Board of Commissioners - Regular Meeting

First item on the salary board is the approval of the minutes from the April 14, 2026 board meeting. So moved. Second. Properly moved and second. All in favor? I. Anyone else have anything to come before salary board this morning? We have no items on the agenda. I'll make a motion to second. Properly moved and second. All in favor? That will adjourn the salary board meeting for today. We will move on to board of commissioners meeting. We'll dispense with the pledge. As we just did that, I am moved to the approval of minutes for April 28, 2026.

So moved. Second. Properly moved and second. All in favor? Hi. And now on to our favorite time, the approval of the bills. Turn the floor over to Controller Edwards. All right. The general fund 6,539, $11160. A hazmat $14767 9116,289.94. Domestic relations 258,184.33 and children and youth $291,612.58 for a total of 7,95,24582

to I have a motion to approve the bills as presented by controller Edwards. So moved. Second.

Properly moved and second. All in favor? Give us a moment. We will sign these. Thank you, Mr. Edwards. Next, moving on to personnel issues. Uh, listed below are the personnel changes for commissioner's approval. Under new hires, we have a deputy sheriff in the sheriff's department effective 511 2026. No transfers. We have a separation which is also a sheriff's deputy in the sheriff's department effective 429 2026. No FMLA or leave of absence request. Do I have a motion to approve these changes as presented?

So move. I'll second. Properly moved and second. All in favor? I. We'll now move on to public comment. We ask everyone to please identify yourself and you will have three minutes for public comment.

Hi, my name is Bobby Ericson. I'm going to read the words of a man whose wife was taken to Michigan. I remember that morning so clearly. My wife and I decided to stop by Duncan and treat ourselves. A week prior, I had just lost my job to due to my company going bankrupt and carrying out a mass layoff without notice. My wife was distracting me because she knew I was worried. The job market isn't great. The economy, no matter how the current administration paints it, feels terrible. Rising gas prices fill my head. I'm stressed to say the least. My beautiful wife always made sure I never lost myself to my own negative thoughts. And she was always successful. I wake up and I feel the coldness from the other side of the bed. There hasn't been warmth there in nine days, but it feels like years. My stomach hurts because I forgot to eat the day prior. I hear my boys calling out for me. They are hungry. I make breakfast. The kids complain because they wanted pancakes. Mom usually makes them. I'm excited because I finally get to see my wife. I drive two and a half hours to get to her. A long drive, but what choice do I have? I'm bringing papers the kids drew for Mother's Day. I can't bring them in. Okay, they're just drawings. It's Mother's Day. Why can't I show my wife what our kids made for her? I don't make a scene. I comply and I leave them behind. I finally see my wife. I can't hold her. I can't touch her. I can see her, but I can't feel her presence the way I used to. I can smell her perfume. I can't embrace her. I'm reminded of the void I've been feeling. We sit in a relatively small room filled with other families trying desperately to hear their loved ones through the thick plexiglass. Voices compete against each other. Everyone is talking louder just to be heard. I can barely hear my wife over the noise. My wife is naturally soft-spoken. She's small in stature and speaks quietly. So, she has to raise her voice just so I can understand her. I sear at the situation. I hate that this is what our lives have become. There's plexiglass between us and mesh hanging from the ceiling attached to the

glass like it was put together last minute. I hate that they didn't even drill proper holes in the glass so sound could travel through. English is her second language, but she speaks it well. It's the primary language we speak at home. I'm able to buy food for her, but it all comes from a vending machine. She eats the sandwich, then the yellow Gatorade. I stay quiet and let her eat. She asks for candy, I buy her a Twix. I've never seen my wife eat this much junk before. We've been together for 6 years. We finally talk. Then, suddenly, it's 7:30 p.m. If I leave now, I won't get home. As I walk away, I choke on my words, trying to say goodbye, so I just wave. She has this devastating look on her face. Today, my son had a breakdown at the kitchen table. He was crying because he misses his mom. I don't know how to react. All I could do was hold him and reassure him that he would see her again. She's at the hospital helping doctors fight a nasty disease. How do I explain to my 8-year-old that the US government is holding his mother and denying her bail? How do I tell him his mother is in jail, so I lie? I now feel like a hypocrite because I teach my children honesty and integrity. How do I navigate my life without my wife?

Thank you for your comments. This uh doesn't seem like you're listening. You keep that. I am reading a letter from Could you please identify yourself?

