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Bedford County commissioners approve lease with bank, multiple service agreements and CDBG allocations
Summary
The Bedford County Board of Commissioners on July 9 approved a lease with Hometown Bank, amendments to the jail food-service contract, multiple Children & Youth Services provider contracts, CDBG funding allocations including a $208,743 waterline project priority, and a resolution updating planning review fees; motions were moved by Commissioner Baughman and seconded by Commissioner Winck and carried unanimously.
The Bedford County Board of Commissioners on July 9, 2024, approved a package of routine and program-specific actions, including a new county lease, multiple service agreements for Children & Youth Services (CYS), amendments to the correctional facility food service contract, and allocations of the county's 2024 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.
Commissioner Deb Baughman moved and Commissioner Randy Winck seconded each motion; the board voted to approve the minutes from June 11, 2024, the listed expenditures, payroll totals, and the slate of agreements and appointments presented by county staff.
Why it matters: the actions authorize vendor relationships and program funding that affect county services and capital projects. The lease with Hometown Bank governs county space and financing arrangements; the CDBG allocations determine which local waterline or housing rehabilitation projects receive federal-entitlement dollars; and the CYS purchase-of-service contracts sustain services for children and families.
Children & Youth Services Director Chris Gresko outlined plans to move CYS to 220 South Thomas Street in September to gain additional conference and donation space and improved security. Gresko said CYS staffing has grown 36% since its current location and that the relocation is state-funded with the county covering 20 percent of the cost; Commissioner Winck said a county cost-analysis shows net county expense remains modest after projected savings.
Lehman Engineering's Joe Lehman gave a brief progress report on Bridges 5 and 7, thanking commissioners for their support and saying both bridges are expected to be completed in August, ahead of the school calendar.
Agreements and appointments: the board approved a Statewide Tax Recovery Agreement and its addendum as recommended by the tax-assessment director; constable agreements naming Troy Hay and Noah Kuklo effective July 1, 2024; and a series of Purchase of Service agreements for CYS providers and legal counsel for the July 1, 2024—June 30, 2025 contract year. The board also approved a Purchase of Service agreement with the Bedford County Juvenile Probation Office and with Independent Family Services, Inc.
Corrections and transportation contracts: the board approved Amendment #3 and #4 to the Bedford County Correctional Facility's food service agreement with Summit Food Service, LLC, effective July 1, 2024, and approved the Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP) agreement with Center for Community Action for July 1, 2024—June 30, 2025; Wendy Melius, Executive Director of Center for Community Action, summarized program services for eligible residents.
CDBG decisions: the board allocated the county's 2024 entitlement CDBG funds first to the Borough of Everett Municipal Authority (BEAMA) waterline replacement project at $208,743, contingent on community survey results, with Hyndman Borough Waterline Replacement Phase VI listed as an alternate use of the funds at the same dollar amount. The board also approved submission of a $86,472 CDBG application on behalf of Bedford Township for a housing rehabilitation project serving low-to-moderate-income homeowners.
Planning fees and appointments: the board appointed Jeffrey (Jeff) Fellers, CDBG Administrator, as Bedford County's Section 504 Officer and adopted Resolution No. 07-09-24 amending the Planning Office's Subdivision and Land Development Plan Review Fees, citing Section 502(b) of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code. Planning Director Stephanie Clevenstine read the resolution and explained the need to update the fee schedule.
Personnel actions: the board approved multiple personnel actions presented by department heads, including new hires (several correctional officers, a grants coordinator Michael Omps, a telecommunicator trainee, and a tipstaff), transfers and separations across sheriff's office and correctional staff.
Commissioner comments: Commissioner Winck described a proposed Enterprise Fleet leasing arrangement that county leadership says will yield five-year cost savings; an Enterprise executive is scheduled to present to the board in the fall. Commissioner Baughman said the county's insurance broker endorsed the plan.
Votes at a glance: all motions reported in the meeting transcript were moved by Commissioner Baughman and seconded by Commissioner Winck and were recorded as approved. Specific approvals included minutes, expenditures and payroll; the Change of Assessment Notice Control Report; the Statewide Tax Recovery Agreement and addendum; constable agreements; multiple CYS Purchase of Service agreements; the Hometown Bank lease; Summit Food Service amendments; the MATP agreement with Center for Community Action; 2024 CDBG allocations and the Bedford Township CDBG application; appointment of the Section 504 Officer; adoption of Resolution 07-09-24; and personnel actions.
What to watch next: staff expect CYS to relocate in September; Lehman Engineering projects Bridges 5 and 7 to be complete in August. The board set its next regular meeting for Aug. 13, 2024.
(Reporting based on the Bedford County Board of Commissioners meeting transcript, July 9, 2024.)
