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Columbia County commissioners reallocate $104,873 in CDBG funds to homeless housing rehab, approve courthouse awareness display and personnel actions
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Summary
At their March 5 meeting, Columbia County commissioners approved moving $104,873 in 2025 CDBG funds to a homeless housing rehabilitation project, granted the Women’s Center permission to use the courthouse hallway for an April awareness campaign, authorized several hires and step increases across departments, and approved bills totaling $531,363.90.
Columbia County commissioners on March 5 approved several routine county actions, most notably a $104,873 reallocation of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) 2025 funds to a homeless housing rehabilitation project.
Commissioner David Brewer called the meeting to order and, after approving prior minutes, the board heard the work-session report. Betsy Rubio presented the proposed CDBG adjustment and commissioners voted to transfer the funds to the homeless housing rehab project; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Kovach and approved by the board. The motion record in the minutes states that Commissioner Karschner seconded a related motion on CDBG and that all votes were recorded as "all approved." The agenda item as recorded did not specify additional conditions or a spending schedule for the transferred funds.
The board also authorized the Women’s Center to use the courthouse hallway during April to raise awareness and promote sexual assault prevention. The request was presented by Liz Hazzard and approved on a motion by Kovach, seconded by Brewer.
Other approvals included authorizing Larson Design to provide an estimate for services on the county bell tower project, and exonerating two parcels under ACT-156 for leasehold trailers that were moved or razed without permits (Parcel 08-06-09800-054 for $823.29; Parcel 20-02-01400-058 for $573.37). The minutes record that the exonerations were approved on a motion by Kovach and seconded by Brewer.
The commissioners approved multiple personnel actions across county departments. Items recorded in the minutes include six‑month step increases and hires in the jail and maintenance departments: Samantha Bagan (medical staff, jail; six‑month step effective 2/18/26), Jacob Schreck (maintenance tech; six‑month step effective 3/8/26), rehire of Juwan Petties-Jackson (corrections officer; rehired 3/16/26), and new hires Kevin Pederson and Jarod Cole (full‑time corrections officers; hire date 3/16/26). Additional approved hires and step dates for elected officials and court employees included Morgan Rupp (Clerk, Prothonotary; two‑year step effective 4/1/26), Leonard Branz (D&A Counselor/Re‑Entry AP; six‑month step), and Drew McLaughlin (Assistant district attorney; hire effective 3/16/2026). The minutes show motions to approve these items and indicate unanimous approval.
The board accepted personnel separations listed in the minutes, including the termination of Sue Fies (Secretary, Domestics; termination 2/20/2026) and the resignation of Allen Breach (Risk and Planning Coordinator, EMA; resignation effective 3/6/26).
Finally, commissioners approved payment of bills for Feb. 27, 2026, totaling $531,363.90. The meeting adjourned after no members of the public offered comment.
The minutes do not record roll-call vote tallies beyond the notation "all approved"; they do not provide a detailed spending timeline for the CDBG funds beyond the transfer amount. The next procedural step for the CDBG reallocation or for any implementation of the homeless housing rehab project is not specified in the minutes.