Yes. Kaylee McLaclin. I am the co-founder of Indivisible Outcry in Clarion County. And I am reading a letter from a c-orker of the woman was just reading a letter about. My good friend and co-orker is currently in detention at the Moshana facility. Not only does it concern me that she is in detention, but also that there are many large concerns surrounding the center as it is. Reported deaths in the last year clearly were due to negligence. Many reports of lack of basic medical care and failure to meet basic human needs are concerns that no human deserves to face. Many of these people in this facility, especially my friend, are not hardened criminals. They are good people undeserving of having to live in conditions such as those at the facility. My friend is a wife and mother of two little boys. These little boys had to go through not having their mother around for Mother's Day. They miss her and she does not deserve to be detained, let alone in a facility with all the concerns Mohannon has. My friend is one of the best mothers I know and loves her children so much. Her boys love their mom and they are heartbroken she is not there for them. My friend is also a great human being. In fact, she is loved by everyone who knows her. No one who meets her doesn't like her. She is also a health care worker and the best medical assistant we have. She truly cares about every one of our patients and about everyone she meets. In a country that lacks health care workers, we shouldn't be trying to detain or deport those who are contributing so much to their communities. We need her at work and we all miss her greatly. Mohannon should be

closed because it is a not because it is not a necessary facility. It is not a safe facility and no immigrant deserves to be treated poorly just because of their immigration status. Christians in particular need to start asking themselves the question, what would Jesus do? I can guarantee you that Jesus would not be separating families and locking mothers up. He would do everything to help them be with their families. He certainly would not think Miss Shannon is an acceptable place to be. And then she quotes here, I mean, as a co-orker and a friend, we need her at work, too. She is a big asset, one of the best employees we have. Honestly, irreplaceable. She is a medical assistant and is so caring and really good in her job. She is so fun to work with and hang out with. You can leave all of that out, though. The most important thing is that those kids have their mom. Thank you for your comments.

My name is Don Shields. At your last meeting, you all had a lot to say. Commissioner Glass, you said, "Frankly, I think this is a federal issue, and that's a false statement. The county's name is on the IGSA contract, making the facility a local issue. The Moshannan Valley Detention Center has clear impacts on the surrounding area. Um, from the harms to the local economy to impacts on the community services, this facility puts Clearfield County at risk. In the last meeting, Commissioner Soil, you said that advocates are quote dealing with local government over federal issues. We aren't asking you to remake immigration policy. We're asking you to reject a contract that keeps people caged in abusive and inhumane conditions in our name. Um, we're asking you to use your powers to keep Clearfield County out of federal immigration business. Commissioner Winters, you claimed, quote, "We have an open dialogue with GEO and ICE. Just because someone picks up the phone doesn't mean they're going to um tell you the truth." Geo Group is notorious for a lack of transparency, receiving hundreds of legal complaints, and a clear directive to make as much money as possible. And I can assure you the information they receive that they share with you is tailored to make sure they're making that profit. While an open line of communication is important, it is only useful if the information is accurate and complete. Otherwise, there is no meaningful oversight. And some questions for all of you. How often do you meet with GEO and ICE representatives? Are notes and minutes from those meetings available for public view? Commissioner Soil, you offered an

example of a time when GIO was responsive to only one of several complaints raised by a man detained in Mohannon. How do you respond when Gio and ICE ignore your questions and requests? How do you verify that the information coming from Gio, ICE, and the guards are accurate? How do you ensure that personal ties don't bias your independent oversight? You claim we don't have the power to close this facility. We are aware that this is the first step in a longer, larger fight. What we're asking is that you exercise the power that you do have to move forward this fight. In April, in the April 28th meeting, Commissioner Winters, you stated that an immigration center is not an ideal thing to have. We agree. And I want you to know that we're in this fight for the long haul. We want to work together to shut this facility down. Rejecting the contract is a critical step forward in that fight. Um we we deal in reality, not just how we feel about things. And the reality is if you don't have any power, then why does an IGSA even exist?

Thank you for your comments. My name is Pam Cipher. I'm from Clarion County. I'm coming as a concerned citizen. It occurred to me that I need to think about whether detention centers or concentration camps. I looked up this article by the Marshall Project, which is a nonpartisan nonprofit news organization to create a sense of urgency about the US criminal justice system. Concentration camps are most often associated with the worst of Nazi Germany. Extermination camps designed for systematic mass murder. But concentration camps are defined differently. They've existed for more than a century in several countries, including the United States, which incarcerated Japanese Americans during World War II. In her book, One Long Night, a global history of concentration camps, Andrea Fitzer wrote that concentration camps involve the mass detention of civilians without due process to a full trial based on their identity rather than something they have done. While Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents go after people who don't have authorization to be in the country, observers noted that they have expanded their purview in the past year, arresting people with legal protections, green cards, even US citizens. Piter also pointed to Trump's use of disparaging language towards specific groups, saying this suggests that certain people like those of Somali and Haitian descent are targeted based on their identity. While ICE has legal authority to detain people based on their immigration status, they've been acting with extra

legality, hindering access to legal counsel, transferring people to far-flung facilities and apparent effort to isolate and confuse them. In recent months, ICE has purchased several warehouses to turn into detention centers. That makes the system even more like a concentration camp. While Concentration camps don't usually mean conditions are poor or don't automatically mean conditions are poor. A lack of access to adequate food, sanitary conditions, medical care are common consequences of mass detention. Outbreaks of measles, tuberculosis, COVID have been reported at camps. 18 people died in ICE custody so far this year. Last year it was seven. The point is this facility is like the others that the nation is undergoing continuing scrutiny. The Rachel Matto show last night which has 2.2 million viewers spent half of the show covering what is happening with protest and awareness. Five photographs of this county's

