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Blair County commissioners approve routine contracts, grants and purchases; hold one children-and-families service agreement
Summary
At the Jan. 23 meeting the Blair County Board of Commissioners approved a set of routine contracts and grant awards — including prison food and milk bids, an elections vendor contract and a mosquito-control grant — and postponed action on one purchase-of-service agreement for Blair County Drug and Alcohol Program pending missing attachments.
Blair County commissioners approved a package of routine contracts, bid specifications and grant agreements during their Jan. 23, 2025, meeting while holding one children-and-families purchase-of-service agreement for further review.
The approvals covered procurement for the Blair County Prison, election services, advertising for Fort Roberdeau, vehicle maintenance, landfill disposal certification for bridge work, and public-health and farmland preservation funds. Commissioners voted to postpone action on a purchase-of-service agreement with the Blair County Drug and Alcohol Program after members said they had not received the full purchase-of-service agreement attachment included with the packet.
The meeting began at 10 a.m. The chair (identified in the record as a commissioner) moved approval of the consent agenda, which included Resolution 16-2025 (payments and budget transfers), bridge invoice payment, and multiple appointments and reappointments; the board approved the consent agenda with one abstention noted on payments to Blair Senior Services in Hollidaysburg Borough.
Key approvals and items at a glance
- Prison procurement: Commissioners approved bid specifications and advertisement for milk products for the Blair County Prison for a contract period listed as March 1, 2025, through March 1, 2030. They separately approved bid specifications and advertisement for food and non-food items for the prison for the period March 1, 2025, through Aug. 31, 2025.
- Elections contract: The board approved an agreement between the County of Blair (on behalf of the Board of Elections) and Election Systems & Software, LLC, for coding the 2025 municipal primary and election ballot and 12 days of on-site support for a total listed amount of $24,600. Meeting comments identified the cost as paid from the election integrity grant.
- Fort Roberdeau advertising: Commissioners approved a $695 contract for a quarter-page advertisement in the Blair County Chamber 2025 membership directory to be paid from Fort Roberdeau’s advertising and publication budget.
- Bridge material disposal: The board approved submission of a Form UCS (nonhazardous waste certification) by Merlo Inc. to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for removal and disposal of pyritic shale from County Bridge No. 69 to the Wayne Township landfill. Staff said a similar submission was required previously for Bridge 70 because the rock is acid-generating and must be taken to an approved landfill.
- Vehicle maintenance contract: The board approved a purchase-under-threshold agreement with Allegheny Truck Inc. for vehicle repair and maintenance per county purchase orders.
- Child-care and children/families agreements: Commissioners approved a 2024 purchase-under-threshold agreement between Blair County Children, Youth and Families and Kids Court Child Care and Learning Center Inc. in the amount listed as $629 to cover childcare for children in placement prior to eligibility determinations. They also approved the FY 2024–25 renewal purchase-of-service agreement and HIPAA Business Associate Agreement with Bethany Christian Services; a commissioner noted Bethany did not have the county’s preferred insurance and that the provider was used as a last resort in the prior year.
- Warm handoff MOU: The board approved a memorandum of understanding between Blair County and Blair County Drug and Alcohol Program to expand the county’s warm handoff program to include Blair County Children, Youth and Families. The MOU is intended to facilitate in‑office referrals to the Drug and Alcohol Program’s care coordinator for individuals presenting with substance use disorders.
- Mosquito-borne disease grant: The commissioners approved a mosquito-borne disease control grant agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for the period Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2025. The amount was recorded in the packet as “53,900 and $29.” A commissioner noted the program had detected West Nile virus in prior years and said the program has been effective.
- Farmland preservation certification: The board approved the 2025 certification of county funds for the Pennsylvania Farmland Preservation Program in the amount of $159,659, reflecting the county’s budgeted amount plus carryover interest.
Held items and follow-up
- Purchase-of-service agreement with Blair County Drug and Alcohol Program: Commissioners identified that the packet contained only a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and not the full purchase-of-service agreement. One commissioner requested the missing purchase-of-service agreement be supplied; the board agreed to hold that item for consideration at the next meeting.
Procedural notes
Most approvals were adopted by voice vote after motions by the presiding commissioner and routine seconds from other commissioners or staff assistants as recorded. The consent agenda motion carried with one recorded abstention on payments to Blair Senior Services in Hollidaysburg Borough. Commissioners scheduled the next meeting for Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, at 10 a.m.
Ending
Items requiring additional documentation (the Drug and Alcohol purchase-of-service agreement and a draft letter opposing HR 6655) were deferred to permit staff to deliver missing attachments and to let commissioners review edits before final action. The board adjourned after completing the listed business.
