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Votes at a glance: Blair County Commissioners meeting, March 27, 2025
Summary
The Blair County Board of Commissioners approved multiple routine agenda items including warrant lists, payroll ratification, demolition-fund disbursements, contract awards and grant acceptance; the board also tabled consideration of an eminent-domain ordinance for discussion on April 3, 2025.
Blair County commissioners on March 27 approved a number of routine financial and contracting items during their regular meeting and took a procedural vote to table consideration of an eminent-domain ordinance until April 3, 2025.
Key approvals included ratification of warrant lists and payroll, multiple demolition-fund disbursements, award of construction and equipment contracts, and acceptance of a municipal waste planning grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
The board ratified total payroll for the pay date March 21, 2025, in the amount of $914,703.32. The board approved an invoice for preliminary design work on Bridge No. 33 (Old Mill Run bridge) from Keller Engineers for $18,764.57; commissioners noted that 95% of that expense is reimbursable from the Marcellus Shale Legacy Fund.
Other routine items approved included appointments and personnel status changes. The board appointed Thomas Gearhart II as a farmer director to the Blair County Conservation District to fill a term through Dec. 31, 2028. Multiple demolition-disbursement requests to remove blighted properties in Altoona were approved, with amounts of $4,395; $3,745; $4,370; and $6,386.50 respectively for four addresses listed in the agenda.
The board awarded construction contracts for county storage buildings: the bid for Contract 1 was awarded to John Clair Excavating (low bidder in the amount of $423,994) and Contract 2 electrical work was awarded to Westmoreland Electric Services LLC ($35,600). The commissioners also authorized acceptance of the 901 municipal waste planning grant for $93,750, of which $75,000 (80 percent) will be funded by the DEP and $18,750 (20 percent) will be county-funded.
Elections staff reported awarding the ballot-printing contract to the lowest bidder (noted in the meeting as NPC/MPC Inc.) with costs to be covered by a grant. The sheriff’s office reported approval of an at-no-cost agreement with a private organization, Citizen 2 A, to provide an informational tab on the county’s Permidian license-to-carry portal; county staff said the external provider does not receive personal applicant data from the county and that citizens must opt in.
Several small facilities and maintenance quotes were approved, including elevator intercom and fire-alarm work from Empire Communication Systems and Johnson Controls Fire Protection LP; the board noted some of those costs are covered by grant funds.
Recorded abstentions: one commissioner registered an abstention on payments to Blair Senior Services and Hollidaysburg Borough during a consent vote; an abstention was also recorded on at least one payroll-related item. Specific roll-call tallies for many motions were not recorded in the transcript.
Below is a compact list of formal actions taken during the meeting.
