Boards & Committees

Responsibilities: The goals of this board are to administer Franklin County’s program for the purchase of agriculture conservation easements within agricultural security areas; to promote efforts to support the agricultural community in Franklin County; to encourage the use of additional farmland preservation techniques; and to preserve prime agricultural soils.

Board Members: 9 volunteer members who are citizens of and reside in Franklin County. All members of the board have some involvement within Franklin County’s agriculture community.

Meetings: Quarterly in March, June, September and December

Applications: Submit requests to the Franklin County Planning Director

Contact: Steve Thomas, Franklin County Planning Director, sjthomas@franklincountypa.gov, 717-261-3855

Responsibilities: This committee certifies to the Franklin County Redevelopment Authority Board properties that may be considered for holding, clearing, managing or disposing of property for potential residential and related reuse and commercial or industrial reuse.

Board Members: 4 appointed volunteer members, 1 Franklin County Commissioner, the chairperson of the Redevelopment Authority or designee, and the chairperson of the Franklin County Planning Commission or designee

Meetings: To be determined

Applications: Submit requests to the Franklin County Planning Director

Contact: Steve Thomas, Franklin County Planning Director, sjthomas@franklincountypa.gov, 717-261-3855

Responsibilities: The Franklin County Board of Assessment Appeals is an independent board, authorized by statute and appointed by the Franklin County Commissioners, established for the primary purpose of hearing real estate tax assessment valuation cases.   This board has been established to:

1. Determine the current market value of all Franklin County properties and calculate the appropriate assessment.
2. Prescribe lawful procedures to be followed in the assessment appeal process.
3. Review and consider all relevant evidence and documentation presented at the tax appeal hearing.
4. Consult with the county’s chief assessor and the Board of Assessment solicitor, as needed, to make a final determination of fair market value post-hearing.
5. Interact with other county and community officials, agencies, realtors, appraisers and attorneys in regards to assessment appeals.
6. Attend meetings/trainings/hearings, as necessary.
7. Stay apprised of current real estate market activity, trends, values and laws.
8. Perform other job-related duties as required.

Board Members: 3 appointed members to be paid a per diem rate of $80 for four or less hours worked in a day. Time worked in a day over four hours will be paid at a rate of $19.25 per hour. These positions will be part-time positions and will not receive county benefits. It is anticipated the members will not exceed 1,000 work hours on an annual basis and will not be eligible to participate in the county’s retirement plan.

Tax Appeals Hearings: To be determined

Applications: Submit requests to the Franklin County Tax Assessment Director

Contact: Jodi Martin, Franklin County Tax Assessment Director, jlmartin@franklincountypa.gov, 717-261-3801

Responsibilities: Directors assure that conservation district policies and practices enhance the natural resources in their county. This requires identification of local natural resource needs and issues and development. Directors are required to be familiar with the district’s resources; generally acquainted with the people and resource conservation problems of the district; and sufficiently concerned to search for and provide solutions to these problems, assuring that conservation district policies and practices enhance the natural resources in their county.

Board members: 4 farmer directors and 3 public director volunteer members for four-year terms. A farmer director is defined as an individual who is actively engaged in production agriculture and derives a major portion of his or her income from the sale of farm commodities, including forest and nursery products. Spouses of farmers and retired farmers who previously met the qualifications also qualify as a farmer director. Individuals not meeting the definition of a farmer director can qualify as a public director.

Meetings: Second Monday of each month at 8:30 a.m.

Applications: Members are nominated by approved nominating organizations. A list of these organizations is available at the Franklin County Commissioners’ Office or the Conservation District Office.

Contact: Franklin County Conservation District, 717-264-5499

Responsibilities: The FCHA is responsible for overseeing approximately 700 housing units, which are primarily occupied by low- and moderate-income citizens. Board members are non-paid officials appointed by the Franklin County Commissioners. The board should reflect a diversity of age, gender, race and geographic residency. Members should represent both political parties. A minimum of a high school education is preferable in order to understand the documents reviewed at board meetings. Only one member must be a low-income tenant. At least one member should have knowledge of housing issues. At least one member should have an understanding of budgeting and financial management. Members vote on and pass or deny the recommendations made by the Chairman.

Board Members: 5 volunteer members for five-year terms, one of which is a tenant member; one paid position filled by the FCHA Executive Director

Meetings: Third Monday of each month, rotating between Chambersburg and Waynesboro Applications: Applications must be submitted to the Franklin County Commissioners’ Office, 272 N. Second St., Chambersburg, PA 17201, or by email to commissioners@franklincountypa.gov

Contact: Lisa Bryan, FCHA Administrative Assistant, 717-263-4200, lbryan@fcha.net

Responsibilities: Considers requests for tax-exempt financing for commercial and industrial projects in Franklin County. Board consists of all regions of the county by business and community leaders working toward area development. Members review requests and determine their eligibility.

