Centre County commissioners approve consent items, contracts and settlement participation; multiple routine votes carried

The Centre County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 7 approved a slate of routine and programmatic items, including capital project change orders, a transfer of actuarial services, the fourth-quarter Medical Assistance Transportation Program report and participation documents for a national opioid settlement.

The actions were taken by voice vote during the commissioners' public meeting; motions were made and seconded and each item was announced as carried.

Why it matters: the approvals formalize spending, service contracts and the county's participation in a national opioid settlement that could provide future funding for prevention, treatment and recovery services in Centre County.

The board approved the following during the meeting:

- Approval of minutes from the Aug. 5 meeting. Motion: "I'll move to approve the minutes from the meeting held August 5." Outcome: approved by voice vote. (Motion seconded; chair announced "Motion carries.")

- Adoption of Proclamation No. 38 (2025), declaring Aug. 15–23, 2025, as Grange Fair Days in Centre County. Motion: "I will move to adopt proclamation 38 of 2025, proclaiming August 15 through the 23rd 2025 as Grange Fair Days in Centre County." Outcome: adopted by voice vote.

- Capital project change orders and landscape contract for the Community Services Building. Items included: installation of a mini-split HVAC in the elevator machine room, an additional exhaust fan in a basement restroom, masonry patching, a trench drain at the atrium entrance, a credit for window-glazing changes, and installation of four landscape beds. Motion: "I'll move to approve capital items 1 through 3." Outcome: approved by voice vote. The staff presentation listed the combined change-order amounts as approximately $27,962.05 (Ainsworth Inc.), $5,008.71 (GM McCrossin) and a $22,820 landscape contract.

- Agreement assignment for county actuarial services from Korn Ferry to Gabriel Roeder Smith & Company (GRS) per the retirement board's recommendation. Motion: "I'll move to approve the agreement with Gabriel Roeder Smith and Company." Outcome: approved by voice vote. County staff said no fee changes were required for 2025; GRS will provide the same services previously provided by Korn Ferry for the remainder of the year.

- Submission/approval to place the fourth-quarter report for fiscal year 2024–25 for the Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP) on next week's consent agenda. Staff reported the fourth-quarter total was $263,395 and the year-to-date total was $990,176; staff noted additional backfill funds expected. Motion: "I'll move to approve the fourth quarter report for fiscal year 24 25 for the medical assistance transportation program, for next week's consent agenda." Outcome: motion carried and item placed on next week’s consent agenda.

- Approval to sign settlement participation documents for the most recent national prescription opioid litigation (Purdue/Sackler-related bankruptcy settlement) so Centre County remains eligible for allocations under the national administrator's distribution. Motion: "Move then to approve settlement documents for the opiate settlement funding." Outcome: approved by voice vote. County staff said the proposed national settlement contemplates $6.5 billion paid in 16 installments over 15 years, with Centre County's earliest receipt of funds projected to begin Jan. 1, 2026; exact allocations and final details remain to be finalized.

- Three contract renewals for foster care residential services (Children & Youth Services) for the period 07/01/2025–06/30/2026: Adelphi Village ($260,000 total; state $208,000, county $52,000), Pressley Ridge ($60,000 total; state $48,000, county $12,000) and Families United Network ($40,000 total; state $32,000, county $8,000). Motion to add items 1–3 to next week’s consent agenda. Outcome: motion carried; items added to consent agenda.

- Approval of the consent agenda and a highlighted check run dated Aug. 8 that included a payment to the Centre County Youth Service Bureau. Motions to approve the week’s consent agenda and the check run were made and carried by voice vote.

Discussion and context: commissioners and staff provided brief background on several items during presentations: the actuarial assignment reflects Korn Ferry’s exit from the actuarial business and a staff note that many team members moved to GRS; the MATP office said the program is largely self-sustaining and that new verification duties led to funding for a dedicated position; opioid settlement staff described previous local uses of opioid settlement funds (prevention, medication-assisted treatment, recovery services and correctional facility needs) and explained each payment must be spent within an 18-month reporting window after receipt.

No roll-call tallies were recorded in the public minutes; each motion was recorded as carried by voice vote.

What’s next: several approved items were placed on the board's upcoming consent agenda or scheduled for implementation (capital change orders, contract renewals and administrative transfers). The county will await final details from the national opioid settlement administrator before allocations are distributed.