Thank you for your comments.

My name is Sher Sheets. I live a few blocks from here and I serve our community as a minister and hospice chaplain. While there's much to respond to from our last meeting, I want to focus my remarks on the way that you navigate your influence with GO. You all insisted that you have no authority over GO, but it's clear that you have influence. When dealing with systems that oppress, it's not authority that brings accountability, it's influence. You all expressed disdain for the time that our statements took up during the last meeting. Sir, these statements are our influence. We do not have authority over you, but we do have influence. My challenge to you is in how you steward your influence for this moment in history. In a decade or two, the truth of what has been going on nationally with GIO will be brought to light. What will you have to say for how you steward your influence? It's alarming and foolish for you to confidently accept the word of the administration and staff at GIO in regards to allegations of abuse. Each of you has likely a close friend or family member who has either been abused by a person in authority or who has been an abuser of someone that they held power over. We are saddened, but we're not shocked when we learn that a pastor has been abusing children for decades. We're saddened, but we're not shocked when we learn that a teacher grooms children. We're saddened, but we're not shocked. That list can go on and on because we all have stories close to us that grieve us. Given the obvious patterns and systems with such uneven power dynamics, your insistence that the word of the people in power satisfies your concern is not just absurd, it's negligent. And that is what I want to say to you today. Not to shame you, not even thinking that I can change things, but to use my influence to name the obvious reality that taking the word of those accused of abuse as evidence that abuse is not happening is obtuse. Somehow there are organizations all around this country that are dedicated to meeting with these families of those in the facilities that are dedicated to

bearing witness to the testimonies of those living in these concentration camps. We are in business with a concentration camp and your stance is that the guards aren't causing harm because they tell you they're not. I urge you to do better. History asks you to use your influence for what is right, not what's easy and comfortable and fits into your schedule. Thank you for your comment.

Good morning, commissioners. Uh my name is Haime Martinez. I drove two and a half hours to get here today to be in front of you, and I appreciate the time. Um I work with immigrants every day. I work with immigrants throughout western Pennsylvania and central Pennsylvania and I've had the chance to visit Moshannon. Um, I actually had the chance to talk to a lot of our neighbors between Pittsburgh and here for 8 days while I was on a long walk to Clearfield County. And what I learned while I was there is that um there's not a lot of awareness about this facility and there's a big gap in information between what is happening and what the people inside these facilities are feeling and what they're experiencing and then what is being reported out to the media and to elected officials. um not just here in Clearfield County, but also in southwestern Pennsylvania. And so we've been doing a lot of work to try to bridge that gap. But um it really concerns me to, you know, see statements come out from the GEO group, to see statements come out from you all about uh events that happen inside the facility and then hear something very very different from the families that we are in touch with, the families that are in real need, the marginalized, the true people that are marginalized. And I come to you today also as a Christian, right? And somebody who really has a strong conviction in waking up every day and doing the right thing and reaching out towards the margins and doing what, you know, my savior calls me to do. Um, part of that is coming here today to talk to you all who have, as you know, our other speakers have said, the power and influence to to leverage uh for the good of people that are in real real need right now. Um, and my hope is that you guys will use your oversight authority in whatever way you can. Um, make sure that we're not in business with a facility that has blood on their hands. Um, and, you know, work together as a community and and as a state, as a commonwealth, as a country to consider what are alternative ways of, you know,

making our economy thrive in this community and um, keep our people safe. So, thank you for your time.

