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Lawrence County commissioners approve agreement to house specialized inmates, several contracts and property transfers
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Summary
The Lawrence County Commissioners on March 10 authorized an agreement to send inmates requiring specialized care to Allegheny County at a reimbursement rate of $177.81 per inmate per day, approved an ArcGIS/server contract not to exceed $41,906, awarded a parks maintenance contract using Marcellus funds, authorized grant-match application for Quaker Falls, and approved transfers of county-owned lots into a sidewalk sales program.
Lawrence County’s board of commissioners approved a package of routine but consequential actions at its March 10 meeting, including an intergovernmental agreement to place inmates needing specialized medical or custodial care in Allegheny County, several IT and parks contracts, a grant-match application for a county park master plan, and a transfer of county-owned lots into a sidewalk-sale program.
The board approved proposed resolution 32 authorizing the county to use an Allegheny County facility for detainees who require care the county jail cannot provide. Loretta, speaking on behalf of the warden, said the arrangement would set transport and reimbursement terms and estimated the cost at "$177.81 per inmate per day" if the county needed to house someone there. The resolution passed on a roll call vote.
County staff also moved forward on technology and infrastructure needs. Commissioners approved resolution 34 to enter a contract with Michael Baker International for ArcGIS migration and related server work, with a contract cap "not to exceed $41,906," to address persistent server outages that have affected public safety and assessment systems since last September. A staff member explained the server is "outdated" and that work can begin once the signed agreement is returned.
The board awarded resolution 35 for routine maintenance of county parks, boat launches and a 7-mile static truck trail to BeyondCorp, the incumbent contractor. Staff said the contract amount will not exceed $68,360 and that Marcellus funds will pay the contract.
Planning staff presented resolution 33 to authorize applying to the Pennsylvania Municipal Assistance Program to provide match funding for phase 2 of the Quaker Falls master site plan. Amy McKinney said the application is due April 1 and staff expects to request roughly $30,000 to cover most of the county’s match obligation.
On property matters, the commissioners approved resolution 37 transferring two county-owned parcels on Sumner and Euclid avenues (2nd Ward, City of Newcastle) to the redevelopment authority so neighboring owners can purchase lots under the county sidewalk program. County staff said qualifying buyers pay $150 per lot under the sidewalk program and must clear eligibility checks—no back taxes, no foreclosures and no outstanding sewer bills—before purchase. "As long as they qualify," a staff member said, the redevelopment authority will process sales.
Other actions on the consent-style agenda included entering written communications into the record about NPDES/MPDES permit applications received by the planning office (including MPDES permit PA0221554), authorizing the planning office to advertise bids for a Mahoning Township street-improvement project (CDBG-funded) with bids due April 6 and a late-March mandatory pre-bid meeting noted in discussion, and approving several intra-departmental budget transfers totaling tens of thousands of dollars across the coroner, assessment, public safety and court budgets.
The meeting closed with routine scheduling announcements; the board will not meet next Tuesday because several commissioners will attend the County Commissioners Association spring conference. The board adjourned after approving the motions by roll call.
Votes at a glance - Resolution 31 (repository bid for parcel 03-081000): motion carried (roll call recorded as yes from present commissioners). - Resolution 32 (Allegheny County housing agreement): approved (motion carried on roll call). - Resolution 33 (PA Municipal Assistance application for Quaker Falls match): approved. - Resolution 34 (Michael Baker International contract, ArcGIS/server): approved, not to exceed $41,906. - Resolution 35 (Parks & boat launches maintenance contract to BeyondCorp): approved, not to exceed $68,360 (Marcellus funds). - Resolution 36 (Advertise CDBG bids — Rich Avenue, Mahoning Township): approved. - Resolution 37 (Transfer two county parcels to redevelopment authority for sidewalk program): approved (sidewalk sale price cited at $150 per lot). - Resolution 38 (Add Deputy Chief Clerk Vanessa Bayless as opioid advisory board secretary, non-voting): approved.
Next steps: Staff will finalize and sign contracts, submit the Municipal Assistance application by its April 1 deadline, advertise the CDBG project per the approved schedule and work with the redevelopment authority on record checks and lot transfers.
