The Washington County Board of Commissioners on an otherwise routine agenda approved a PennDOT reimbursement addendum of $2,850,000 for the design and construction of Chartier No. 604 Bridge in North Franklin Township and approved a series of contract extensions, provider agreements and appointments. The board also authorized up to $200,000 from the county's opioid-settlement funds to acquire property for an integrated health and wellness center and voted to table a contract item for additional review.

The PennDOT addendum will fund design and construction costs for Chartier No. 604 and, according to the request presented to the board, will be paid with federal funds. Commissioners authorized the chairman to execute all project documents for the agreement.

Other approved items included provider-agreement addenda, bid extensions and equipment purchases for county departments. Among the approvals: an addendum with Jefferson County Detention Services permitting up to five additional juvenile beds at no additional county cost for 2025; a landscaping-supplies bid extension with Bell Landscaping doing business as Cecil Supply LLC for county buildings; an annual marker contract for Veterans Affairs at an estimated $15,000 with All Quality Memorial Markers; and a contract extension for law-enforcement radio equipment with Bridal Sounds Systems of McMurray, Pennsylvania, effective March 1, 2025 through Feb. 28, 2026 under existing terms.

The board approved several technology and equipment purchases for the sheriff's office (payments to CDW-G, Lenovo and Dell Technologies) to be paid from the records-improvement fund, which the chief clerk said would not require county general funds. The board also approved a business-associate and qualified service-organization agreement with Prime Care Medical to protect patient information in county corrections and a preventative maintenance agreement with Automated Logic for building automation systems at a cost of $29,494 for the year.

Children and Youth Services received approval for a provider agreement with Jefferson County Detention totaling $292,000 for calendar 2025; Behavioral Health and Developmental Services received approval for a $400,000 provider agreement with Supportive Concepts for Families Inc. The commissioners approved appointments and reappointments to several county boards, including the planning commission and workforce-development bodies: Ryan Kosnicer to the planning commission, Bruce (last name not specified in the transcript) to the local emergency planning committee, Amy Hammerhand to the Southwest Corner Workforce Development Board, and reappointments of Gwen Diaz, Donald Martin and Gina Zacayas to the CIT (CIS) advisory board.

Human Services requested and the board approved using up to $200,000 of opioid-settlement funds to purchase property at 9 Campbell Drive (location description in the record was unclear) for an integrated health and wellness center. Presenters and staff noted that the item was to be paid from opioid-settlement proceeds.

The board approved authorization to advertise for proposals for MDJ Porter office space in Charleroi and to advertise bids for the joint municipal purchasing program. Several routine procurement and contracting items were passed by roll call votes with all commissioners voting in favor on those items.

Before one item was finalized, a commissioner asked for additional time to review contract details dating to February 2024 and the board subsequently voted to table that item so staff could provide follow-up information. A commissioner explained the request was for additional review and not meant to impede operations.

Votes at a glance

- PennDOT reimbursement addendum: approve; amount $2,850,000; funding: federal funds; outcome: approved (roll call: three commissioners recorded as voting yes).
- Jefferson County Detention provider addendum (children & youth): approve; allows up to 5 additional beds; no additional county funds; outcome: approved (roll call yes).
- Landscaping supplies bid extension (Bell Landscaping / Cecil Supply LLC): approve; effective 03/01/2025'02/28/2026 with optional one-year extension; outcome: approved (roll call yes).
- Veterans Affairs marker contract (All Quality Memorial Markers): approve; est. annual cost $15,000; outcome: approved (roll call yes).
- Law enforcement radio equipment contract extension (Bridal Sounds Systems): approve; effective 03/01/2025'02/28/2026; outcome: approved (roll call yes).
- Richardson Communications addendum (planning commission assistance): approve; hourly rate $50'$65, not to exceed 20 hours/week; effective 02/01/2025'06/30/2025; outcome: approved (roll call yes).
- Express Employment Professionals contract extension (temporary staffing): approve; terms listed in agenda (item later the subject of a separate motion to table for further review); outcome: initially approved by roll call (yes) and later the board voted to table the item for additional review (see notes).
- Payments for sheriff's office equipment (CDW-G $297.23; Lenovo $910; Dell $1,419.78): approve; funding: records improvement fund; outcome: approved (roll call yes).
- Children & Youth provider agreement with Jefferson County Detention (JPO Detention Services): approve; contract authorization $292,000; outcome: approved (roll call yes).
- Behavioral Health provider agreement (Supportive Concepts for Families Inc): approve; contract authorization $400,000; outcome: approved (roll call yes).
- Opioid-settlement funding for property acquisition (Human Services): approve; up to $200,000 to purchase property for integrated health and wellness center at 9 Campbell Drive (location description unclear in the record); outcome: approved (roll call yes).
- Advertise for MDJ Porter office proposals (Charleroi): approve; outcome: approved (roll call yes).
- Advertise bids for joint municipal purchasing program (planning): approve; outcome: approved (roll call yes).
- Business-associate agreement with Prime Care Medical (corrections): approve; effective February 2025; outcome: approved (roll call yes).
- Water treatment program agreement with Chem Aqua Inc (courthouse and Crossroads buildings): approve; funded through operating budget; effective 03/01/2025'02/28/2026; outcome: approved (roll call yes).
- Preventative maintenance agreement with Automated Logic: approve; total $29,494 for 96 billable maintenance hours; site-visit labor $198/hour; outcome: approved (roll call yes).
- Tax refunds to county taxpayers: approve; total $1,199.74; outcome: approved (roll call yes).

Discussion vs. formal action

- Several approvals were procedural (contract extensions, equipment purchases and advertising authorizations) and were passed by roll call with all commissioners recorded as voting yes.
- One procurement/contract item was tabled after a commissioner requested additional review of materials dating to February 2024; the commissioner said the request was to allow follow-up questions and more time for review, not to impede operations.

Community relevance and next steps

- The Chartier No. 604 Bridge project will be paid with federal funds under the PennDOT agreement; the chair was authorized to sign related project documents.
- The Human Services purchase using opioid-settlement funds will proceed using settlement proceeds; staff will handle acquisition details.
- Board staff and relevant departments were directed to follow up on the tabled contract item and return with the requested clarifications.

Ending

The board set its next regular meeting for 10 a.m. on March 6, 2025. The retirement board met after the commissioners' session and the salary board meeting scheduled for the day was canceled.