Thank you for your comment. Hi, my name is Holly Moore. I live in Alageney County. Um, a neighbor of mine was taken this past summer and was held in Los Shannon for a very long time. I made a commitment also as a Christian person to visit him as often as I could. So, usually that was once a month. Occasionally it was twice a month. Um, so I I think I said yeah, I was there nine times. So, I've got a lot of experience visiting Moshannon. Um, a few things that deeply concerned me about the experiences. Um, one, when he got there, my neighbor was placed in solitary confinement and didn't know why. He wasn't given any explanation as to why he was in solitary confinement. There had not been any kind of crime he had committed to be placed in solitary confinement that he was aware of. Um, and he was allowed to have visitors during that time. So, I did visit during that time. Um, that was the first time he'd seen a human outside of a guard um, when I visited. And he he told me at that point that um that he was given two pairs of clothes and no way to actually wash the clothes except in a little basin within his solitary space. Um but it was so freezing in there that he wasn't able to actually wash his clothes even in the little basin because he was so so cold and had no way to dry it that he couldn't actually change his clothes. So when I saw him um he looked soiled, he didn't smell good. He was clearly in conditions that were beneath the dignity of any human person. Um the day after I visited him, he was taken out of solitary confinement. I don't know if there was a correlation there or if there's a specific period of time that people are put in there. Um but it did make me wonder what happens to people that don't have anyone to visit them. Are they just placed in these conditions that are inhumane forever? I don't know. Um something else that I that I noted when I was there, um he once needed to take something out of his property to send home with me, to send to his mom. Um and the form he was given was in English. He speaks only Spanish as many people there do. I asked the guard if it

was possible to give him a form that was in Spanish and they said no. Um we speak English so we only have forms that are in English. Um which seemed like a particular way of continuing to other and make people uncomfortable for no particular reason. Why would you not give someone a form in their particular language? Um luckily there was another person um who was held in confinement who was able to help translate for him. But because of the plexiglass, I also couldn't see the form well enough to help translate for him. Um, there's a a no touch uh policy there as well. So, when you come to visit someone, you can't shake their hand, you can't hug them, you can't touch them in any way. Um, which further exacerbates the situation of people feeling um in isolation even if they're not technically in isolation and without that human contact that we know is so so so important. Relatedly, um people of faith have no access to sacraments there. I know that when my neighbor was there, um there was a a pastor who was also in confinement who held sort of ad hoc church church uh services for people there. Um but there certainly if you're Catholic, there's no access to communion or any of the things that uh that we take for granted as as religious liberties that are ought to be accessible to every person on American soil. Um, conversely, I have also visited Lewisburg prison, which is a medium security prison, and many of these things are not in place at a medium security prison. Um, when you go to visit someone there, you can hug them or shake their hand at the beginning and end of your time. There's no plexiglass separating you. Um, and while I don't believe that there's still uh access to sacraments, it sounds as though there is also um some sort of church s service that people are allowed to go to and there is some kind of human interaction.

Thank you for your comments.

I'm William Fesman. I am the district committee person for district 11 in Builtsburg. Hello. and I have a call in for you guys. Uh, you're live with the Cleveland County Commission.

Hi, my name is Charlotte and I just wanted to touch bases on the conditions of Shaman Valley Processing Center. Um, I'm a US citizen. My husband has been detained there for 15 months now, still without any answers. And I just wanted to let you guys know they're not being treated well. They're being treated inhumane. And that's what this protesting and this thing is all about. The treatment and the conditions at the center. So we're asking that you guys at least investigate the conditions there and know that the families and detainees are not lying. Most of them have done nothing wrong. And it should be shut down because we that would be better because would be more used with our tax dollars. So, we are asking that the facility be shut down and we can make something more useful with the tax dollars so these people can get back to their families, get back to working, and get back to paying taxes. Now, if you guys do state that there is no control over it, there is because it's in your city. It's in your town. And if we did shut it down and close the center, at least there everyone would have something to look forward to to pay their taxes the right way and look forward to living in a good city. So, I just wanted to let you guys know without having any answers um at least investigate the conditions and how they're being treated without being lied to by the people in charge. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. I just want to remind you guys, you said you had oversight, you have the ability to oversight, and we want you to use it. So, thank you.

Thank you for your comment. Hello, my name is Maddie Wrath. Members of your community today are here to plead with you to deny your renewal with the contract with Gio and the Moshan Valley Ice Prison. Members of your community have attempted to appeal to your humanity with facts and testimonials of the horrific abuse put into practice at this ice prison. However, it has come to my attention that you cannot appeal to the humanity of men who do not possess it. Therefore, I would like to speak on a topic that you have shown to hold near and dear to your hearts. Self-interest. Next year is an election year, and I assume the three of you are starting to think about your re-election campaign. However, given the unfavorable public opinion associated with this office, it's fair to say that your re-election efforts may have some turbulence. If you Google Clearfield County Commissioner, the first two pages of results are news articles of you turning a blind eye to future voters concerns about the Moshannan ICE prison brought to your attention. The backlash from your decision to withdraw from the CRPD, the con the convention of rights for persons with disabilities in March, wasn't even mentioned until halfway through page three. nor was the $2.5 million real estate tax increase you passed in December. What was mentioned was the $3.5 million that taxpayers now have to spend to fund this horrific facility. Given this public outrage, may I suggest some alternate employment options to consider after 2027's election. The United States Postal Office, the DMV, Uber Eats, a Subway sandwich artist. All of these jobs are overall more beneficial to our community than the Moshan Valley Prison will ever be. But

in the worst case scenario, I do hear that ICE will take anyone. Thank you for your time and I look forward to speaking with you at your next meeting. Thank you for your comment. Any other public comment this morning? We will move on to our agenda items. Gentlemen, any old business to come before the board? Seeing no old business, we will move on to new business. We do have Susan Williams here with us from the Clearfield Coral Society. I believe a couple other members going to talk about the upcoming PA250 concert.

