Washington County commissioners approve contracts, grants, leases and appointments

At a Washington County Board of Commissioners meeting, commissioners approved multiple contracts, grants, provider agreements, a county solicitor contract and an oil-and-gas lease, and rejected one group of bids. Most items were approved on roll call with the three voting commissioners recorded as voting yes.

The actions cover infrastructure, public safety technology, human services, behavioral-health provider contracts, county legal services and a 100% federally funded change order to a bridge replacement project. The approvals authorize spending from a mix of state, federal and settlement funds; where the county budget will cover costs, the clerk’s summary said no additional accounting funds were required.

The meeting followed the board’s routine roll-call votes and agenda process. Chief Clerk (title used in meeting) presented the bulk of items; staff and outside presenters described each contract or agreement to commissioners before the roll-call votes.

Key approvals included: the planning commission’s revised scope and increased cost for the Chartiers No. 64 bridge replacement project — an increase of $119,125.50 for a total project cost of $613,627.54, described as 100% federally funded; the rejection of all submitted bids for workers’ compensation services followed later by approval of a 2025 workers’ compensation services agreement with Excalibur Investment Services Inc. at the board’s request; and approval of an oil-and-gas lease with Range Resources Appalachia LLC for 5.76 acres in Donegal Township.

The board approved a one-year contract with Sweat Law Offices to serve as the county solicitor effective Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2025; a PEMA grant of $46,970 for Washington County’s NG 911 GIS post-migration project; and a PennDOT reimbursement agreement providing $900,000 to the county for rehabilitation of Tunnel No. 4 in Buffalo Township, with construction to be fully state-funded and a local match required for preconstruction activities. Approval of the PennDOT agreement also designated signing authority to the chairman.

Several human-services and behavioral-health contracts were approved or amended: provider agreements for children and youth services totaling $675,000 for July 1, 2024–June 30, 2025; a…