and pass-throughs do not represent a surplus and that a budget shortfall remains.
Two residents used the public comment period at the Jan. 28 Clearfield County commissioners meeting to question how the county is holding and spending public funds, and to urge spending cuts or transparency.
Tony Yankovich, who identified himself as a frequent attendee, presented a handout with account balances and said several county bank accounts ended 2024 with materially larger balances than at the end of 2023. He raised transfers of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and asked whether transfers of those restricted funds were lawful. "I haven't had time to look into the legality of whether the county commissioners are legally allowed to transfer American Rescue Act funds," Yankovich said.
Steve Albert, identifying himself as a lifelong Clearfield County resident and a small-business owner, urged the commissioners to cut spending and said he opposed surpluses that he said should be returned to the community via services or salaries. "We don't need a surplus," Albert said during his three-minute comment period.
Commissioners and county staff responded during the meeting. The board said carryover balances reflect planned fund transfers, pass-through arrangements and conservative budgeting rather than a discretionary surplus. The commissioners and staff asked residents to meet with Comptroller Edwards for detailed explanations; Edwards presented line-item totals for the bills and noted the county's budget process showed a projected deficit before changes to the mill rate.
The board also said that some large account balances represent restricted or program-specific funds (for example, domestic relations and other program budgets) that are not available for general county expenditures. Commissioners encouraged concerned residents to contact their state representatives and county officials for further review.
