Monroe County commissioners approve multiple contracts and grant actions; public raises concerns about invoices and tax exemptions

Monroe County commissioners on Aug. 8 approved a package of contracts, budget adjustments and grant filings, including authorization connected to an election-integrity grant and a $320,000 payment to the Carbon-Monroe Drug and Alcohol Commission, and heard public comment raising concerns about invoicing for county grants and the tax-exempt status of large hospitals.

The board approved routine minutes, personnel items and travel authorizations and ratified several service contracts recommended by the Area Agency on Aging, including personal care home support services and personal emergency response system (PERS) contracts, and a home-delivered meals contract with Monroe County Meals on Wheels. Commissioners also authorized a payment of $320,000 from the Substance Abuse Education Demand Reduction Fund to assist Carbon-Monroe Drug and Alcohol Commission during a state budget impasse.

The meeting included several fiscal and grant actions. The board authorized staff to submit the state Food Purchase Program application for fiscal 2025–26 and ratified grant filings handled by staff in the county fiscal and grants office, including applications described in the meeting as the Rights and Services Act (Raza) and a victims-of-juvenile-offenders continuation application of $154,653. The board also ratified actions related to an election-integrity grant program: the acting grants manager was authorized to submit an application described in the meeting as $592,569.13, and the fiscal director was recorded as ratified to electronically sign a contract that the transcript cites as $5,592,569.13 for the period beginning July 1, 2025.

The Office of Emergency Management was authorized to ratify an amendment to a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program agreement to extend its term and the director, Mary Ellen Keegan, was authorized to electronically sign a Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grant with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency for $34,600 for a one-year period beginning Oct. 1, 2025.

The Redevelopment Authority/Monroe County Affordable Housing Board approved 2025 nonprofit grant awards of $15,000 each to Family Promise of the Poconos, Shepherd’s Maternity House, Pocono Area Transitional Housing, Safe Monroe and Habitat for Humanity (total $75,000). The board also approved related budget adjustments to the Affordable Housing Trust account that shifted funds between first-time homebuyer and nonprofit assistance lines as described in the meeting.

Other approvals included a computer capital purchase of $43,059.45 to buy 35 Dell Pro computers and authorization to retain outside counsel — listed as Newman and Williams P.C. (Jared Geiger, Esquire) — at a rate cited in the meeting of $250 per hour for professional defense litigation services. Commissioners also approved the addition of vendors to the county’s approved-vendor list and routine budget adjustments, including a $44,037 county contingency transfer described in the meeting notes.

During public comment, Don Kubik identified himself as “officer Kubik from the jail” and asked whether rent and security payments for a program participant were funded from tax dollars; the board answered that those funds came from opioid-related monies. Several members of the public raised concerns about invoices and deliverables for contractors identified in the transcript as Jacobson and Dr. Toledo. Jose Rader said there was no clear scope of work on most invoices and that requested deliverables — a website and forums — were not visible. In response, a contractor identified in the record as Dr. Talina said there had been 10 invoices submitted and that task sheets were sent to the county along with invoices, and she asked for clarification on formats and follow-up by mid‑next week.

Bruce Eden of East Stroudsburg spoke about the tax-exempt status of large nonprofit hospitals and universities and urged the county to pursue challenges to exemptions; commissioners said the county pursues exemptions where case law allows but that courts and state law limit successful challenges.

Votes at a glance: the transcript records unanimous “aye” votes on the items described above; each motion was moved and seconded and the clerk announced “motion carries.” The meeting record does not include individual named roll-call tallies in the transcript provided.

The board adjourned after the public-comment period. Several agenda items were routine ratifications of contracts and grant filings and the record shows the commissioners repeatedly approved motions by voice vote with the clerk’s announcement that the motion carried.