Commissioners review budget transfers and recommend contract award for tax sale postings

At the Feb. 19 meeting Commissioner Christian Linebach presented key financial items on the commissioners’ agenda, including a resolution to authorize 2025 budget transfers of $369,143, 2025 negative appropriations of $1,230,984, and 2026 appropriations totaling $3,237,435 per the 02/13/2026 listing.

Linebach also described a purchasing resolution recommending award of a one-year contract to Palmetto Postings Inc. of Spartanburg, South Carolina, for posting tax sale notices on behalf of the Berks County Tax Claim Bureau. The estimated annual expenditure for that contract was stated as $193,890; the county reserves the right to extend the contract for two additional one-year terms upon mutual agreement at the listed unit prices.

A motion to approve the meeting agenda was made and seconded; Commissioner Linebach called for discussion, heard none, and the board carried the motion by voice vote (aye).

Treasurer Mitchell Darkourt reported a county opening balance of $210,819,855.17, a balance declared of $11,611,617.70 and a resulting balance of $199,208,237.47. Carol Polletts, accounts payable manager, reported total cash disbursements and accounts payable of $8,576,320.55 for the week ended 02/20/1926 (as stated in the record).

The agenda also listed a contract agenda with 12 agreements dated 02/13/2026 involving the Assessment Office, CareerLink, Children & Youth Services (including a joint item with Juvenile Probation), Emergency Services, Information Systems, the Berks County Jail and the Public Defender's Office; those contract items were presented on the agenda for authorization. The meeting record shows the agenda was approved by voice; no separate roll-call votes on each listed contract were recorded in the transcript.