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 admission fee from $6 to $10. Glenn said the fee “hasn’t been raised in over eight years” and that the staff researched comparable local venues; he added, “we feel like this is a reasonable amount.” The board voted to approve the increase.

• Housing rehabilitation environmental reviews: Trina, Social Services staff, asked the board to authorize Commissioner David Kesseling to sign 20 site-specific tier 2 environmental review records related to Blair County’s owner-occupied housing rehabilitation program. Trina described a mix of funding and unit types referenced in the agenda materials (18 described as whole-home repairs; five described as co-funded whole-home and lead-hazard units; one described as a single lead-hazard unit; and one described as a CDBG-only unit). The transcript contains those item counts as spoken; the counts as read add to more than 20, a discrepancy noted in the meeting record. The board approved the authorization so staff may proceed with awarding and contracting for ready units.

• Emergency equipment and maintenance contracts: The board approved preventative maintenance agreements for the county’s 9‑1‑1 center generators with Palco Power Systems (one annual visit, $1,461.44) and for the 9‑1‑1 commercial vehicle with PELCO Power Systems (one annual visit, $794.96). The board also approved the county’s contract with Precision Laser and Instrument Inc. to purchase a Juniper Systems geode submeter GPS receiver for GIS operations.

• Public works items: The board approved payment of an invoice to Roto-Rooter Plumbing and Drain Service for emergency sewer work ($274) that had been procured outside county purchasing policy. The board approved an agreement with Valley Tire Company for passenger, light-truck and commercial-truck tire services under county purchase-orders for purchases under the bidding threshold, and the board voted to accept bids received for a county salt-storage building and to award or reject per county code.

• Grants and applications: The board approved submission of the senior-judge reimbursable-cost grant application to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC), and approved applying for a PCorp Loss Prevention Grant for $15,110 to support safety and loss-prevention work at county facilities.

Board process and vote

All motions recorded in the public portion of the meeting were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote with no recorded opposition. Individual movers and seconders were not specified in the public audio for most items.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda (listed in the agenda as “resolution 80 six-twenty 25,” ratification of warrant lists, budget transfers, status changes): approved, voice vote. - Side letter agreement, Public Defender’s Office grant-funded retention bonuses: approved, voice vote. - Payment to Roto-Rooter for emergency sewer work ($274): approved, voice vote. - Agreement with Valley Tire Company for tire services (under bidding threshold): approved, voice vote. - Accept bids for county salt-storage building and award/reject per county code: approved, voice vote. - Fort Roberdeau adult admission fee increase from $6 to $10: approved, voice vote. - Authorization for Commissioner David Kesseling to sign 20 site-specific tier 2 environmental review records for housing-rehabilitation projects: approved, voice vote. - Preventative maintenance agreement with Palco Power Systems — 9‑1‑1 center generators ($1,461.44): approved, voice vote. - Preventative maintenance agreement with PELCO Power Systems — 9‑1‑1 commercial vehicle ($794.96): approved, voice vote. - Contract for Juniper Systems geode receiver with Precision Laser and Instrument Inc.: approved, voice vote. - Submission of senior-judge reimbursable-cost grant application to AOPC: approved, voice vote. - Cooperation agreement with Central Pennsylvania Humane Society to administer $700,000 CFA local-share grant: approved, voice vote. - Submission of P Corp Loss Prevention Grant application ($15,110): approved, voice vote.

What commissioners and staff said

Commissioner David Kesseling was identified as the chief elected official who would sign the environmental-review records once authorized. Commissioner Burke asked procedural questions on a few items. Trina (Social Services staff) described the mix of funding and unit types for the housing program; the spoken unit counts as presented in the meeting record appear internally inconsistent and are noted in clarifying details. Glenn (Fort Roberdeau staff) said the admission fee had not been raised in “over eight years” and that the proposed $10 price point remains “less than a lot of things still.”

What didn’t change

No item recorded in the public meeting was tabled or rejected. Several agenda items referenced contract periods, grant performance periods or action deadlines; staff noted that some signatures or follow-up actions would occur when the relevant commissioner is present so units can be awarded and contracted.

Ending

The meeting concluded after routine business; the board set the next commissioners’ meeting for Thursday at 10 a.m. (the agenda did not specify a location beyond the commissioners’ meeting venue).