Board Members: 12 volunteer members for three-year terms

Meetings: Called on an “as needed” basis and circulated in the Franklin County area to accommodate all members

Letter of Application: A letter of application must be submitted to the Franklin County Commissioners’ Office, 272 N. Second St., Chambersburg, PA 17201, or by email to commissioners@franklincountypa.gov

Contact: Angela Schaeffer, Cumberland Valley Business Alliance Director of Operations, aschaeffer@chambersburg.org, or call 717-2647101 and ask for the Franklin County Industrial Development Authority

Responsibilities: The MPO is a transportation policy-making and decision-making entity made up of community members representing transportation and business interests, and local and state governments. MPOs are mandated to implement the metropolitan transportation planning process outlined in the federal transportation regulations (23 USC 134 and 49 USC 5303). The MPO coordinates with PennDOT in planning for the transportation needs of the county. The MPO is responsible for developing a unified planning work program, updating the transportation improvement program and preparing a long-range transportation plan, among other planning tasks.

Board Members: 13 volunteer voting members

Meetings: Quarterly in February, May, August and November

Applications: Submit requests to the Franklin County Planning Director

Contact: Steve Thomas, Franklin County Planning Director, sjthomas@franklincountypa.gov, 717-261-3855

Responsibilities: The goals of the Planning Commission are to support and implement the county’s comprehensive plan; promote agricultural land preservation in the county; continue to support and implement the county’s Recreation, Park & Open Space Plan and the Greenway Plan; coordinate transportation planning with the Franklin County MPO; support economic development initiatives; broaden community development initiatives; and encourage water resource planning.

Board Members: 9 volunteer members who are citizens of and reside in Franklin County

Meetings: Quarterly February, May, August and November

Applications: Submit requests to the Franklin County Planning Director

Contact: Steve Thomas, Franklin County Planning Director, sjthomas@franklincountypa.gov, 717-261-3855

Responsibilities: The goals of the authority are the redevelopment of older business areas; the strengthening of the downtowns as business, civic, institutional and cultural centers for the surrounding communities; the protection of the livability of residential areas with an emphasis on strengthening older neighborhoods; the preservation and rehabilitation of historically significant architecture; the attraction of new business development and expansion in appropriate areas; and the encouragement of the expansion of existing businesses.

Board Members: 5 volunteer members who are citizens of and reside in Franklin County

Meetings: Third Tuesday of every other month (January, March, May, July, September and November) at 7 p.m. at the Franklin County Area Development Corporation, 1900 Wayne Road, Chambersburg, PA.

Applications: Applications must be submitted to the Franklin County Commissioners’ Office, 272 N. Second St., Chambersburg, PA 17201, or by email to commissioners@franklincountypa.gov

Contact: Steve Thomas, Franklin County Planning Director, sjthomas@franklincountypa.gov, 717-261-3855

Responsibilities: The FCVB Board is comprised of directors from areas throughout Franklin County and has seats to represent the mission of FCVB, business and education, and members at large. A Franklin County Commissioner representative has a seat on the board as does each chamber of commerce in the county.

Board Members: 15 volunteer board members

Meetings: Meetings are on the fourth Monday of every other month, starting in January, at 2 p.m. at the Franklin County Visitors Bureau, 15 South Main Street, Chambersburg. 

Applications: Submit requests to the Franklin County Visitors Bureau Board Director

Contact: Janet Pollard, Franklin County Visitor Bureau Executive Director, jpollard@explorefranklincountypa.com, 717-552-2977, ext. 103

Responsibilities: LIDA is responsible for the oversight of the redevelopment of excess portions on the Letterkenny Army Depot as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decision of 1995. This property, when transferred from the Department of Army, becomes part of the Cumberland Valley Business Park. This real estate function of receiving, managing, marketing and selling land to private sector business also includes the management of the electrical distribution utility within the business park and the Letterkenny Army Depot. LIDA also manages the rail utility systems within the Cumberland Valley Business Park and the Letterkenny Army Depot; delivers economic advantages by attracting private investment; enhances all LIDA customer support; assures LIDA financial stability; implements strategic development of the Cumberland Valley Business Park; and fosters community benefits.

Board members: 15 volunteer members for five-year terms

Meetings: First Monday of every other month at 8:30 a.m.

Applications: Applications must be submitted to the Franklin County Commissioners’ Office, 272 N. Second St., Chambersburg, PA 17201, or by email to commissioners@franklincountypa.gov

Contact: Kip Feldman, LIDA Executive Director, feldman@cvbp.com, 717-267-9351

Responsibilities: The committee is established in accordance with the requirements of Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 and the Hazardous Material Emergency Planning and Response Act 1990-165 to promote safety concerning hazardous materials within the county.

Board Members: All members are volunteers consisting of a minimum of nine members which must have the following representation: the county Board of Commissioners; county Emergency Management Coordinator; local elected official; law enforcement, first aid, health, local environmental, hospital or transportation representative; fire service representative; civil defense and emergency management personnel; broadcast and print media representative; and community group representative. All members serve three-year terms

Meetings: Quarterly the last Thursday of January, April, July and October at 4 p.m.

Application: Submit requests to representative Matthew Kendall

Contact: Matthew Kendall, mrkendall11@gmail.com, 717-377-4981