Blair County commissioners approve routine consent items, contracts and two FAIR grant applications

The Blair County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 13, 2025 approved a series of routine and programmatic items, including contracts, grant applications and a small construction change order.

Unidentified Speaker 1, identified in the transcript as "Speaker 1," moved to approve the consent agenda and multiple subsequent motions during the meeting. The board first approved the Nov. 6, 2025 meeting minutes and then approved Resolution No. 516-2025, which included ratification of warrants, budget transfers, the 2026 holiday schedule for nonunion employees, a letter of support to Frankstown Township for Memorial Park improvement project phase 2, and the acceptance of a Juniata College unpaid internship for Milana Miller (01/20/2026–05/20/2026). "This internship is for credit only and at no cost to the county," Speaker 2 said during the consent presentation.

The board voted to authorize an actuarial services agreement dated Nov. 1, 2025 between the County of Blair and Foster and Foster Actuaries and Consultants to prepare an annual valuation and to supply GASB 74/75 disclosure information for audits. The controller's office (Speaker 5) said the separate county agreement will cover audit disclosure work and that combining services will save money and improve service. "Even though there are two separate contracts now, separately and combined, they are at a savings over what we were paying," Speaker 5 said.

Children, Youth and Families presented two purchase-of-service and HIPAA business associate agreements for fiscal year 2025–26. One is with Justice Works Youth Care Inc., effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026; the other is with City Missions Living Stones Inc. for the same term. Both motions were moved by Speaker 1 and seconded; both passed on voice votes.

The board approved change order No. 1 for the county's salt shed contract with John Clark Excavating, increasing the contract by $2,538.38 to strengthen a section of the roof; the contractor recommended a different roofing material for that portion of the structure. The revised contract total was stated as $426,527.38. Speaker 7 described the material change as required to strengthen the roof area.

Public works staff sought and secured approval for a maintenance and service agreement with Reaper Mechanicals to cover HVAC systems at the county's communication towers for the period Nov. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2026. The board approved the contract on a voice vote.

The board also approved two Pennsylvania Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (FAIR) Fund applications to the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency: one for $50,000 to support housing assistance tied to Marcellus shale impact fee eligibility, and one for $150,000 for housing rehabilitation funded by realty transfer tax proceeds. Speaker 4 explained that the $50,000 request is limited to counties that remain eligible based on active wells, while the $150,000 rehabilitation request is open to a broader set of applicants including housing authorities and developers.

Separately, the board ratified a lease extension with Garden Gate Florist through Jan. 31, 2026 at $700 per month, with the lease scheduled to terminate thereafter. The board also approved a deferred payment agreement with Doing Better Business, Inc.

Unidentified Speaker 3 and others briefly commented on the state budget status during commissioners' remarks; Speaker 3 said they expected a budget once the governor signed it. The meeting adjourned after a motion to adjourn was passed; the next board meeting was scheduled for Nov. 20, 2025, at 10 a.m.

The meeting record shows unanimous or voice approval for the actions listed; individual roll-call vote tallies and individual member vote names were not recorded in the transcript and therefore are not reported here.