Cranston, Duane A.

My special qualifications for the position of Solicitor are: (I) my undergraduate education in Political Science at Bucknell University where I received a Bachelor Of Arts Degree with honors; (2) my post graduate education in Public Administration at Pennsylvania State University where I received a Master's Degree with distinction; (3) the legal education which led to my Juris Doctor's Degree from the Delaware Law School Of Widener University; and (4) the twenty-nine years of practical experience I have had in the general and municipal practice of law, including being a borough solicitor for over twenty-five years.

I am presently the Solicitor for the Snyder County Commissioners, the Snyder County Tax Claim Bureau, Snyder County Tax Assessment Office, Beavertown Borough, Beavertown Municipal Authority, Freeburg Borough, Freeburg^ Municipal _ Authority, Selinsgrove Borough, Selinsgrove Municipal Authority Snyder County Housing Authority, Snyder County Prison Board, and Snyder County Solid Waste Management Authority. I was also involved in the formation of the Eastern Snyder County Regional Authority Since 1980 I have attended numerous monthly meetings, dratted ordinances' and regulations for authorities, townships and boroughs throughout Snyder County, and represented those municipalities and municipal authorities in various legal proceedings I have conducted tax judicial sales and have prepared tax ordinances and assisted in the collection and management, of the emergency services tax (LST) and other municipal taxes. I have read and become acquainted with Act 32. As a. result of my education and experience over twenty-nine years as an attorney" practicing municipal law, I believe that I can be a useful addition to your staff.

I would be pleased to serve as the Committee's Solicitor for: (1) for compensation at an hourly rate of $100.00 for each hour of legal services plus (2) reimbursement for extraordinary expenses.

The hourly compensation would cover the following work:

(1) Attendance at regular and special meetings of the Committee whenever requested, unless prevented by some disability or supervening authority;

(2) Attendance at meetings of committees of the Committee whenever invited;

(3) Routine legal research, and written opinions whenever requested, on issues before the Committee;

(4) Routine office and telephone conferences with, and advice to, Members of the Committee and its staff, as to the Committee's legal matters;

(5) Preparation and supervision, of adoption of routine resolutions (generally those under four single spaced letter sized pages in length);

(6) Routine correspondence appropriate for the Committee Solicitor;

(7) Advice and assistance with respect to audits, budgets, grant applications, and general financial affairs of the Committee;

(8) Advice and assistance regarding bidding, and review of and advice concerning, performance and payment bonds, contracts, and insurance policies;

(9) Preparation and filing of uncontested municipal claims and liens;

(10) Other ordinary and routine legal services customarily provided to municipal clients, including general supervision of all the Committee's legal affairs;

(11) Litigation before District Magistrates regarding small claims.

(12) Litigation before all agencies, arbitrators, boards, courts, and tribunals except as otherwise provided above;

(13) Matters or projects involving special funding, the issue of municipal securities, and/or Local Government Unit Debt Act proceedings; and

(14) Preparation of special ordinances and resolutions not covered by the retainer.

Extraordinary expenses, which are to be reimbursed, are as follows:

(1) Copying costs, at twenty cents per page, where more than ten copies of any document of more than five pages are required;

(2) Long distance telephone charges on Committee business;

(3) Costs of experts, witnesses and transcripts, and court costs, whenever incurred in a matter for the Committee;

(4) Costs of travel and lodging away from Snyder County on Committee business;

(5) Costs of books, computer software, library materials, magazines, pamphlets, and other materials, the purchases of which are approved by the Committee;

(6) Costs of conventions, courses, and. Seminars where attendance is requested by the Committee; and

(7) Other costs that may be deemed extraordinary and approved by the Committee.

The hourly rate would be applicable for two years. I expect that we would review them every two years about budget time and would make any adjustments we believed were appropriate for the next contract period, assuming the position were open to me for those years and I were willing to accept it.

At the present time I have an associate, Matthew R. Cravitz, who recently became licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and three (3) paralegals who received training and degrees from McCann's working in my office. My staff has assisted me in municipal matters over the years and is prepared, to assist the Committee should. I am selected as your Solicitor.