The Lawrence County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday adopted the county’s 2025 budget, approved staff health-insurance contribution levels, appointed a new tax-claim director and approved contracts for electricity supply and radio-systems maintenance.

The budget, adopted by resolution 385, was introduced Dec. 10 and placed on public display for 21 days as required by state law; commissioners said the measure is balanced and includes no change to the county’s real-estate tax. County Administrator Joe Venasco was credited by the board for leading the budget process with department heads and the comptroller’s office.

The board also passed resolution 386 to set maximum employee contributions toward health-insurance premiums at 6 percent of the policy premium for nonunion management and county-compensated elected officials; union employees remain subject to the terms of their negotiated contracts.

On personnel, the commissioners approved resolution 387 to name Brian Burick as tax-claim director, with the appointment set to begin Jan. 6, 2025. The nomination followed a process that included internal and external applicants and three interviews. The vote on the appointment passed 2–1: one commissioner recorded a dissenting vote.

On county operations and services, the board approved a 12-month electricity rate lock with IGS Energy for county facilities and tower sites (resolution 388) and renewed a service agreement with Bearcom (listed in the packet as Carecom/Bearcom) to maintain radio systems, cameras and related infrastructure for 2025 at a total cost of $72,636 (resolution 389). Public-safety director Chad Strobel told the board the Bearcom contract covers 24/7 on-call maintenance for radios, microwave links, site shelters, HVAC, batteries and cameras at the courthouse and the county’s other facilities; he said most of the Bearcom cost is paid from a state fund, reducing general-fund impact.

The board also approved the annual HRA transfer resolution (390) to move $233,800 among department benefit line items and several departmental budget transfers described in the meeting packet. The transfers and the HRA adjustments were presented as routine year-end accounting to align benefit expenditures with the close of the 2024 budget year.

In written communications entered into the record, the board acknowledged a permit-renewal submission from SA Recycling (214 Gardner Avenue, Newcastle) to the DEP and documentation from Apex on behalf of Americold Aggregates regarding mining activity north of the active Welsh quarry in Wayne Township near State Route 288 and Jockey Moore Road; the communications were accepted into the record.

During public comment, attendee Debbie Walker asked about the incoming tax-claim director’s salary and benefits; the board said the starting salary under consideration is $65,000 and that benefits and any salary-board action will be addressed at the annual salary board meeting on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.

Votes at a glance: Resolution 385 (2025 budget) — approved, 3–0. Resolution 386 (employee health contribution ceiling) — approved, 3–0. Resolution 387 (appoint Brian Burick, tax-claim director) — approved, 2–1 (one no). Resolution 388 (IGS Energy electricity contract, 12 months) — approved, 3–0. Resolution 389 (Bearcom service agreement, $72,636 for 2025) — approved, 3–0. Resolution 390 (HRA/year-end transfers, $233,800 total) — approved, 3–0. Several departmental line-item transfers listed in the packet were approved together by roll call.

The board listed upcoming meetings and deadlines: a regular public meeting on Jan. 7, 2025, and the required annual salary board meeting on Jan. 6, 2025; the courthouse will be closed Jan. 1 for the New Year’s holiday.

The meeting lasted about 57 minutes and adjourned after the roll-call votes.