Bedford County commissioners approve routine contracts, CDBG allocations and data-sharing, and other county business

Bedford County commissioners approved a series of routine contracts, grant allocations and administrative items at their meeting. Actions included vendor payments, interagency service agreements for children and youth services, a child welfare data-sharing agreement with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a medical-assistance transportation program contract, and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocations.

Key approvals and motions recorded at the meeting included:

- Approval of listed expenditures, including a $216,265 payment to UPMC for county health insurance, multiple service and vendor payments (see clarifying details below). The motion was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote.

- Approval of the change-of-assessment notice control report for June 2025, made on the recommendation of Joyce Hillingass, director of tax assessment.

- Approval of an agreement described in the minutes as between the sheriff’s department and an unnamed entity, effective June 17, 2025, through July 30, 2025 (motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved). The meeting transcript provided the effective dates but not the counterparty’s full name.

- Multiple children and youth services (CYS) purchase-of-service agreements and intergovernmental juvenile-detention agreements recommended by Chris Cresco, administrator of Bedford County Children & Youth Services. One agreement covered services effective July 1, 2024, through Jan. 30, 2025; another covered services through June 30, 2026, on behalf of a juvenile detention center. All were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

- Approval of a Child Welfare Information System (CWIS/CCWIS) data-sharing agreement between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and county children and youth agencies, effective Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026. Chris Cresco described the system as the county’s child-welfare information program for communicating demographics and case data with the state.

- Approval of the Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP) agreement for Bedford County with the Center for Community Action, effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. County staff explained state approval and allocation steps that precede a vendor agreement.

- Approval of the county’s 2023 cost allocation plan provided by Sysco County Consulting Services Inc., which county staff said allows indirect costs (building and equipment depreciation, finance processing) to be allocated to federal or other funding sources.

- Allocation of the county’s 2025 entitlement Community Development Block Grant: $160,211 to the Borough of Everett Municipal Authority for oil pump and valve replacement, and $48,532 to Highland Borough for water main replacement; these were the top-ranked projects by the county planning commission.

- Submission of a 2025 entitlement CDBG application on behalf of township supervisors for a housing rehabilitation project in Bedford Township, serving low- and moderate-income residents, for $86,472.

- Reappointment of Jeffrey Fellers as the county’s CDBG administrator and designation as the Section 504 officer to oversee compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 for federally funded programs.

- Approval of listed personnel actions and wage adjustments under union contracts as presented; the salary board also approved June minutes and adjourned.

Most motions were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote with no roll-call tally recorded in the transcript. No motions were recorded as failed or tabled during the meeting.

Clarifying details recorded in the meeting minutes (amounts listed in county records): UPMC — $216,265; Cornell Abraxas Group (CYS) — $37,503; RBA (IT provider) — $36,000; Bedford Library Systems (quarter allocation) — $30,000; Summit Food/Veil Food Services — $23,800 and $23,624; reserve postage prepayment — $20,000; Dominion Voting — $19,500; RBA (additional IT services) — $15,746; KidsPeace (CYS) — $14,020. CDBG allocations: Everett Municipal Authority — $160,211; Highland Borough water — $48,532; Bedford Township housing rehab application — $86,472.

No roll-call vote counts were provided in the transcript; motions were approved by voice vote when noted. Several items were presented by department heads or program administrators; commissioners generally moved and seconded the motions.

Items not acted on or requiring follow-up in later meetings included the broadband tower procurement (no bids received) and the county’s next scheduled meeting on Aug. 12, 2025.