Armstrong County commissioners vote to approve a number of agreements and contracts

Armstrong County's board of commissioners on Thursday unanimously voted to approve a number of agreements and contracts between the county and various services providers, a memorandum of understanding and a reappointment to the Tri-County Workforce Investment Board's (TCWIB) board of directors.

Items, which members of the board, including Don Myers, the board's chairman, Jason Renshaw, the board's vice chairman, and Pat Fabian, the board secretary, agreed to endorse during yesterday's public meeting included:

Under resolutions, as rendered by county Chief Administrator Aaron Poole:

— Adoption of Resolution 2023-22 – Municibid 2020 Chrysler Voyager Lxi Van

"This van has been determined as no longer needed by the county, we'll put it out on MuniciBid, and put the money back in county coffers," Poole said.

Under agreements and contracts:

— Approval of an agreement between the County of Armstrong and LumenServe, as rendered by Chad Gradwell, county 911 coordinator

"It's a renewal of a contract with LumenServe, they do the tower lighting at the tower sites, annual inspections of it and monitor (them). It actually would be cheaper through this course of contract, because the equipment that was on the original contract is now county owned, so the process of it is a little bit cheaper for the next couple of years," Gradwell said.

— Acknowledgement of agreement between the County of Armstrong and McCutcheon Enterprises, as rendered by Mike Mollick, county department of public safety director

"This is our annual acknowledgement of our contract with McCutcheon Enterprises, Inc., to act as the Act 165 PA certified Hazmat Response Team for the county," Mollick said.

— Approval of an agreement between the County of Armstrong and CDI, as rendered by Jason McClafferty, county department of information technology director

"They'll be providing a solution to replace the current backup of the data backup solution that expires in June. That's a five-year term."

Fabian asked McClafferty if the contract amount — $289,149.40 -- is year to year or over five years.

"That is a total over five years, with a sixth-year option on it," McClafferty said.

— Approval of a contract between the County of Armstrong and Adams Livery Services, LLC, as rendered by Poole

"Mr. Adams has expressed interest in doing body transport and removal service in the county at a rate of $350 per body," said Poole, adding that the proposal was reviewed by county Solicitor Andrew J. Sacco of Steiner Sacco Law.

Sacco added: "(Mr. Adams) provided the insurance requirements and obviously what he is going to charge."

Ahead of that vote, during the meeting's segment allowing for public comment on agenda items, attorney Brian Farrington of Sarver-based Charlton Law, in representation of county Coroner Brian K. Myers, asked the board to table the vote on the agenda concerning Adams Livery Services, LLC, to a later date.

"It's my understanding that's for services (deemed) unnecessary by the coroner's office. We would just ask that that be tabled. We're open to a meeting between Mr. Myers, Mr. Sacco, Mr. Poole and any other representative from the board of commissioners, so we can iron out some of the legal details of that contract, get the appropriate confidentiality agreements, (and) just make sure everything that's required by statute would be in that contract," Farrington said. "We would be respectfully asking the commissioners to table that item until the next meeting, so that that discussion could be had between all parties."

The board subsequently chose to turn down that request and carry forth with the aforementioned contract approval.

— Approval of fiduciary liability coverage renewal between the County of Armstrong and Federal Insurance Co. (through Conway E&S), as rendered by Acting Armstrong County Controller Tammie Gaff

"This is the annual insurance renewal. The fiduciary liability coverage covers the pension and the people who make the motions on that. It's just a renewal. There is a $50 increase this year," said Poole, on behalf of Gaff, who was absent from the meeting.

Fabian asked if the payment out of county's general fund or would it be out of the retirement fund, since the decision relates to the retirement board — payment out of general or retirement fund?

"It's paid out of the retirement fund," Poole said.

— Approval of cooperation agreement between the County of Armstrong and the City of Parker FFY 2022 CDBG Program, as rendered by Kathy Heilman, community development assistant director with the county's department of planning and development

"As part of the project for 2022 Community Development Block Grant, we do the administration with City of Parker, and therefore were required to execute a co-op agreement, so we ask that you approve this agreement. We receive 15% — $45,000 and change — and the remaining goes to construction of the projects," Heilman said.

Fabian asked Heilman to specify the maximum amount that the county can charge.

"We can charge 18%. For the City of Parker, we've been at 15% for (many years)," Heilman said.

Fabian responded: "As our costs go up within the department, it's something that we may need to look at, particularly around budget season."

— Acknowledgement of memorandum of understanding between the County of Armstrong and Armstrong County Children, Youth and Family Services, as rendered by Paula McClure, administrator of the county's department of children, youth and family services.

"We're required to have a MOU between county and our agency to receive reimbursement for legal representation for parents and dependents. We will be able to receive federal funds at approximately 50% reimbursement of total cost, which would return to the county budget, for what is being paid right now for legal representation of parents," McClure said.

TCWIB director reappointment made

Under appointments, the board voted to approve the following item, as rendered by Poole

a. Reappointment of Ron Mailki, Mailki Mechanical Manufacturing, 553 Freeport Road, Freeport, PA 16229 to serve on the Tri-County Workforce Investment Board (TCWIB) board of birectors, for a two-year term to commence July 1, 2023, and expire June 30, 2025.

"This comes at the recommendation of their executive director," Poole said.

Longtime CYS employee recognized

Under announcements, the board took note of the recently retired Jackie Lamison, in recognition of 20 years of service in the county's department of children, youth and family services

"With regrets, she retired. She was a fiscal tech," McClure said. "We appreciated her years of service."

Other business

Under the meeting's finance report, as rendered by county Assistant Chief Administrator Karen Kintz, the board voted to:

Acknowledge purchase orders for the week of May 9, 2023, in the amount of $11,932.27;

"Just a couple of items there, the largest being some laptops for CYS, they were older units that had to be replaced. They were budgeted for in their IT grant. I believe there is an 80% reimbursement," Kintz said.

Acknowledge purchase orders for the week of May 16, 2023, in the amount of $17,617.33;

"(This was for) more computers for (Armstrong County) Area Agency on Aging that needed to be replaced — desktops — but they are covered under the aging block grant, and Belmont start up fees — concession, food and also pool chemicals," Kintz said.

Acknowledge purchase orders for the week of May 23, 2023, in the amount of $1,328.13;

"Pretty small, just usual department expenses and supplies," Kintz said.

The next public meeting of the county's board of commissioners is scheduled for 9 a.m. June 1.