478 Redesignation of area agency on aging for Union and Snyder Counties planning and service area no. 17; final decision regarding redesignation

DEPARTMENT OF AGING

Redesignation of Area Agency on Aging for Union and Snyder Counties Planning and Service Area No. 17; Final Decision Regarding Redesignation

[34 Pa.B. 1578]

   The Secretary of the Department of Aging (Department), under authority in the act of June 20, 1978 (P. L. 477, No. 70) (71 P. S. §§ 581-1--581-12), in conformity with the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C.A. §§ 3001--3058ee) and in accordance with the provisions of 6 Pa. Code Chapter 30 (relating to designation and redesignation of area agencies on aging), has made a final decision regarding the redesignation of the area agency on aging serving Planning and Service Area No. 17, which has the same boundaries as Union and Snyder Counties, as follows:

From:	Union-Snyder County Area Agency on Aging 116 North Second Street Lewisburg, PA 17837
To:	Union-Snyder Agency on Aging, Incorporated 116 North Second Street Lewisburg, PA 17837

   On September 26, 2003, the Department received a formal request from the Boards of Commissioners of Union and Snyder Counties (Commissioners) to redesignate the area agency on aging from its county auspice to a nonprofit organization serving Planning and Service Area No. 17. The Commissioners advised that, in their opinion, the interests of older persons in Union and Snyder Counties would be best served if services were provided through a private, nonprofit area agency on aging rather than the existing county-based area agency on aging. The Commissioners' request in no way reflected dissatisfaction with the existing agency, but was based on other considerations. The Commissioners recommended that the currently-designated, county-affiliated area agency on aging be reorganized as a private, nonprofit corporation, so that it could continue as the agency serving Union and Snyder Counties.

   Public hearings on the redesignation of the area agency on aging were held at the Lewisburg and the Selinsgrove Senior Centers on Tuesday, December 2, 2003. A copy of the verbatim proceedings is available at the Department of Aging, 555 Walnut Street, Fifth Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17101. Comments reflected positively on the capabilities of the management and staff of the Union-Snyder County Area Agency on Aging to provide services to older persons in Union and Snyder Counties. No other agency came forward and expressed an interest in being the area agency on aging.

   On December 30, 2003, after considering the impact of redesignation on provision of services in Planning and Service Area No. 17, the comments of the current area agency on aging and the Commissioners and the testimony given at the public hearings, the Secretary notified the Commissioners of a preliminary decision to redesignate the independent, nonprofit corporation as the area agency on aging effective July 1, 2004. Notification included the reasons for the decision and informed the currently-designated area agency on aging of its right to request a hearing regarding this decision. In a response letter of January 13, 2004, the Commissioners of Union and Snyder Counties and the currently-designated area agency on aging thanked the Department for the preliminary decision and stated they would not request a hearing since they were in agreement with the decision.

   Therefore, the Secretary publishes this final decision redesignating the Union-Snyder Agency on Aging, Incorporated as the area agency on aging serving Union and Snyder Counties.

   This order shall be effective July 1, 2004.

NORA DOWD EISENHOWER,   
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 04-478. Filed for public inspection March 19, 2004, 9:00 a.m.]