Okay. I would just like to say um that the county coral society concert is this Sunday. I provided the commissioners with a designation asking that we be designated the official coral event of the semiententennial. And I'll introduce our conductor is able to be here, Jacob Mandal.

Thank you very much. Um this is a um a wonderful opportunity this week uh to celebrate uh the America as we know it in County and and by extension uh our concert is going to be touching on the many multiple themes of what has made what we recognize in Critical County, which is the wonderful uh history uh of our um of even our our immigrant populations. uh the history of our sacred music, uh the history of uh people who have lived in this county for for many many at times and uh I felt it appropriate to do a concert that celebrates America uh as the way that we know it, you know, here here in the county and I invite everybody to attend uh this week is as a really wonderful testament uh to that. The choir is doing a fantastic job uh and is a true chore to force uh community choir that has done some really wonderful things. So, thank you very much for allowing us to be the official event.

I will I will now read in this declaration of the official event and this keep in mind this is part of the America 250 and PA250. Clearfield Coral Society will prevent heritage a vibrant musical celebration of Clearfield County as part of America's 250th semiquincential on Sunday May 17th 3:30 in the Clearfield Presbyterian Church downtown Clearfield. Concert will feature songs that celebrate Clearfield County's musical traditions, historical music, sacred anthems, proud organist, and our hymn singing tradition. The church canata square dancing, folk songs representing the American Appalachian Mountains, the Sons of Italy, Pocus, and our rich Scottish and Irish ancestry, as well as the community band, and of course, patriotic music. The choir will be joined by Sandy Buer, piano accompanist, Gary Wilson on organ, and a sevenpiece PA band. Presbyterian Church has beautifully decorated their sanctuary in anticipation of this concert and their own celebration of our nation's birthday. Clarefield County Commissioners designate this concert as the semiquincentennial coral event for the county in 2026 and invite all Clearfield County residents and beyond to attend. Gentlemen, we concur on this. Would you like to get a picture with Coral Society members?

Next to Mr. There you go. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you for what you do for the community. We're going to make a slight change in the agenda order here in the interest of getting Curtis back to gainful employment. We're going to consider proposal from BRZ Construction for work to be per performed in the courthouse. And this is Curtis will give just a quick overview of this. This is an ongoing a little refurbishment project of the courtroom. We'll give Curtis a quick minute to give an overview on this.

Yes. Just very briefly, um, with the retirement of President Judge Ammerman, the incoming, uh, President Judge Cherry, uh, saw an opportunity to make some long overdue renovations, uh, to the courthouse. While it is a historical building, it is an actively used historical building. A lot of the, uh, things that we were trying to uh, address, uh, addressed in decades. Um and so uh they we made an effort to uh seek out uh local uh contractors. Uh they came and and did uh we had three that came and looked. Uh we received bids from two uh and and Judge Cherry believes that the one that's being proposed to the commissioners here today is the the best option. Uh if approved, work would begin on May 26th of 2026. Um we have it arranged so that uh the work can uh go on with minimal uh interruption to the work schedule. Um and we do believe that uh this is probably going to be you know the the biggest project uh during the the next several years. So uh it's important I I guess to to get it done now. Uh there are some of the projects that I do believe at the end of the day uh could could end up saving some money. Uh one one in particular is the uh the window panes. Uh we're we're looking at getting those sealed up right now. There's a lot of air flow through them. So that should save on heating costs. Um and so we do see this as an opportunity to address issues that that like I said haven't been dealt with in over 22 years.

I' I'd like to correct one thing you said. Fair enough. You got quotes. You did not get bids. That's correct. I apologize. For for the record, we did not bid this project. It's not that big. Um, having said that, I think, you know, we we had even before Judge Cherry became president judge, we had been thinking about some of these things. You know, courtroom one, you know, there were some some little dings and dents and wear and tear things that we were already looking at which are included in this. And of course, typically a new judge, you know, Judge Mains wants a new coat of paint in his office. Judge Cherry wants to make the the main chambers, you know, his kind of his own. So, um I I can't say we were surprised by any of this.

No. And a lot of this is honestly addressing normal wear, tear, and age of the facility and always the challenge of maintaining a historical building. And I can tell you from personal experience when you have a new judge. Oh, I thought you were going to say historical. Remember, you're 60. I will be. Well, many years on a bench. How old are you? So, not that much older, but uh no, the uh that's that's normal with with when you have a transition uh with the president judges. So, so not surprised. I'll make I'll make a motion to approve the uh the quote as presented.

Did I don't think he gave the amount of the quote 21,92726. So, I wanted to make that. Thank you. And there will be a formal contract. Okay. So my my motion is pending review of the contract by the solicitor. Second. Okay. Motion and second. Pending review of solicitor. All in favor? I. Okay. Get back to the regular Curtis. Thank you. Thank you.

We have a number of items here. Now, consider a service agreement with Viking Water Technologies. This is in regards to the steam boiler system. once again in the historical courthouse building and this is one we do every year um with them. It's a May renewal um which is why it's it's coming in now and the cost is $2,484 but I think we've done similar agreements for the maintenance and upkeep for as long as I can remember. Yeah, this is probably at least four years, maybe five. It's it this has been a really big help and it's it's going to keep that boiler

healthy. particular and very expensive system requires regular maintenance. This service agreement provides that. Do I have a motion, gentlemen? Yes, you have a motion. Second. Properly moved and second. All in favor? I I on to the next item is to award the new phone system proposal. This was put out for bid to a number of I believe we had 26 26 27 26 26

different proposals which uh we've got to I must give thanks to our IT department because the the numerous proposals were not apples to apples and easy comparison. They put a lot of time into sussing out what was the indeed the best proposal. I believe we have came to the agreement that that will be right here granite systems. Dave will give a little overview. This was something we had budgeted for for this year was an upgrade of the county phone systems and I'll let Commissioner Glass give a quick overview over that.

Well, I I won't say too much really. I do want to echo your thoughts. Um Sabrina um and Ethan took it from the 26 down to their top five and then we reviewed the top five yesterday with Sabrina. Um, you know, the the the costs were pretty similar amongst the the top ones and and it came down to the details, um, some of the support factors, some of the features, um, whether we could in some cases purchase our own phones cheaper than the the the prices they were offering uh, with their system. So, we just felt the most comfortable with Granite. It was a very competitive price, very near the lowest overall. And um they they have a support person in in Pennsylvania, I believe, which really made us feel better. And frankly, their proposal was one of the most detailed in terms of um both features and support and the uh changeover process. So I think we all came to the agreement that that we felt we felt comfortable with them and anything you want to add?

You very much covered everything. But once again I thank you to the diligence of our IT department. We we are not going to take credit entirely for this one. No no this was this was their baby and um we we do think I mean look any change is has a potential to have a few bumps in the road but we think this should go pretty smoothly. Um it'll take a few months. Originally, we were hope shooting for July, but be we're already past I think it'll probably be August. This will be changing the overall system to a voice over internet protocol. And they'll, you know, for for employees who might be interested, it'll now have um it'll put your voicemails into your email again like we used to have, which I think is a very useful um process. Only a few of us had that, but that was a great

I think everybody's going to have that feature. So, and there's a lot of other little features we'll go into, especially some of the department heads may find some of this stuff very interesting. Okay. Do I have a motion to accept the phone system proposal from Granite Technology? Also move pending your review. I just received it yesterday once the decision was leaning and I'll review that again. Pending legal review. I will second. Properly moved and second. All in favor?

I. We'd like to accept the resignation of Lyall Millard from the Clifford Jefferson Airport Authority and announce a vacancy on that board. Uh we do thank Lyall for his service and bringing his knowledge from his past time in the military and his interest in both aviation and safety to the table. Thank him for his service and we will have a vacancy on that. Let's say um because of the the holiday weekend coming, we should have any interested parties by Friday, May 22nd, so we can deal with it the next week.

Fair enough. Uh anyone interested in being on the Cliffville Jefferson Airport Authority by May 22nd, reach out to the office here. Moving on, we're going to announce a vacancy on the redevelopment authority of Clearfield County Board. I would say the same thing 22nd, right? Same thing. May 22nd for interest on the redevelopment authority board. Yeah, if I could. That was Joan Shiml who resigned. Want to thank her for her service on the board for a number of years.

Yes, she was a long-term member of that board. Definite thanks to Joan. Okay, we have a number of peruncter things here. Consider copier leases with doing better business for copers to be used in district court dubo and domestic relations. Is this one copier or more? No, there there's one for um district court duboce and one for domestic relations. Well, actually okay. It's it's all the same. Is it the same lease on both? I should say this one. Well, not the same amount, but the same forms. Oh, the same. Which one do you have? I have the magistrate one.

