Carbon County commissioners approve routine motions, table CDBG bids and adopt resolution on state budget impasse

Carbon County commissioners approved a series of routine financial and administrative items, voted to table bids for a CDBG-funded water and sewer improvement project, ratified remediation contracts for a property at 44 Susquehanna Street, and adopted a resolution urging state action on a budget impasse.

The board opened bids for item 25514 (CDBG Perryville-Burrell water and sewer improvements). Two bids were read aloud — Lehigh Asphalt Paving ($212,084.50) and Cobalt Construction Inc. ($249,230) — and a motion to table the bids and refer them to the planning office for review and award or rejection in two weeks was approved.

The board approved multiple routine reports and ratifications, including expenditures and the treasurer's report. The commissioners approved a second extension of an agreement with Medscope American Corporation for personnel emergency response services (Agency on Aging, item 25‑5‑31) and ratified an application for opioid-settlement grant funds (item 25‑5‑29).

Related to a water-infiltration incident at 44 Susquehanna Street, the board ratified rescission of a prior award to Servpro for microbial remediation (item 25‑5‑36) and approved proposals from Sargent Enterprises and JMSI Environmental Corp. for remediation work (items 25‑5‑37 and 25‑5‑38). The minutes show the rescission was sought because the company that performed the air-quality testing also submitted a remediation proposal, which the solicitor noted industry practice discourages due to potential conflict of interest.

Other actions approved included adoption of a Carbon County vehicle‑use policy (item 25‑5‑39); ratification of the Title 4‑D cooperative agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and related contracts for legal services and Sheriff's Office support under that agreement (items 25‑5‑40 through 25‑5‑43); multiple cost‑reimbursement agreements with local workforce and family-service providers (items 25‑5‑45 through 25‑5‑47); park and banner permits for local organizations; and a resolution numbered 25‑029 regarding the state budget impasse (item 25‑5‑48), which the commissioners adopted.

Motions were generally seconded and approved with recorded "yes" responses from the commissioners. The record shows the board handled these items with little debate and no recorded dissent. Several items were tabled for staff review or carried forward to the next meeting as noted in the minutes.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of minutes for 08/21/2025: approved. - Item 25514 (CDBG Perryville-Burrell water and sewer improvements): bids opened (Lehigh Asphalt Paving $212,084.50; Cobalt Construction Inc. $249,230) and motion to table for planning-office review: approved. - Expenditures items (e.g., 25‑5‑17, 25‑5‑18, 25‑5‑19): motions to ratify/approve: approved. - Treasurer's report (item 25‑5‑20): approved. - Agency on Aging extension with Medscope American Corporation (25‑5‑31): approved and executed. - Declaration of disaster emergency for 44 Susquehanna Street (item 25‑5‑35) and related remediation approvals/rescission (25‑5‑36 through 25‑5‑38): ratified/approved. - Adoption of Carbon County vehicle use policy (25‑5‑39): adopted. - Title 4‑D cooperative agreement with PA Department of Human Services and related contracts/agreements (25‑5‑40 through 25‑5‑43): ratified/approved. - Cost reimbursement agreements with Monroe CTC and Pocono Services for Families and Children (25‑5‑45 through 25‑5‑47): approved and executed. - Resolution 25‑029 regarding state budget impasse (25‑5‑48): adopted.

No recorded votes failed during the meeting. Several items were continued for staff review or scheduled for future action, as noted above.