Cumberland County commissioners approve series of grants and contracts to fund homelessness, public‑safety and recycling programs

Cumberland County commissioners approved multiple grants and county contracts at a regular meeting, clearing funding and agreements the county says will support homelessness services, hazardous‑materials readiness, legal research and household hazardous‑waste events.

Brianna Miller, appearing online, reported that the county received a 2025 Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) from the Department of Community Development totaling $232,500. Miller said the award will be used for emergency assistance, rapid rehousing, street outreach and homelessness prevention and that the application covered three nonprofits: Safe Harbor, Community Cares and Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland and Perry Counties. The board approved acceptance of the ESG by voice vote.

The board also approved a contract with Blue Mountain Escape to provide bridge housing at three locations under the homeless assistance program. Nancy (county staff assigned to aging/community services) described the contract and commissioners approved it by voice vote.

On children and youth services, Jamie Barber said an addendum to the Adelphi Village contract removes a previously paid "bed hold" (a payment for holding a bed whether or not it was used) after the county secured an alternate provider; the addendum was approved.

The board approved a five‑year countywide contract for legal research services with Westlaw and accepted an in‑kind SIM mapping workshop award intended to bring national expertise to behavioral‑health and criminal‑justice planning, Katie Zimmerman said.

For historic planning, Elizabeth Grant asked for permission to apply for a $20,000 Keystone Historic Preservation Planning grant from the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office to update the county's historic resource inventory; the board approved the application.

Public‑safety grants were advanced after a presentation from Bob Shively. The county will pursue a Norfolk Southern Safety First grant application for $15,205 to buy a MagnaSeal leak kit and related equipment for the HAZMAT team. Shively also presented acceptance of a Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) grant for $47,285 — described as a $31,420 increase from the prior year — which carries a 20% required local match the county estimated at $11,821. Commissioners approved moving forward on both items.

Justin Miller outlined plans for household hazardous‑waste events, including piggybacking on a Department of Agriculture chem‑sweep contract to use MXI Environmental Services. Miller said DEP reimbursement would cover up to $17,000 in pesticide disposal for 2026 and estimated each event will cost about $48,600, funded roughly by $21,300 from DEP grants, $21,700 in user fees and $4,250 from the Department of Agriculture; the board authorized proceeding.

Several contracts and program items described as no‑cost (including supervision agreements for Widener University social‑work interns at the county prison) were approved as presented. Where the transcript records motions it records voice votes with participants saying "aye"; no roll‑call tallies or dissenting votes are recorded in the transcript evidence.

Votes at a glance

- Emergency Solutions Grant (2025): accept award of $232,500 for emergency assistance, rapid rehousing, outreach and prevention — approved by voice vote. (Presenter: Brianna Miller)

- Blue Mountain Escape contract: bridge housing at three locations under homeless assistance program — approved by voice vote. (Presenter: Nancy)

- Adelphi Village addendum: remove bed‑hold payment — approved by voice vote. (Presenter: Jamie Barber)

- Westlaw contract: five‑year legal research services contract (countywide) — approved by voice vote. (Presenter: records staff)

- SIM mapping workshop (in‑kind): behavioral health/criminal justice planning support — approved. (Presenter: Katie Zimmerman)

- Keystone Historic Preservation grant application: permission to apply for $20,000 — approved. (Presenter: Elizabeth Grant)

- Widener University internship supervision agreement: no‑cost supervision of MSW interns at county prison — approved. (Presenter: Rebecca Binky)

- Norfolk Southern Safety First grant application: $15,205 request to purchase leak kit and equipment for HAZMAT team — approved to pursue. (Presenter: Bob Shively)

- HMEP grant acceptance: $47,285 with 20% required match ($11,821) for replacement breathing apparatus — approved. (Presenter: Bob Shively)

- MXI Environmental contract for household hazardous‑waste events: confirm piggyback and event funding plan (DEP up to $17,000 pesticide disposal reimbursement; per‑event cost estimate ~$48,600) — approved. (Presenter: Justin Miller)

Context and next steps

Most items were approved on voice motions with no extended debate recorded in the transcript. Where local matches or procurement steps were noted (for example the HMEP match or piggybacking on the Department of Agriculture contract), staff will proceed with the steps required to finalize contracts and implement programs. The meeting concluded with routine liaison reports and a reported executive session on personnel matters from Feb. 20, 2026.