Blair County Commissioners approve consent items, contracts and grants; heat-pump change order records one abstention

The Blair County Commissioners on April 17 approved multiple routine and project-specific items during a largely procedural session.

The consent agenda, described in the meeting as Resolution 170 (section references read on the record), was approved by motion with no recorded opposition. The consent agenda included ratification of seven warrant lists, an affiliation agreement between the county district attorney’s office and New England Law for student internships, and listed employments and resignations; the motion carried as read.

Social Services requested and received approval to authorize Commissioner David Kesseling as the county’s chief elected official to sign the Tier 2 site-specific environmental review record for the county’s owner-occupied housing rehabilitation program for the address listed on the agenda; the motion passed without recorded opposition.

Facilities staff requested approval of Change Order No. 1 to Resolution 127 (project number read on the record) with Burke and Company LLC for replacement heat pumps at the courthouse. The presenter read an additional cost figure and a total project cost on the record. The motion to approve the change order passed with one abstention noted; the meeting record did not identify which commissioner abstained.

The county’s Department of Emergency Services presented a professional services contract with Mission Critical Partners LLC to assist the Southern Alleghenies 911 cooperative with planning, procurement and implementation related to a Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) grant. The fixed-fee contract amount read into the record was $83,210.60; the motion to approve passed and the presenter confirmed the work is grant-funded, not paid from the general fund.

The Juvenile Probation Office was authorized to accept the 2024–25 Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission juvenile probation services grant in the amount read into the record ($146,839); the motion passed.

Commissioners approved an engagement letter with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Auditor General for an examination of Blair County’s liquid-fuel tax, Act 44 and Act 89 tax funds, and county fee and local use fund for the period Jan. 1, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2024; the motion passed.

No further old business was recorded and the board adjourned; the next meeting was scheduled for April 24 at 10 a.m.

Votes at a glance (motions as read in meeting): - Consent agenda (Resolution 170 section A–D): approved (motion and second on record). Items listed: ratification of seven warrant lists; district attorney affiliation agreement with New England Law for student internships; listed employments and resignations. Vote: recorded as approved (no opposition called). - Social Services: authorize Commissioner David Kesseling to sign Tier 2 site-specific environmental review record for owner-occupied housing rehabilitation program (address listed): approved (no opposition called). - Facilities: approve Change Order No. 1 with Burke and Company LLC for replacement courthouse heat pumps (additional cost and total cost read): approved with one abstention (abstaining member not named in the record). - Emergency Services: professional services contract with Mission Critical Partners LLC to support Southern Alleghenies 911 cooperative/PEMA grant — $83,210.60 (fixed fee): approved (confirmed grant-funded). - Juvenile Probation: accept 2024–25 Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission grant — $146,839: approved. - Auditor engagement: enter into engagement letter with Commonwealth Department of Auditor General to examine specified county funds for Jan. 1, 2021–Dec. 31, 2024: approved.

Where the meeting record did not specify movers, seconds, or the names of individual commissioners for each vote, the article reflects outcomes as recorded during the meeting rather than inferring cast votes by name.