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Commissioners approve slate of routine budget, grant and contract items; several CDBG actions and courthouse change orders pass
Summary
At its Sept. 18, 2025 meeting the Carbon County Board of Commissioners approved multiple routine items — budget transfers and expenditure ratifications, CDBG actions, grant agreements, lease and special-activity agreements, and courthouse renovation change orders — mostly by unanimous roll call.
The Carbon County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 18, 2025 approved a broad package of routine budget, grant, personnel and contract actions, including budget transfers, expenditure ratifications, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) actions, emergency management grants and multiple construction change orders for the courthouse renovation.
Why it matters: The votes authorize spending, launch grant-funded work and advance construction on county facilities. Several items will affect county operations (courthouse renovation, elections office moves), local nonprofits (shelter advisory appointment), and borough governments (surplus real estate advertising and lease agreements).
Key approved actions included:
- Budget transfers (agenda item 25551): approved.
- Expenditure ratifications (items 25553–25555): ratified, including expenditures dated Sept. 11 and Sept. 18, 2025.
- Treasurer's report (item 25556): approved as presented.
- Advertising the Carbon County Whole Home Repair Program (item 25559): approved for advertisement.
- CDBG actions: second public hearing authorized (item 25560); Lansford Borough clearance and demolition approved (item 25561); bid rejection for Perryville (item 25562) approved.
- Boards and authorities appointments and reappointments: Bridal Shelter Advisory Commission appointment (item 25563) approved; reappointment to the Pennsylvania Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust (item 25564) approved.
- Children & Youth amendment (item 25565): amendment No. 1 with Berks County approved and executed.
- Correctional facility (item 25566): fire pump procurement approved and executed.
- Domestic Relations (item 25567): renewal of agreement with Select Path approved and executed.
- Elections (item 25568): provisional ballot affidavit redesign grant agreement ($500) approved and executed for allowable expenditures July 1–Nov. 4, 2025.
- Emergency Management (item 25569) and Emergency Operations & Training Center (item 25570): LSA grants and accompanying resolutions adopted.
- Human Resources (item 25571): Cobra Solutions item ratified.
- Human Services (item 25572): state food expense and data report ratified.
- Information Technology (item 25573): IronStreet/Pentel data agreement ratified.
- Planning & Development (item 25574): FY2024 CDBG revision 4 (Jim Thorpe project) approved and executed.
- Solicitor recommendations and property actions: authorized advertisement for bids for surplus real estate on Princeton Avenue in Palmerton (item 25-575); ratified a special activities agreement with USA Endurance for county parking lot use (item 25-576).
- Courthouse renovation: change orders 17–26 for CMG of Easton (item 25-577), change orders 23–34 for GR Noto (item 25-578), and change orders 2–5 for KC Mechanical Services (item 25-579) were approved and executed.
- Park and lease actions: Josiah White Park special activities agreement and permit for 1 Nation Preservation approved (item 25-580); termination of lease agreement with Mach Chung Trust Company approved (item 25-581); Area Agency on Aging lease agreement with Palmerton Borough approved (item 25-582).
- Resolution (item 25-584; resolution 25-032): commissioners adopted a resolution acknowledging the 150th anniversary of the borough of Perryville.
Most motions were approved by voice vote followed by roll-call confirmations. Typical roll-call results recorded in the transcript showed the three commissioners voting yes: Commissioner Arner; Commissioner Notestein; Commissioner Sofranco. Where an item recorded a second and roll call, the roll-call votes were recorded as "Yes" for or unanimous among the sitting commissioners.
Other bodies meeting in association with county business also acted during the same session. The retirement board reported monthly benefits of $524,196.97 and refunds of $141,735.66 for total disbursements of $665,932.63 and approved an RFP for actuarial services. The elections board approved submission of a $500 provisional ballot envelope grant through the Pennsylvania Department of State for allowable expenses through Nov. 4, 2025.
Next steps: routine items will be implemented by the assigned departments; grants and change orders proceed under their respective execution and reporting requirements.
