Centre County commissioners approve proclamation, contracts and grant renewals; add planning MOU to next week’s consent agenda

Centre County commissioners on July 14 adopted a proclamation recognizing Park and Recreation Professionals Day and approved a series of administrative contracts and grant renewals, while adding a planning memorandum of understanding for the Horizon at Brush Valley subdivision to next week’s consent agenda.

The meeting opened with the pledge of allegiance and no public comments. The board then approved prior meeting minutes and presented a proclamation honoring parks and recreation staff. "My name is Nikki; I'm with the Pennsylvania Recreation and Parks Society," said Nikki, who described PRPS as a statewide professional association that provides leadership, professional development and resources for parks and recreation employees and volunteers. The board adopted Proclamation 40 of 2026 designating July 17, 2026, as Park and Recreation Professionals Day in Centre County.

In a contracts agenda item, a probation representative asked the commissioners to approve a five‑year contract to replace the department’s unsupported Axon devices. The package the department described includes Taser 7 devices, body cameras, a virtual reality training platform and training vouchers. Commissioners were told the contract will be reimbursed through the JRI 2 grant. After noting a discrepancy between the printed agenda amount and the contract paperwork, the board approved a contract with Accent Enterprises Inc. in the amount of $55,396.80.

Planning staff presented a three‑party memorandum of understanding related to phase 3 of the Horizon at Brush Valley subdivision in Potter Township. Planner Krishna said the third and final phase covers about 10.5 acres and is proposed for 21 residential lots; the MOU would have the developer reimburse Potter Township for engineering review and inspection costs but does not itself approve the subdivision plan. The commissioners moved to add that MOU to next week’s consent agenda.

The board also approved a renewal application for the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. "This grant reimburses up to 50% of EMA employee salaries and benefits," Jody of Emergency Management told the board. The commissioners moved to approve the EMPG renewal application by voice vote.

Several items were tabled for further review. Elections staff asked to delay a postage‑machine contract (Pitney Bowes) because paperwork was incomplete; the board voted to table the item for another week. Risk management staff presented a proposed three‑year lease renewal with SC Venture for the magisterial district office at 121 South Pew Street, noting a base rent of $7,086 per month and estimated monthly common‑area maintenance (CAM) charges around $1,828. Commissioners asked how CAM charges are derived and whether they are capped; after discussion the board moved and voted to table the lease renewal for further review.

Children & Youth Services presented two short‑term approvals and three renewals, including an interim contract with Family Pathways through June, a full‑year renewal with Veil Pathways for foster care, a CAPS v19 upgrade contract with Avanco International LLC (the state‑required case management system), and a renewal with George Junior Republic for residential foster care. The board agreed to add items 1–5 to next week’s consent agenda. Faith presented a conditional PHFA housing‑supports award for $75,000 and the board agreed to add that conditional award to next week’s consent agenda as well.

Kathy (MHID/DA) requested a letter of support for Jana Marie Foundation’s Byrne JAG grant application for evidence‑based youth programming and presented an MOU with the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts to accept $7,000 in state funding for the regional veterans court program for the 2026–27 period. The board approved both items.

The board approved the week’s consent agenda and a check run dated July 10 that included a payment to Center Helps, which operates local 988 crisis‑line services. County Administrator John presented the second‑quarter report, saying the administrator executed 49 authorizations in Q2 across categories including SofTech services, human services and purchase orders; he reported approved purchase orders totaled $50,573.63 and total authorized expenditures of about $375,248.86.

The elections office reported 102,024 registered voters in Centre County (an increase of 11 from the previous report), listing party totals and noting Curtin North as the precinct of the week. The meeting recessed into an executive session at 10:35 a.m. to discuss personnel matters.

Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes (motion carried by voice). - Proclamation 40 of 2026 (adopted by voice). - Accent Enterprises Inc. contract for probation equipment (approved by voice; contract amount recorded as $55,396.80). - MOU for Horizon at Brush Valley (added to next week’s consent agenda by voice). - EMPG grant renewal application (approved by voice). - Pitney Bowes postage machine contract (tabled by voice). - SC Venture lease renewal for magisterial district office (tabled by voice). - Children & Youth Services items 1–5 (added to next week’s consent agenda by voice). - PHFA conditional award, Housing Supports ($75,000) (added to next week’s consent agenda by voice). - MHID/DA items including the Jana Marie letter of support and regional veterans court MOU ($7,000 to Centre County) (approved by voice). - Consent agenda (approved by voice).

What’s next Several items were placed on next week’s consent agenda for final action (planning MOU for Horizon at Brush Valley; children & youth services contracts; PHFA conditional award, among others). The board entered executive session to discuss personnel and had no further public business listed at adjournment.