Sullivan County commissioners approve contracts, personnel and planning items in 16-minute meeting

Sullivan County Commissioners met March 24, 2026, and unanimously approved multiple administrative actions and contracts during a 16-minute session.

Among the approvals, the board locked in a three-year amendment to the county’s Paychex service agreement that includes a 35% discount on processing rates effective April 1, 2026. The commissioners also approved a one-year non-disclosure agreement with Carbyne, Inc./Carbyne, Ltd. to allow Emergency Services staff to receive proprietary slides describing cloud-based call-handling equipment; commissioners discussed that only the elected commissioners may enter into agreements and may instruct Emergency Services employees to follow the NDA.

The board accepted Stahl Sheaffer Engineering’s proposal (Work Order #14) for $12,150 to provide site reconnaissance, agency coordination and conceptual construction cost estimates for the Courthouse West Parking Lot and alternate lots to support grant applications. Separately, commissioners accepted a Trane U.S., Inc. quote of $4,127 to replace a fan-coil unit in the Courthouse Planning office, with estimated NRG labor of about $3,000.

Personnel items approved included the acceptance of the resignation of Cole Sutton (Watershed Specialist/Chesapeake Bay Technician), acknowledgment of the resignation of Deputy Sheriff Cody Barto, and the promotion of Hannah Eck from Conservation Resource Technician to Watershed Specialist effective March 15, 2026. The board also revised the county Personnel Policy effective March 24, 2026, updating Volunteer Leave (full days regardless of schedule) and expanding vacation accruals to include 37.5- and 40-hour work weeks.

Other routine approvals included a purchase-of-service agreement with People R Us Community Residential Services, Inc. (July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026) for Children & Youth and Juvenile Probation, and two small travel/conference requests (Children & Youth, $165.10; Domestic Relations, $254.00). Commissioners approved payment of current invoices totaling $168,057.81 and adjourned at 10:16 a.m.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of March 9, 2026 minutes: motion by Commissioner Darlene Fenton; seconded by Commissioner Brian Hoffman; unanimous approval. - Juvenile Probation Services Grant, $15,744: motion by Fenton; seconded by Hoffman; unanimous approval. - Paychex agreement (35% discount, three years, effective April 1, 2026): motion by Fenton; seconded by Hoffman; unanimous approval. - Carbyne NDA (one year): motion by Hoffman; seconded by Myers; unanimous approval. - People R Us purchase-of-service agreement (7/1/25–6/30/26): motion by Hoffman; seconded by Fenton; unanimous approval. - Stahl Sheaffer Work Order #14, $12,150: motion by Hoffman; seconded by Myers; unanimous approval. - Trane quote for Courthouse fan coil, $4,127 plus estimated $3,000 labor: motion by Hoffman; seconded by Fenton; unanimous approval. - Personnel policy revisions (Volunteer Leave; Vacation accrual): motion by Fenton; seconded by Hoffman; unanimous approval. - Resignations and promotion (Cole Sutton resignation; Cody Barto resignation; Hannah Eck promotion): motions by Hoffman/Fenton as noted; unanimous approvals. - Invoice payments, $168,057.81: motion by Fenton; seconded by Hoffman; unanimous approval.

The meeting record shows routine operational business rather than policy debate; most items passed on unanimous voice votes. The commissioners noted limited discussion on some items, including a suggestion from Commissioner Hoffman to raise juvenile-probation funding levels with the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP).