Lawrence County approves two-year Thomson Reuters contract for judicial library; county projects ~$40,000 savings

Lawrence County commissioners voted Jan. 28 to approve a two-year contract with Thomson Reuters to supply subscriptions used by judges and the county’s judicial law library, a move county officials said will cut the county’s subscription costs by nearly $40,000 over the contract period.

Court administrator Amy DiMoccio told commissioners the contract would begin Feb. 1, 2025, and run through Jan. 31, 2027. Under the agreement, the county will pay $1,669.14 per month in the first 12 months and $1,802.60 per month in the second 12 months. DiMoccio said that, by consolidating duplicate materials and cancelling underused subscriptions, the county’s projected savings over the two-year period is $39,912.52. “After review ... we believe this is the best option to take,” DiMoccio said.

Why it matters: county officials said the change reduces duplicate purchases from multiple vendors and creates a predictable monthly expense for judicial research materials. President Judge J. Craig Cox, law librarian Jo Ellen Pastore and DiMoccio presented the review and recommended the shorter, two-year term so the county could re-evaluate pricing after a relatively brief period.

Details and process: DiMoccio told the board the review identified six different vendors that had provided subscriptions across judicial offices and the upstairs law library. The county determined some subscriptions were duplicates or rarely used and could be canceled. Commissioners asked about contract length and renewal options; DiMoccio said Thomson Reuters offered two-, three- and five-year terms and the county chose the two-year term to retain flexibility ahead of judicial elections and future budget reviews. The county plans to review pricing in September 2026 and consider renewal before a Feb. 1, 2027 renewal window.

Legal and procedural notes: Chairman of the board explained to the public that county code and state law require all county contracts to be approved at a public meeting; commissioners must sign the contract after the vote.

Votes at a glance: Several other resolutions passed at the Jan. 28 meeting with little debate. Key outcomes recorded in the meeting transcript:

- Resolution 15 — Contract with Thomson Reuters for judicial library subscriptions: approved. Roll call recorded as: Commissioner Sainato — Yes; Commissioner Kennedy — Yes; Commissioner Gumbler — Yes. - Resolution 16 — Lawrence County Social Services application to Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for $750,000 HOME owner-occupied rehab funds: approved. Roll call recorded as: (transcript) Mister Sainautam — Yes; Mister Kennedy — Yes; Mister Butler — Yes. - Resolutions 17 & 18 — Contracts with Peak Potential Therapy Solutions and SOAR for early intervention occupational therapy services (state-paid): approved. Roll call recorded as: Mister Sainato — Yes; Mister Kennedy — Yes; Commissioner Bobo — Yes. - Resolution 19 — Contract with GSS (Government Software Services) to replace tax claim office software: approved. Roll call recorded as: Mister Saginaw — Yes; Mister Kennedy — Yes; Mister Vogler — Yes. - Resolution 20 — $40,000 allocation from the affordable housing fund for a first-time homebuyer closing-cost grant program: approved. Roll call recorded as: Mister Senator Adam — Yes; Mister Kennedy — Yes; Commissioner Dunbar — Yes. - Resolution 21 — $15,000 allocation from the affordable housing fund to Mission Barn for access ramps and related work: approved. Roll call recorded as: Commissioner Saadona — Yes; Commissioner Kennedy — Yes; Commissioner Vogler — Yes. - Resolution 22 — Budget amendment recognizing $91,470 in CDBG administrative revenue and allocating it among county and three municipal administrative accounts: approved. Roll call recorded as: Commissioner Saenano — Yes; Commissioner Kennedy — Yes; Commissioner Bogart — Yes.

What commissioners said: Commissioners praised the court staff for conducting an inventory and negotiating costs. One commissioner noted the two-year term was chosen to avoid a longer commitment and to allow for further changes if needed.

What’s next: County staff said the signed contract and any required documents would be returned to the commissioners after the meeting. The county will monitor usage and evaluate the contract in fall 2026 ahead of the 2027 renewal window.

Ending: The contract vote was one of several routine fiscal and contractual items at the Jan. 28 meeting; commissioners also approved several health, housing and software contracts and budget transfers during the session.