Okay. So, so we so we are clear. One of these will be used in magistrate Maholik's office. One will be for domestic relations here. Actually, domestic has one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Um, yeah, seven. Seven. I say they usually have more. I I'd have to go back and look at the other one. I only had the magistrate one. I'm sorry. Do you I I mean I Let me see when it is if we can we can table maybe at the next meeting if you guys see when their currents run out on that.

Is it a twoyear or three year? This is a two-year but the and the one for Maholics is just a rollover. They're keeping it. Um they're keeping their old machine. It's like 60ome dollars a month. So, it's not even Well, let's let's do this. While she's looking, I'll make a motion to um accept a rollover from Maholics because that that's easy. I mean, it's clearly they need a copier. Yeah. Breaking this into two, we have a motion and a second to renew the lease for District Court Dubo's office. All in favor? I I without having the old agreement, I don't Oh, I'm sorry. This is for the domestic relations here.

Yeah, that's kind of what I figured. Seven is still, but I'm guessing it's for also they probably have machines machine or machines that do voice too. So there multiple machines because I know they have to scan it. It doesn't I don't have the old one with the effective date and it's referencing that. So I don't know if it starts in in June or so it it's must be a roll over too. Well, my guess is the amount of the meeting in May. Can we can we table? Let's I I'll make a motion to table just so we have more information. I'll second that. Yeah, that seems like an awful lot. Okay. Um we are going to table the domestic relations portion of this copy or lease renewal. All in favor? I

Okay. Consider approval of change order with H&H Allaround Services. Yes. H&H um they were awarded the bidding on the remodeling of 318 East Locust Street. I know all three of you have been over there multiple times as they started work. For the record, I think that they've done a fantastic job. Um, just as some things progressed, there were some items that came to light. There was a a sink basin that um was requested by the We added a door. We added the concession window. I was You had to bring it up. I'll go with that. So, concession or confession? Which is it's up to you, Lisa. It's a Grampian thing. Um,

and that was in coordination also with the the magistrate's office. the president judged some safety concerns um just to make sure everything was addressed appropriately. So those change orders um there were four of them alto together. They total 15,250. Um but the work is completed. Final inspections have been done. They're they're done over there and we they were very very responsive. We're with the change orders. Uh this was a job completed in a a very short timeline and we are I think all incredibly pleased with the work provided. So um and then obviously we're in process to arrange the moving and everything with that but everything's moving as is kind of expected. We will have a further update on that or

so but targeting we're we're done at the end of the month out there. So I would just ask for approval. Um it it's just on one invoice. They did it a final but it's for the four items that again I think you're all aware of that that came out after. Do I have a motion to approve the change order with H&H all-around services? So moved. I'll second. Properly moved and second. All in favor? I. I.

Now we have Mr. Mccclure here with us and this is consider a maintenance agreement with Mccclure Company. Not related. uh for the HVA system at the EMA 911 building that is if you going to go into any detail it is standard maintenance agreement to maintain the the entirety of the HVA system HVAC system parts of the system are relatively recent parts are a little older require more maintenance this is a standard agreement pending your approval

and I did have a chance um it came through there's um it's just for a one-year agreement Um $4,474 is the price on there. Um I think you had an opportunity to look at the equipment. So providing that's all right. Um no concerns with it as to its form as well. And this provides I believe two visits and if we should need more beyond that it's at a reduced labor rate due to having a service agreement with broke down summer and fall what's included per unit for everything. Everything broke down what's Okay. Do I have a motion to approve the maintenance agreement for the HVAC HVAC system at the EMA 911 building? So moved. Second. Properly moved and second. All in favor? I.

This next one I'm going to turn over to Commissioner Soil who is going to give a brief overview of the Supreme Court Commonwealth Court's dismissal of the county's lawsuit on the jail construction which dates well prior to my being here.

Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. On April 30th of this year, the uh Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld the dismissal by the trial court of Clearfield County's uh lawsuit over um quality of construction of the Clearfield County Jail when it was built as to the roof when it was built back in the late 70s, early 80s. Um the Commonwealth Court upheld the uh trial court's decision. We were able to successfully get an appeal agreed to by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Uh basis for the dismissal had been the legislaturator's passage of a statute of repose which is similar to a statute of limitation saying we had 12 years from the construction to file suit otherwise we're out of court. Supreme Court was interested enough in the issue because it wasn't clear according to Pennsylvania law. However, in the end, they did decide to uh uphold the uh decisions of the two previous courts. Our argument was was one of Nolam Tempest, a current Reggie. And yes, as a child, I did speak that language. Uh was uh basically the law doesn't apply to the king. Law doesn't apply to government because when government sues, it's generally in the public interest. However, the court felt that because the legislature clearly made a decision as to limit lawsuit periods of time within which you can do lawsuits as to the building trades. Um, and made no exception in the same statute for government actions that they um that was their they made a decision that was in the public interest to protect the building trades uh from basically life lifelong period of time for a lawsuit. So, it was upheld. Uh, that is the end of any opportunity we have to bring suit. Uh, we're not going to get a lawsuit in front of this the Supreme Court. Obviously, uh, I do want to emphasize that there was this was

