Washington County commissioners approve routine contracts, appointments and direct solicitor to draft $250 tax-sale processing fee ordinance

The Washington County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a series of routine contracts, provider agreements and board appointments Thursday and authorized the solicitor to prepare and advertise an ordinance allowing the tax claim bureau to charge a $250 processing fee for properties sold at tax sale or mortgage foreclosure.

The actions, taken by roll call, included awards and contract approvals across human services, planning, purchasing, information technology and public safety. Commissioners voted yes on each item: Commissioner Maggi — yes; Commissioner Janice — yes; Commissioner Sherman — yes.

Key approvals included:

- Awarding an emergency childcare center operator contract to the childcare care group (motion and agreement details in agenda). The board approved authorization to implement the project as a proactive response to the county's childcare feasibility study.

- Approving an addendum for kitchen hood cleaning with Cool Clean of Murrysville, Pa., increasing costs to $450 per exhaust cleaning plus an $18 compliance/engine submission fee for fire marshal paperwork.

- Authorizing advertising and appointments: multiple board reappointments were confirmed, including Ernie Bencak and Peter Cameron to the County Authority Board; Emily Stobovi Plisa and Deborah Mahoney to the BHDS advisory board; Brandy Miller to the CYS advisory board; several appointments to the Farmland Preservation Board and LEPC; and Clyde Wilhelm to the County Housing Authority Board.

- Directing the solicitor to prepare and advertise an ordinance to permit the tax claim bureau to charge a $250 processing fee per transaction for properties purchased at tax sale or mortgage foreclosure; the item was authorized for advertisement, not adopted, and will return for further consideration after drafting and public notice.

- Approving a $4,000 agreement with the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum Inc. to provide group tours of the Washington County Courthouse for Jan. 1'Dec. 31, 2025.

- Certifying $30,178 collected in 2024 from Clean and Green rollback taxes to a restricted farmland preservation account.

- Approving a personal-service agreement with Scott Barry for alcohol highway safety instruction at $500 per 12.5-hour class.

- Approving a memorandum of understanding with SEIU Local 668 to waive the probationary period for a full-time TCO who completed probation as a part-time TCO immediately prior to promotion.

- Approving a provider agreement with Adalfoie Village to deliver aggression replacement training for youth ages 12'17 for July 1, 2024'June 30, 2025 at a contract authorization of $50,000 (no additional county funds required).

- Approving a one-time opioid-settlement payment of $3,510 to Gateway Rehabilitation Center to purchase kitchen equipment for Lighthouse for Men, an OUD treatment program, and authorizing advertising for phase 2 opioid-settlement fund dispersions.

- Authorizing solicitation of proposals for rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing programs.

- Approving bids and vendor agreements: restroom renovations at the fairgrounds (advertise for bids), Comcast Business internet/security services at the public safety airport (one-time installation $99.95; monthly rates $219.99 year 1, $249.99 year 2, $299.99 year 3), Eisminger's Auto Service towing services (time-and-materials basis), and an addendum to extend the Real Estate Expo Marketing Agreement with Drive Marketing through March 31, 2025.

All motions were handled as part of the new-business consent/regular agenda and passed on unanimous roll calls. The board also announced an executive session on personnel following the Jan. 21 agenda meeting and scheduled its next regular meeting for 10 a.m. Feb. 6, 2025.