Sullivan County signs emergency prisoner housing deal, opens watershed bids and approves grants

Sullivan County commissioners met April 7, 2026, and approved a series of administrative actions, grant agreements and personnel confirmations while opening sealed bids for four Emergency Watershed Improvement Projects.

The board signed a three-year prisoner housing agreement with neighboring Clinton County, at a rate of $73 per inmate per day plus medical and transportation costs, after convening and handling time-sensitive business. Commissioners said the agreement was signed outside a regularly scheduled meeting under the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act so that Sheriff Nick Wingate could secure immediate housing capacity. The board commended Sheriff Wingate for arranging the agreement.

The commissioners approved a Project Modification Request — Amendment 2 to the county’s Indigent Defense Grant, extending the grant end date from Dec. 31, 2026, to June 30, 2027, and adding $91,774 in funding. The board also approved the FFY 2024 State and Local Cybersecurity grant agreement with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, through the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, for $32,525.87.

Other approvals included a memorandum of understanding with the 44th Judicial District (Bradford and Sullivan Counties) on Treatment Court standard operating procedures effective Jan. 31, 2026; an amended agreement between the Bradford/Sullivan Drug & Alcohol Single County Authority and Evolve Addiction Recovery, LLC (effective Jan. 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027); and amended agreements for the Bradford/Sullivan Early Intervention Program with named providers effective July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2027.

The board also approved several personnel actions: satisfactory completion of 60-day probationary periods for Library Assistant I Brittany Weisenberger and Cassidy Donnachie (both effective April 6, 2026) and Certified Assistant II in Human Services Sage Shultz (effective April 3, 2026). Travel and training requests were approved for two Assessment office employees at a county cost of $1,985 and for two Emergency Services employees at $136.

During the meeting the Chief Clerk opened sealed bids for four emergency watershed projects. The bid openings listed apparent low bids at the time they were read aloud but did not include awards. At opening the apparent low bids were:

- SU-25-002 (Route 220): Daren Thompson Excavating — $56,800 - SU-25-003 (Edkin Hill Road): Kinsley Construction Environmental — $45,525 - SU-25-004 (Champion Hill Road): Stonewood Landscaping — $75,000 - SU-25-005 (Nordmont Road): Cuz Excavating — $60,600

Commissioners noted one additional emergency watershed project (Fairman Road) will be advertised in May with a bid opening planned for June.

Administrative reports included the Prothonotary’s March 2026 report (filed for review) and Treasurer Katrina Wilkins’ March 2026 financial report. The board approved and paid current invoices totaling $116,806.30, and Commissioner Brian Hoffman noted he had been reappointed by Gov. Josh Shapiro to the Pennsylvania 911 Advisory Board.

The meeting recessed briefly for photographs and adjourned at 10:35 a.m.

Votes at a glance: motions recorded in the meeting minutes were seconded and approved unanimously where noted (motions to table the IT/cybersecurity policy to April 21; proclamations recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month, Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and National Crime Victims’ Rights Week; the Indigent Defense Grant amendment; the FFY 2024 cybersecurity grant agreement; the MOU with the 44th Judicial District; amended substance use and early intervention agreements; personnel probationary completions; travel requests; approval of invoices; and adjournment). Specific tallies were not recorded in the public minutes and are marked in the meeting record as unanimously approved when so stated.