done at no additional cost to the taxpayers. No money is from our general fund were used to pay for uh, any costs associated with the lawsuit, which I think is the only reason we went along with I believe that was that was the De Mo Law Firm. Yeah. But, you know, it was a good it was a good theory. It was a good theory and I the only part I was I'm the law is interesting if you like that aspect of the law um in it but again I I think no cost it was absolutely worth us pursuing it um how that was arranged with do so that way we at least had the chance to go back after them in case there was something but it it was good argument okay thank you John for that and thank you for spearheading this effort taking care of this

you lawyers all stick together so now moving on to item 10 consider child accounting and profile system application service provider agreement.

And I'm going to kind of talk about number 10, 11, and 12 together. Um they all involve, as you said, it's the child accounting and profile system. They call it CAPS. Um CYS uses that. This is a software system. It's used throughout the entire Commonwealth. So our agreements with fees and everything are split amongst the counties. So every year we renew the agreement. There's usually some type of update and then we do have a consulting agreement. Um, so the agreement this year for for access, I will call it, is $2,43.14. That's the county share. All the other counties, um, they have a percentage, uh, fee of that. There is an upgraded maintenance agreement. Um, for this year, that fee is $1,94258. And then the consulting is on an asneeded basis, but it is a cap um, not to exceed 30,000. So depending on what type of help, sometimes our fiscal department will reach out to them on how things need to be entered um and what not to keep those reports and everything updated. Um but again, these are fairly standard agreements that we do yearly

and these are all through children and youth services on the county end and I will say given the amount of different software programs we've dealt with, the these costs are minimal. Understood. minimal compared to what we run into for from your legal. Should we vote this as three items or can we four items? Excuse me. 10 through it's 10, 11, and 12 13 as separate. Oh, I'm sorry. That's okay. Should we vote this as three or should we vote this in mass? You can do it in mass just reference

each. Okay. All right. Then I'll I'll um make a motion to for child accounting and profile system, the application service provider agreement, the AFCAR's upgrade and maintenance agreement and the consulting service addendum to the CAP system to approve all of those. I'll second that. Promptly move and second. All in favor? I I thank you for the explanation of that counselor. Now on to the next item. Consider HIPPA not to be the regular HIPPA. It is.

It is. Okay. Business advocate associate agreement addendum with a Vancco International LLC. Say that fast three times. Back to you, counselor. This is another agreement. Um, this is a service that we do through CYS. Um, this just ensures protection with any of the HIPPA requirements and the reporting requirements that go along with that. Um, this is the agreement for the upcoming fiscal year. We've again done this for several years um with a banko and have no term of this agreement one year. One year. I'll make a motion we approve the same. I'll second properly moved and second. All in favor? I I and we had bumped item 14 up to item two solicitors report.

I don't have anything additional this morning. I would ask um if possible after the meeting to have an executive session for pending litigation on a tax appeal matter. Fair enough. So if you want to adjurnn and then do that, that's fine. But I I will need Do you want to handle that as an adjournment? There will be no action item and I mean that. Okay. Yeah. Important. We got that. Yeah. Anything else to come before the board? Just today is the last day to um do a mail in ballot. And

and a quick election update as this is the last meeting before Polls open next Tuesday at 7 and close at 8. And um we're we're ready. Yeah. We and we thank all our poll workers who came out to the pole worker training and of course staff and election office staff. This becomes a busy time of year and people from other departments. Everybody is all hands on deck for election time. That's exactly the right word. All hands on deck. And we we do appreciate that. We encourage everyone to come out and exercise your right to vote or by mail, but today is the last day to request that. And we have advised,

and remember, if you already have a mail ballot, you've got to get it in and get it in soon. Um, if we don't get it by 8:00, it doesn't count. So 8:00 next Tuesday. We will reach a point where we encourage people to return those in person and not rely on the US post. If you don't if you don't mail it today or tomorrow, I would probably just drop it off. Okay. Anything else before the board? We will adjourn our regular meeting. Do I have a motion? Second. Properly moved and second. We will adjourn our regular meeting and we will have a executive session then where no legal action, no vote will be taken. We assure you of that. This is for legal,

right? It's a pending tax appeal. For a pending tax appeal. Thank you all. And before we go in, any quick question from the press? Uh, just any reactions from this run of protesters?