Cameron County commissioners approve service‑contract increases, human‑services agreements and proclamation; table generator and roof award

Cameron County commissioners on Aug. 22 approved a series of routine contracts and fee changes, adopted a proclamation naming September as Hunger Action Month and approved a package of human‑services agreements, while tabling two funding requests tied to emergency needs and the award of a recreation center roof bid for further review.

The board voted unanimously to approve the previous meeting minutes after Commissioner Moate moved to adopt them and Commissioner Zucal seconded. Commissioner Zucal then moved to approve a proclamation recognizing September as Hunger Action Month; Commissioner Moate seconded and the motion carried.

The board approved a monthly fee increase for Infocon, the county’s real‑property management system, in the amount of $37.19. Commissioners also approved increases to two Purchase of Service Agreements for county‑retained attorneys — Rebecca Krieg and Danielle Melillo — raising their per‑service compensation from $75 to $100.

Commissioners approved collectively a package of Human Services agreements covering aging services, drug and alcohol services, homeless assistance, mental‑health programming and family‑center specialized services. The agreements named in the motion included the Office of Human Services for Aging Services; Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services; Northern Tier Community Action; Citizens Against Physical, Sexual & Emotional Abuse; Cameron/Elk Counties Behavioral & Developmental Programs (CEBADS); and The Guidance Center for Cameron County Family Center Specialized Services. Commissioner Zucal moved to approve the package; Commissioner Moate seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

On infrastructure and grant items, the board opened sealed bids for the Recreation Center roof project but tabled any award for further review. An ACT 13 funding request from Emporium Ambulance Services was tabled again because the county said it has not yet received additional information requested by commissioners. A separate ACT 13 request from Shippen Township for an $18,000 diesel generator was also tabled; Commissioner Herzing said the board wants to understand what the county will need for emergency funds after recent flooding before approving the request.

Motions and votes were recorded as follows: approval of minutes (motion: Commissioner Moate; second: Commissioner Zucal; outcome: approved, unanimous), proclamation (motion: Commissioner Zucal; second: Commissioner Moate; approved, unanimous), Infocon fee increase (motion: Commissioner Zucal; second: Commissioner Moate; approved, unanimous), attorney service increases (motions: Commissioners Zucal and Moate; seconds as recorded; approved, unanimous), approval of Human Services agreements (motion: Commissioner Zucal; second: Commissioner Moate; approved, unanimous), and tabling motions for the Emporium Ambulance ACT 13 request, Shippen generator request and the Recreation Center roof award (motions and seconds recorded in the minutes; each motion carried).

The meeting packet included correspondence noting that the Department of Human Services certified Cameron County’s Child Welfare Needs‑Based Plan and Budget allocations for state fiscal year 2024–25 and a notice of intent for ESCGP‑3 coverage for Seneca Resources Company in Shippen Township. County staff also reported that mail‑in and absentee ballots for upcoming elections were not expected to be mailed until late September or early October.

The board did not set dates for rehearing the tabled items; commissioners indicated the Emporium Ambulance request and the Recreation Center roof award would be revisited at a later meeting once requested information and additional review are complete.

What’s next: The county will return tabled ACT 13 and procurement items for further review at a future meeting. The treasurer will present August expenses at the Sept. 12 meeting and the board will host a Business Resource Summit on Aug. 28.