Lycoming County government moves forward at new location

Williamsport, Pa. — Lycoming County held an open house and ribbon cutting this week after moving its municipal offices to a new location.

The ceremony was held following the Lycoming County Commissioners' weekly morning meeting on Thursday, July 11. The commissioners touted the move, saying it creates better flow, streamlines government, and is more efficient.

“And whenever we are more efficient, it flows back to the taxpayers” Commissioner Mark Mussina said.

As Chairman Scott Metzger pointed out, “The main responsibility of the commissioners is to oversee the budget for the county,” which includes 27 departments.

The county offices were formerly located in the Executive Plaza building on Pine Street since 1988, but that building has now has been acquired by Horizon Federal Credit Union to accommodate their growing needs for corporate office space.

The consolidation onto one floor and the flow of the new set-up makes sense because it links departments and functions, according to Lycoming County Director of Administration and Chief Clerk Matthew McDermott. It has increased the communication between departments and improved cooperation “to solve certain challenges.”

The third floor of the new location houses the commissioners' offices, human resources, the controller’s office, financial management, and the planning departments.

Cost-savings and job creation

Resident Ling-Mei Tsai attended the open house and said the move was “a great decision” for multiple reasons, including better accessibility. Teresa Tyler-Frierson, owner of 4 D’s Home Care, appreciated the new layout and said it was “awesome that everything was in one place — a one-stop shop” for government efficiency and ease of access.

Marirose Neiman, the county's administrative coordinator, noted the location in the building offers the opportunity to consolidate multiple county agencies, including human services, in the same building.

The move was essentially carried out over three days, she said. The county also saved money by utilizing furniture brought over from the old location, in addition to using furniture left behind by the prior third-floor tenant.

The old building was sold at a profit and put back onto the taxpayer rolls, and officials say the new tenant will bring in an estimated 100 new corporate jobs downtown. The leasing or rental fees that agencies were paying to be housed in separate locations has also been eliminated since the move.