Blair County commissioners approve contracts, grants and a Fort Roberdeau admission increase

The Blair County Board of Commissioners on Thursday approved a series of contracts, grant applications and administrative items, including a $700,000 local-share grant cooperation agreement for a new Central Pennsylvania Humane Society facility and an increase in the adult admission fee at Fort Roberdeau from $6 to $10.

The approvals, which the board passed by unanimous voice vote, also included maintenance contracts for emergency generators, acceptance of bids for a county salt-storage building, payment of an out-of-policy emergency sewer invoice, authorization for county staff to sign site-specific tier 2 environmental review records for housing-rehabilitation units and multiple equipment and supply contracts.

Why it matters: The actions clear contracts and grant steps that affect county operations, public facilities, and housing-repair projects. The humane-society agreement would allow the county to administer a Commonwealth Financing Authority local-share grant; the housing item advances owner-occupied repairs and lead-hazard work that county officials said are ready to move to contracting.

Major approvals and context

• Central Pennsylvania Humane Society grant cooperation: The board approved a cooperation agreement to allow Blair County to administer a local-share account grant award from the Commonwealth Financing Authority in the amount of $700,000 to assist construction of a new facility. The period of performance listed in the agenda is Oct. 22, 2024, through June 30, 2027. Commissioners said the project has been under discussion for some time and that the new facility is badly needed.

• Fort Roberdeau admission fee increase: Glenn, Fort Roberdeau staff, requested raising the adult…