Delaware County public comments raise concerns on ballot envelopes, park trees and jail oversight; council approves consent agenda and appointments

The county’s public‑comment period produced several focused concerns about county operations and oversight before council approved routine agenda items.

At the top of public comment, Charlie Alexander criticized county leadership and accused officials of preferential treatment and fiscal mismanagement; his remarks were partisan and confrontational. Gary Bridal followed with a positive note about wildlife and recreation at Delco Woods and suggested campsites and community‑use ideas.

Elections and records: Laura Lewis (Radnor Township) raised a legal argument about preservation of election materials, citing federal law and urging the county to treat returned mail‑in ballot envelopes as auditable records. "Under 52 U.S.C. 20701, all records and papers relating to an act requisite to voting in a federal election must be preserved for 22 months," Lewis said, and she asked for clarification rather than speculation about how the envelopes were found and handled.

Parks and public safety: Dennis Stefano submitted photographs and urged county staff to remove dead trees that presented hazards along county roads and in Clayton Park; council staff said a contract on the evening agenda would prioritize removal in county parks and high‑risk areas.

Jail oversight and whistleblower complaint: Kimberly Brown Cowan presented a written Notice of Violation alleging retaliation and asked why certain jail expenditures (holiday bags/turkeys) did not appear in oversight documents; she asked that the jail oversight board have solicitor presence and better monitoring. The solicitor reminded speakers not to introduce outside recordings during public comment.

Opioid settlement and grants: Executive director Barbara O’Malley (speaker on behalf of county staff) summarized opioid settlement funding and county use. She said Wave 1 will deliver approximately $63,000,000 to the county over 18 years and Wave 2 will provide about $30,000,000 over 15 years; the county is subject to Exhibit E categories and six‑month reporting to the state. O’Malley said the county contracts with the Steadman Group for community engagement and performance measurement related to opioid dollars.

Council actions that followed: After public comment the council approved by voice vote the minutes of the March 4 meeting, the consent agenda (items 9a–9u), appointments to the Drug and Alcohol Planning Commission for three‑year terms (appointments moved and seconded), authorization to pay $10,777,000 in current bills (comptroller reported $2,449,000 from the general fund with the balance from pass‑through grants), and solicitor approval to submit four petitions for termination of parental rights and one consent for adoption to Orphans’ Court. Most motions were approved by voice vote; the transcript records "ayes" but does not provide a roll‑call tally by name.

What’s next: Council members said grant applications may be competitive or formulaic depending on the program; staff promised to prioritize high‑risk trees and to follow statutory reporting and audit requirements for opioid funds. The meeting adjourned after the routine business votes.