[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6308340,"mediaKeyId","2423545-481b36d67eea73042a647a08e089963c","parentId",2423545,"title","Votes at a glance: County approves foster-parent training contract, bridge guardrail repair, property sale and a $1,500 transfer","audioSeconds",40,"startMs",3479000,"endMs",3519000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2423545-481b36d67eea73042a647a08e089963c&start=3479&end=3519","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2423545-481b36d67eea73042a647a08e089963c/thumbnail_3479000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6308340/Lawrence-County/Pennsylvania/Votes-at-a-glance-County-approves-foster-parent-training-contract-bridge-guardrail-repair-property-sale-and-a-1500-transfer","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6308340-9ab99d75c4895a79c23b3cb3524200e7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139074&Signature=doiBOSDA9cCtX5d0CqMYA4v27Pj6Sy4eHw8ihDfgtddg16XTJknGZ4omRWseFXKhMbRRcOyZ0RWFVrb0b6tg0xDIrlRiOk-xNqCCW2gAsv~aFisn8C6-Z6aVKwREpF1wu9wGiMjQvBYri2F1tn~jKwyL~7Yx7Mnd4d0EnWoRlFWMeYKZMQ7iqWLcmK54WF1UoVorbuEDkjBGgjWxUuvRM~g0FgOKL6EFla~85n943cskqThFCFiIICAKz1MM7gTzOP8D56vk1hjXl~NJZS62wjMh5VCBPtb8L0BJgJHvmGi9c-AUOlvhTwJ47~4Ol4oF9jpHrACeW5XVxBcmkF3Tyw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lawrence County, PA","date","2025-02-26T04:09:14Z","article","Lawrence County commissioners voted unanimously on routine and programmatic items during their Feb. 25 meeting, approving an online training contract for foster and kinship parents, paying for guardrail repairs at a low-volume bridge, accepting a $500 repository bid for a parcel in Pulaski Township and approving a $1,500 transfer for the tax claim office.

Resolution 46: Foster-parent training contract
The board approved a $4,200 agreement with Northwest Media Inc. for online training provided through Foster Parent College, which county Children and Youth Services (CYS) staff said meets the state's annual training requirement for foster and kinship parents. Bill Bloss, foster and kinship supervisor at CYS, said the program previously drew an 86% positive feedback rating from local foster and kinship parents and that the per-person cost to deliver required training was roughly in line with past years.

Vote: Commissioners voted yes (unanimous). Tally: yes 3, no 0, abstain 0.

Resolution 47: Bridge guardrail repair (Cook's Crossing / Scott Wallace Road Bridge)
The commissioners authorized immediate guardrail repairs at the Cook's Crossing bridge (identified in the meeting as the Scott Wallace Road bridge that crosses Little Beaver Creek in Little Beaver Township). Taylor Engineering reported the repair quote of $7,260, to be paid from the county bridge/liquid fuels account. County engineers said the bridge is a historic truss in the design phase for a hybrid replacement that would build a new structural span while preserving decorative trusses.

Vote: Commissioners voted yes (unanimous). Tally: yes 3, no 0, abstain 0.

Transfer request: Tax claim office
The board approved a request from the tax claim office to transfer $1,500 from its contingency line item into travel and training.

Vote: Commissioners voted yes (unanimous). Tally: yes 3, no 0, abstain 0.

Resolution 25: Repository sale (Pulaski Township parcel)
A previously tabled repository bid for parcel ID 29-901-032 (113 Elm Drive, Pulaski Township) was removed from the table and approved. The $500 bid from Paul Maldonado had already been signed by Pulaski Township supervisors and the Wilmington Area School District; the board accepted the bid and completed the sale process.

Vote: Commissioners voted yes (unanimous). Tally: yes 3, no 0, abstain 0.

Why it matters: The foster-parent training contract supports county compliance with state training requirements for foster and kinship parents; the bridge guardrail work addresses public-safety needs while the county continues a longer-term historic-bridge replacement design; the property sale clears a repository parcel and the transfer funds tax-claim operations.

