Susquehanna County commissioners approve routine contracts, appointments and a library proclamation

Susquehanna County commissioners on Tuesday approved a package of routine contracts, personnel actions and a proclamation honoring the late Sue Stone and promoting a countywide reading event.

The board voted by voice on multiple motions, approving a service agreement with Johnson Controls, a contract with Oaklake School District to print and mail the 2026 tax bills at 25 cents per bill and 15 cents per duplicate, and the reappointment of representatives to the Northern Interior Regional Planning Development Commission. Commissioners also ratified an agreement with a behavioral-health and early-intervention provider for an annual term the record cites as “effective July 1, ’26 through June 30, ’27.”

Karen Reed, introduced as the county’s new head librarian, described plans for the June 20 community event tied to Proclamation 2026‑9. “She was the library. She was what held us together. She was a great leader. She loved children. She loved books,” Reed said, referring to Sue Stone. Reed said the historical society will be open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and library programming is planned roughly 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the green.

The board approved several personnel actions. Beth Thompson of South Adington Township was hired as a full‑time Caseworker I. The board also ratified and regretted the resignation of county detective Tristan New Hart, effective May 26, and approved a title change in Children & Youth Services from “Office Administrator” to “Executive Secretary One” with no change in pay or benefits.

A provider representative who identified themself as Mickey thanked the board for support of early‑intervention, intellectual‑developmental‑disability and behavioral‑health services. “We’re really grateful to your ongoing commitment to your community to support these programs,” Mickey said.

The board corrected a clerical entry (changing a vendor listing from “Fred’s Market” to “Frugal Living”), approved listing a 2020 Ford cutaway bus (about 116,000 miles) on the municipal bid list, and closed the regular meeting to open the salary board. The salary board approved eliminating two part‑time, non‑union temporary clerk positions and then adjourned at 9:09 a.m.

Why it matters: the approved contracts affect county operations (building/system service and tax-bill mailing) and local human services programming; personnel changes and the salary‑board action alter county staffing and payroll obligations in the near term. The library proclamation and June 20 event are a public outreach item that the library said will include family programming and a historical‑society presence.

What the record shows and what is unclear: the transcript records the Johnson Controls item as a “plan/service/medicine system” agreement; the record’s wording is inconsistent. The behavioral‑health provider name is garbled in the transcript (recorded as “Lacwan’s Suscan Behavioral Health Intellectual Disability Early Intervention Program”); the board approved the agreement as read during the meeting. The contract term for that provider was given in shorthand during the meeting as spanning fiscal year '26 to '27 (recorded as July 1, ’26 through June 30, ’27 in the transcript). The transcript lists multiple commissioners approving motions by voice vote; where specific individual vote counts beyond “all in favor” were not recorded, this article reports the motions as approved by voice vote.

The meeting record indicates no contested votes or extended debate on these items; most were approved by unanimous voice vote or with a single abstention on the minutes.