Crawford County commissioners review and seek approvals for departmental purchases, contracts and grants

Crawford County commissioners met in a Feb. 5 work session in Meadville to hear routine departmental requests for purchases, contract ratifications and grant allocations across county offices, and to consider an intergovernmental tax-collection agreement with Conneautville Borough.

The requests included budgeted purchases for public safety and information-technology equipment, small unbudgeted repairs at the correctional facility, contract amendments for human-services providers, and several reimbursements and one-time grants for planning and housing programs. During public comment, Sarah Madbeck, president of the Crawford County Tax Collector’s Association and tax collector for Woodcock, asked for specific wording changes to the draft tax-collector compensation resolution and clarification about a 25-cent file-upload incentive.

The work session functioned mainly as a briefing and preliminary approval stage: department heads asked commissioners to ratify past emergency repairs, approve upcoming contract renewals or purchases, and authorize grant awards or reimbursements. Most items were presented as budgeted or grant-funded; several small repairs were presented as not budgeted and slated for ratification.

Veteran services opened the meeting seeking approval to buy an annual allotment of cemetery flags: 15,120 flags at a total cost of $12,296, which the presenter said is budgeted. “Any, 4¢ cheaper this year,” the presenter noted about unit pricing.

Correctional facility staff asked commissioners to ratify two nonbudgeted vendor payments: $787.80 to Craftmaster Hardware for a door closer and $838.30 to Lindsay Refrigeration to replace two rooftop-unit crankcase heaters; staff said the door repair remains pending. Juvenile probation requested several approvals including a community-service contract with the Crawford County Conservation District (April 1–Oct. 15, 2025) that would provide $5,000 for mowing and cleanup, a monthly fleet-wash agreement (gold level discounted to $12 per wash) for department vehicles, and a $3,940 extended-warranty/support agreement covering 10 electronic monitoring units.

The district attorney’s office asked to pay $5,236.72 to the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association for the county’s yearly membership assessment and associated attorney fees; the presenter said the fee structure includes a county assessment and additional individual attorney fees depending on staffing and that the association provides training and legal updates.

Court administration requested a $400 purchase of a network video recorder for exterior cameras at the Linesville magisterial district judge office, listed as not budgeted. The chief assessor requested an $18,070 annual maintenance invoice for the Vision camera/software system and asked to replace two iPads (quoted at $1,999 each) plus data plans totaling $73.98 per month.

Information technology presented a new Crawford County artificial intelligence policy requiring county AI tools to be added to an approved list and said the policy has been reviewed internally; the IT director also asked to purchase Webex headsets from CDW‑G for $6,279 and to ratify a contract with an outside manager (David Weekley) whose management arrangement changed.

Public safety sought approval for a PEMA GRAMA agreement for $93,599.68 from the county’s interconnectivity fund to offset GIS and ILEC costs; approval of custodial services with Annie’s Cleaning at $8.60 per month (no increase); replacement of six Zetron radio consoles for $22,452; repair work and smaller equipment purchases, including MSA Galaxy chargers and cylinder holders ($9,972) funded from a HAZMAT response grant for distribution to county fire departments; and enrollment in an AI skills lab for emergency call taking at $2,500 annually.

County maintenance and courthouse remodeling invoices, vehicle and rooftop HVAC repairs were presented for ratification, with specific vendor amounts (Ascendant Truck Centers $514.47 from liquid fuels funds; Scobell Company $11,400 for a rooftop compressor; Stark Tech $2,500 service agreement). Planning requested several small reimbursements from the whole-home program (payments ranging from $10.24 to $576), a $20,000 blight-revitalization grant award contract with Common Roots, software renewals (Grammarly $1,152; Monday.com $2,417) and ratification of a contract with Sturdy Boots Construction for a homeowner repair in that program.

Human services asked to ratify a needs-based plan and budget amendment for FY 2023–24 due to increased community‑based placements, and presented purchase requisitions under the McKinney‑Vento Act to reimburse Crawford Central School District for bus transportation for a foster child (October cost $1,985.99, county share $397.20; November cost $1,534.64, county share $306.93). The department also presented contract amendments to adjust behavioral-health provider rates retroactive to July 1 per state-set rate changes, while holding contract maximums steady.

Finance presented multiple budgeted allocations and invoices: Crawford County Regional Airport Authority $40,000; Penn State Extension $72,500 (Q1 2025); Community Health Services trip reimbursement $51,746; CATA $50,000; Penn Soil Resource Conservation $5,000; and a $125,000 STOP‑ABUSE grant to a women’s services provider for calendar year 2025. The treasurer requested ratification of a printing contract for 2025 real-estate tax bills and a brief extension of maintenance support for the tax-claim software module.