Ending: All items passed by unanimous roll call with no recorded dissent; several required documents and approvals from neighboring taxing bodies were presented to the board before votes were taken.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","February 25, 2025 Commissioner's Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","At its Feb. 25 meeting the Lawrence County Board of Commissioners approved four items: a $4,200 contract for online foster-parent training, a $7,260 guardrail repair at a Little Beaver Township bridge, the sale of a county-tax parcel for $500, and a $1,500 intra-departmental transfer for the tax claim office.","taxTitle","Lawrence County, Pennsylvania","taxId",71984,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6308345,"Lawrence County to pursue state-funded feasibility study on merging 9-1-1 centers with Mercer County",1267,432000,1699000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2423545-481b36d67eea73042a647a08e089963c&start=432&end=1699","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2423545-481b36d67eea73042a647a08e089963c/thumbnail_432000.jpg","/articles/6308345/Lawrence-County/Pennsylvania/Lawrence-County-to-pursue-state-funded-feasibility-study-on-merging-9-1-1-centers-with-Mercer-County","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6308345-f2c8467f8a0275591280793782bf62dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139074&Signature=QZxA5JmEHZIB2vgYyOJCQ-0MyxksmTuyNuA67HdpV04K0NJLWAHQ93bWZJsxn~paqobkd2PA8BUDSg~LPsV-buT8DFMeSOt9NuH4Ol3LyUBxLkejbAPK5ibZDAfpzsQNtm-aER3nwn-8VhbpdsSJQI7FRZRkvg3dkHk-kD5uFMnNRKeLY~DagTnkOIQXxCCCJjrq-2Gjt1yqnQAXD6JzgNgaG5IbaNftco0yQPBYWETN-3dQ0fg0Wv~eTs1v0piTFZo2YQrxQZjXZMfwr9bPGDAAZmms~PQESRR5QWh11soQem-efXXmIHjhsdzYSIlAQJQVexKeNa31qNheXWV5Sg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lawrence County public safety director Chad Strobel told the Board of Commissioners on Feb. 25 that the county will pursue a state-funded feasibility study to examine merging its 9-1-1 center with Mercer County's. Commissioners agreed informally to let staff pursue the study and indicated they would consider a formal resolution as soon as next week.

Strobel said rising operating costs and limited revenue growth are driving the county to evaluate consolidation. \"The price of running a 9 11 center is ever rising ... we did receive an increase of the total surcharge ... from a dollar 65 to a dollar 95,\" Strobel said, adding the surcharge now pays \"probably around now 80% or so of our annual operating budget.\" He said continuously raising the surcharge is not a sustainable solution.

The nut of the proposal is to hire a consultant to assess whether a merged, regional 9-1-1 center could achieve cost savings and better use existing technology. Strobel identified Mission Critical Partners as a likely vendor the counties would consider; he said the commonwealth has indicated it will fund the feasibility study if the counties submit an application. He also noted that Lawrence and Mercer already share computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems and phone systems and expect to share a radio system after Mercer's radio upgrade.

Strobel described technical interoperability: the counties already use the same CAD, and Mercer's forthcoming radio project would allow shared radio communications. He said calls can be routed so that if Lawrence's 9-1-1 goes offline, telecommunicators logged into Mercer's center could answer without interrupting service.

Commissioners pressed on governance, employee impacts and public input. Commissioner Kennedy asked whether the study and any later consolidation would cover only 9-1-1 operations or broader public-safety functions; Strobel replied the study would be specific to 9-1-1 and that emergency management agencies would remain at the county level, per commonwealth requirements. Strobel said the commonwealth currently has about 61 Title 1 9-1-1 centers and that state policy is trending toward regionalization, including incentives to encourage mergers.

Commissioners said they supported moving forward with the application and asked that the study include extensive outreach to first responders and municipal officials. \"I do think we should probably formalize it,\" a commissioner said, and the board asked staff to return with a resolution next week so the action is on record.

Next steps the board described: staff will apply to the commonwealth for study funding, solicit professional services quotes (subject to solicitor guidance on procurement), and require the consultant to hold public presentations and forums for first responders and local officials if the study proceeds.

Why it matters: a regional 9-1-1 center could change how emergency calls are routed, affect local employment and pensions, alter county budgets and influence capital projects for dispatch facilities and radios. The commissioners emphasized no decisions on consolidation have been made; the study will evaluate technical, financial and governance options.

Ending: Strobel and commissioners said they will circulate examples of other county-level 9-1-1 mergers in the commonwealth to inform the study and will return with a formal resolution next week if the counties decide to proceed to the application stage.","Lawrence County public safety director Chad Strobel told commissioners Feb. 25 the county will apply for a state-funded feasibility study to examine merging its 9-1-1 center with Mercer County's; commissioners gave informal approval to proceed and said they may adopt a formal resolution next week.","actionData","errors"]

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Votes at a glance: County approves foster-parent training contract, bridge guardrail repair, property sale and a $1,500 transfer

Lawrence County to pursue state-funded feasibility study on merging 9-1-1 centers with Mercer County