Blair County commissioners approve prison design contract, grant awards and a string of county contracts; proclaim April Fair Housing Month

Blair County commissioners approved multiple contracts, grant actions and budget transfers and proclaimed April 2025 as Fair Housing Month during their Thursday, April 10, 2025, meeting.

The most consequential action was approval of an agreement with TransSystems Consultants of Pennsylvania to provide architectural design services for the new Blair County Prison. Commissioners approved the contract at a fee of 4% of the budgeted cost of the work, down from a higher percentage earlier proposed, and approved related procurement and grant closeout items connected to county incarceration planning.

The meeting also included acceptance of multiple grant awards and grant-related filings, contract renewals for county technology and energy services, approval of a farmland lease for Fort Roberdeau, and a park and recreation outreach allocation. Commissioners adopted the Fair Housing Month proclamation by voice vote.

TransSystems prison design agreement and related items

Commissioners voted to approve an agreement with TransSystems Consultants for architectural design services on the new Blair County Prison at a fee equal to 4% of the budgeted cost of the work. A commissioner noted the percentage had been higher in an earlier TransSystems proposal and said Commissioner Webster negotiated a 2% reduction to reach the 4% fee. The motion passed by voice vote.

Several related prison items were on the agenda: commissioners approved submission of a DCED grant closeout report for a previously funded prison feasibility study, and they accepted a selection of contractors and grants tied to the project procurement process. The meeting record shows these items were advanced by motion and approved by voice vote; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the…