Voter services requested purchase of an “election barn” camera and network system to be paid with election-integrity grant funds and ratified a $336 payment for a network cable. Commissioners also reviewed and discussed an intergovernmental cooperation agreement to provide Conneautville Borough tax-collection services through the county treasurer’s office during a local vacancy. Commissioners indicated they had no objection to advancing the agreement for signature and billing adjustments.

During public comment, Sarah Madbeck, the Woodcock tax collector and president of the Crawford County Tax Collector’s Association, asked that the proposed tax-collector compensation resolution correct a reference from “June” to “July” in paragraph 7 and that paragraph 14 explicitly state that a provided TXT file will trigger the 25-cent incentive payment. The county treasurer and commissioners discussed options for joint tax-collection districts and noted municipal choices for filling vacancies.

Votes at a glance (items presented for approval; outcomes recorded in the meeting transcript when stated): - Purchase of 15,120 cemetery flags, $12,296 — presented as budgeted; outcome not specified in transcript. - Ratify Craftmaster Hardware payment $787.80 (door closer) — presented for ratification; outcome not specified. - Ratify Lindsay Refrigeration payment $838.30 (crankcase heaters) — presented for ratification; outcome not specified. - Juvenile‑probation: Conservation District contract (4/1/25–10/15/25), receipt $5,000 — presented; outcome not specified. - Juvenile‑probation: Plaza Car Wash fleet agreement, $12 per wash — presented; outcome not specified. - Juvenile‑probation: BI warranty for electronic monitoring units, $3,940 — presented; outcome not specified. - Pennsylvania DAs Association payment $5,236.72 — presented; outcome not specified. - Courts: NVR purchase $400 — presented as not budgeted; outcome not specified. - Chief Assessor: Vision maintenance $18,070; two iPads $3,998 plus $73.98/mo data — presented; outcome not specified. - IT: County AI policy submitted for approval (policy to require approved‑list additions) — presented; outcome not specified. - IT: Webex headsets from CDW‑G $6,279 — presented; outcome not specified. - IT: Contract ratification for David Weekley — presented; outcome not specified. - Public safety: PEMA GRAMA agreement $93,599.68 — presented; outcome not specified. - Public safety: Annie’s Cleaning custodial contract $8.60/month — presented; outcome not specified. - Public safety: Six Zetron radio consoles $22,452 — presented; outcome not specified. - Public safety: MSA Galaxy chargers $9,972 (HAZMAT grant) — presented; outcome not specified. - Public safety: Erie County EMS plan share $15,950.07 — presented; outcome not specified. - Public safety: Priority Dispatch AI skills lab $2,500/yr — presented; outcome not specified. - County maintenance: Ascendant Truck Centers $514.47 (liquid fuels) — presented; outcome not specified. - County maintenance: Scobell Company rooftop compressor $11,400 — presented; outcome not specified. - Planning: Common Roots grant contract $20,000 (blight revitalization) — presented and recommended by planning commission; outcome not specified. - Planning: Grammarly $1,152 and Monday.com $2,417 renewals — presented; outcome not specified. - Planning: Ratify Sturdy Boots Construction contract for home repairs — presented; outcome not specified. - Human Services: McKinney‑Vento bus transportation reimbursements (Oct $1,985.99 county $397.20; Nov $1,534.64 county $306.93) — presented; outcome not specified. - Human Services: Contract amendments for Arc of Crawford County and Youth Advocate Program adjusting rates (no increase to contract maxima) — presented; outcome not specified. - Finance: Multiple allocations and invoices including Airport Authority $40,000; Penn State Extension $72,500; Community Health Services $51,746; CATA $50,000; Penn Soil $5,000; Mayor Dussell audit billing $18,000; Women’s services STOP‑ABUSE grant $125,000 — presented; outcomes not specified. - HR: Ratify separation and release agreement with Tina Chatfield; 2025 SHRM membership dues $985 — presented; outcome not specified. - Treasurer: Resolution establishing tax collector compensation for 2026–2029 tax years; printing contract for 2025 tax bills; maintenance‑contract extension for tax-claim module (two months) — presented; commissioners agreed to advance intergovernmental agreement with Conneautville Borough and indicated no objection to signature for billing adjustments. - Voter services: Election barn camera and network system (election integrity grant) and $336 network cable — presented; outcome not specified.

Ending: Commissioners scheduled the next full session for Feb. 12; county offices will be closed Feb. 17 for Presidents Day and the next work session is scheduled for Feb. 19. Public comment centered on tax‑collector compensation language and local options for filling a vacant borough tax-collector post; no formal votes were recorded on those public‑comment requests at the work session.