Pike County commissioners approve routine payments, personnel moves, contracts and a $5 million tax‑anticipation note; defer one jail‑well award

Pike County commissioners on Jan. 15 approved a slate of routine financial actions, personnel changes, contracts and grant payments and adopted a $5,000,000 tax‑anticipation note to cover the county’s cash‑flow gap during the tax collection season.

The board approved agendas and minutes, authorized payments from several funds — including $787,564.45 from the general fund and $91,829.84 from the Pike County Employees Health Insurance Fund — and approved vendor and grant vouchers submitted by the Office of Human Services. Commissioners voted to hire or reclassify several county employees, set salaries and hourly rates, and confirmed appointments to local task forces and boards.

In procurement business, the board delayed final award of certain food‑service bids to allow additional review and approved a motion to delay final award for the Pike County Jail Complex well‑number‑3 drilling and development bids until the board’s Feb. 5 meeting while authorizing payment application No. 2 in the amount of $13,804.64 to Knight Well Drilling.

The board adopted a one‑year tax anticipation note of $5,000,000 (resolution number listed in the transcript as 2503) to provide temporary working capital between January and April, the period before property tax collections begin. Commissioners also adopted resolution 2504 addressing tax collector compensation; the meeting record shows the presiding commissioner abstained from that vote because the commissioner’s wife is the tax collector.

Other formal approvals included a project modification request for the Special Victims Advocate Program (SPAP 2023) on behalf of the district attorney’s office; authorization for the chairman to execute a Dixon House 2025 sub‑grantee award notification for the district attorney’s office; a fourth amendment to a public‑safety equipment maintenance agreement; a PBM (pharmacy benefits manager) service amendment with Express Scripts; and a professional‑services contract between Riley Counseling LLC and Pike County on behalf of Children and Youth Services.

The board approved a redevelopment block grant payment voucher payable to Pro Solutions Home Renovations LLC in the amount of $15,626 and numerous human‑services and Pike County Home Program payment vouchers. The meeting record lists recipients and amounts for the home program and other vouchers (see “Votes at a glance” below for line‑by‑line items extracted from the meeting transcript).

Votes at a glance (items extracted from the meeting transcript): - Motion to approve the 01/15/2025 agenda — approved (voice vote). - Approve refunds of contributions for 12 listed individuals (refund list referenced in packet) — approved (voice vote). - Approve retirements (two names referenced) — approved (voice vote). - Approve invoices and fourth‑quarter assessments (transcript references amounts: $5,464; Onno investment adviser $59,070.40; Broadridge/Matrix Trust Company $14,223.69) — approved (voice vote). - Approve payment from general fund, $787,564.45 — approved (voice vote). - Approve payment from liquid fuels account, $260 (as stated in record) — approved (voice vote). - Approve payment from Pike County Employees Health Insurance Fund, $91,829.84 — approved (voice vote). - Personnel: transfer of Matthew Montanez to deputy sheriff, retroactive to 01/13/2025 (replacement); set hourly rate $24.40 for Matthew Montanez — approved (voice vote). - Hire Brandon Twomey as full‑time resource conservationist, 40 hours/week, benefits after 90 days; set annual salary $38,000 effective 01/21/2025 — approved (voice vote). - Change Betty Malek from part‑time to full‑time housekeeping supervisor, 30 hours/week, benefits after 90 days — approved (voice vote). - Motion to delay awarding of certain food‑service bids until Feb. 5 and to review bids — motion carried (voice vote). - Motion to delay final award on jail well drilling bids until Feb. 5 and to execute payment application No. 2 to Knight Well Drilling in the amount of $13,804.64 (Pike County Jail Complex, well #3 drilling and development) — approved (voice vote). - Adopt resolution authorizing a $5,000,000 tax anticipation note (identified in the transcript as resolution 2503) — approved (voice vote). - Adopt resolution 2504 (Tax Collector compensation) — approved; presiding commissioner recorded an abstention because the commissioner’s spouse is the tax collector. - Execute project modification request for Special Victims Advocate Program (SPAP 2023) on behalf of the district attorney’s office — approved (voice vote). - Authorize chairman to execute Dixon House 2025 sub‑grantee award notification (district attorney’s office) — approved (voice vote). - Authorize chairman to execute fourth amendment to equipment maintenance agreement (Public Safety) — approved (voice vote). - Authorize chief clerk to execute PBM service amendment with Express Scripts — approved (voice vote). - Execute contract for professional services between Riley Counseling LLC and Pike County (Children and Youth Services) — approved (voice vote). - Appointments: John Mack to Pike County Yield Task Force (Shawola Township delegate) to fill unexpired term ending 12/31/2025; Keith Raser to Pike County Road Task Force (Shawola Township delegate) for 1‑year term ending 12/31/2025; Alan Schatz to Pike County Veterans Support Fund Board — all approved (voice votes). - Redevelopment Block Grant payment voucher payable to Pro Solutions Home Renovations LLC, $15,626 (Office of Human Services) — approved (voice vote). - Human services payment vouchers (as read into record): State Food Purchase Program $575; (record references) $8,288.84; Human Services Development Fund $3,279.32 — approved (voice votes). - Pike County Home Program payment vouchers (recipients and amounts as read into record): Hawaii’s Lodging LLC $3,000; Cam Sue Xi $1,250; (recipient name partially inaudible) $2,400; Karina Volschen $3,000; Paul Pack Village LLC $3,000; Thomas Duncan $1,600; Carrie Mandrick $3,000; Joseph David Rudolph $1,567; Vanessa Ritag $3,000; Mountain Shadow Enterprises LLC $1,200 — all approved (voice votes). - Community Development Block Grant program payment voucher payable to Pike County Home account $31,035 — approved (voice vote). - Community Development Block Grant program payment voucher payable to the County of Pike $3,307.98 — approved (voice vote).

Discussion vs. decision: Most items above were formal motions with immediate approval on voice votes (the transcript records “All in favor? Aye.”). A small number of items included clarifying discussion (for example, the explanation of the tax anticipation note’s purpose and the decision to delay certain bid awards); the transcript shows discussion but no separate directive beyond the approvals listed above.

Ending: The meeting included routine procedural business and multiple ministerial approvals; the board scheduled a follow‑up on delayed procurement awards for Feb. 5, 2025. No public comment was recorded on the items that required additional action during this session.