Fulton County commissioners approve payroll, $334,397.62 in bills and authorize outside review of Prothonotary’s Office

Fulton County commissioners on Tuesday approved payroll and a batch of county payments, authorized an outside legal review of the Prothonotary’s Office and cleared two large transportation funding allocation letters.

Commissioner Randy H. Bunch called the Feb. 3 meeting to order at the commissioners’ office. Present were Commissioners Bunch, Steven L. Wible and Hervey P. Hann and Chief Clerk Stacey M. Shives. After opening remarks, the board heard public comment from residents Carolyn Kerlin, Sandra Barton and Marty Mettille; Kerlin asked for updates on litigation matters.

The board approved routine minutes and payroll: Commissioner Steven L. Wible moved to approve the Jan. 27, 2026 Commissioners’ minutes and the Jan. 27 Salary Board minutes; Commissioner Hervey P. Hann moved to approve payroll dated Feb. 6, 2026, totaling $129,990.81. The board also approved accounts payable dated Feb. 3, 2026, in the amount of $334,397.62. The accounts payables record lists fund-level allocations including $96,661.78 to the General Fund, $44,792.44 to the 911 fund and smaller amounts to Liquid Fuels, HSDF/HSBG, the Law Library, Domestic Relations and Debt Service.

The board entered two executive sessions: one at 8:30 a.m. for legal matters and another at 10:35 a.m. for personnel matters. A tax appeal hearing was held after the legal session; Commissioner Wible abstained from that hearing because of a conflict of interest and separate minutes for the appeal are on file.

On administrative matters, HR Administrator Mary Huston presented the January 2026 Retirement Fund Report, which the board approved and executed. The board also approved travel request forms for Christine McQuade, Services for Children Director, and Stephanie Mellott, Services for Children Fiscal Technician, to attend the PA Children and Youth Administrators Conference March 11–13, 2026, in State College, Pa.

The board voted to accept an engagement letter from KB&S (Kulla, Barkdoll & Stewart, P.C.) "to provide professional legal and consulting services related to a review of the Fulton County Prothonotary's Office." Commissioner Hann moved to approve the engagement letter; the motion passed unanimously.

Commissioner Hann authorized Commissioner Wible to execute Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP) allocation letters for FY 2024–2025 and FY 2025–2026 in the amounts of $464,875.00 and $491,875.00, respectively. The two allocation amounts total $956,750.00 and were authorized without recorded dissent.

The board approved an IT vendor’s laptop quote submitted by Rick Grissinger of Elect IT to be used in Franklin County for Jury Coordinator duties, and approved an invoice from Franklin County Fiscal for Fulton County court costs for the fourth quarter of 2025 totaling $38,819.27 (recorded as 10% of court wages and benefits).

Following the personnel executive session, Commissioner Bunch moved to appoint Commissioner Wible to perform Wible’s committee duties during an upcoming medical leave; the appointment was approved. The board recessed at 10:58 a.m. for a Criminal Justice Advisory Board (CJAB) meeting, resumed business at 1:18 p.m., conducted interviews for the Prothonotary’s Office with the commissioners, the HR administrator and the chief clerk, and adjourned at 3:05 p.m.

Formal minutes and separate records (tax appeal minutes and the Prothonotary interviews) are on file with the chief clerk’s office.