Board of Commissioners - Regular Meeting

Thank you, gentlemen. Now, do we have some people here today for public comment? Okay, no one seeing none. Any old business to come before the board, gentlemen? Hearing none, we'll [clears throat] move on to new business. Our first item is to proclaim January as National Mentoring Month. We have Mr. Michael Mullins here with us. He's going to give us a a little overview of this and then I will read the official proclamation. Mr. Mullins.

Thank you. Uh youth mentoring program has no fees or services for any participants. Mentors meet with their mentees for at least one two times a month for four hours. Mentors get interviewed and received child safety training. The program provides mentors to a child for extra support, encouragement, and friendship. Every child can benefit by having an additional positive influence in their lives. We have found that youth matched in the program are less likely to start negative habits such as drugs or drinking. They are more likely to be successful academically and behaviorally in the schools. They are also more likely to build trusting relationships with their other people such as family members and friends. Children that live in Clifford County in the ages of seven to 17 can benefit from this program. Right now, I have eight children waiting for a mentor. We need positive mentors for these children. Adults that are 18 and older can apply to be a mentor.

Thank you. And thank you, of course, for everything that the Children's Aid Society does. I will now read the proclamation proclaiming January as National Mentoring Month. Whereas the observance of National Mentoring Month began in 2002 to encourage individuals and organizations such as businesses, government agencies, schools, faith communities, and nonprofits to become more engaged in mentoring across the United States. And whereas a mentor is a caring and dependable adult who offers guidance, support, and encouragement to a child's social, emotional, and cognitive development and helps prepare children for day-to-day challenges. And whereas mentoring is focused on the development of competence and character of the mentee to promote positive outcomes and improved academic achievement, self-esteem, social skills, and career development. Whereas, National Mentoring Month is an opportunity to raise public awareness of mentoring and the impact that it has on building a brighter future. Now therefore, we, the Clearfield County Commissioners, do hereby proclaim the month of January 2026 as National Mentoring Month in Clearfield County and recognize those who serve as mentors and encourage citizens to promote awareness of youth mentoring. This is the 23rd day of December, 2025. Do I have a motion?

So, and I'll be happy to second that, Mr. Mullins. Um I special thanks from us to you for what you and your organization does. I know if you talk to uh talk to anyone who uh works for one of the local school districts, you know, they they'll tell us about how important that is because so many kids are being raised, you know, without with the decline of the traditional family, so many children nowadays are being raised by someone who's not a parent or parents. And how many folks do you have uh in your doing it right now? Do you know?

We have eight matches total in the community base and I have eight match and then in schoolbased we saw an increase both in where I have school based mentoring. I'm up to 20 or sorry 12 matches 24 kids total over and I have eight matches 16 it's up from last year both of them each had five total matches last okay again thank you and and I'd be happy to second a motion I have I can't remember properly moved and second all in favor I and thank you so much for what you do would you like to get a picture.

Okay. Okay. That's the official Keller copy. Mike, do you want me to take one and send it to you? Okay.

Yeah. This these are the official Hold on. [laughter] Unless you want to crop me out of it.

Okay. Thank you.

Have a great Thanks. You too. Thank you, sir. Where did I say where did our elf go? Good. [clears throat] I don't think you need to put up with this. You were like you're you were still ahead of me. Okay. Next item two on our agenda is to open bids for the bridge scour protection project. This is including her open. Do you want to open? You can open.

Oh, is that so you can laugh at me? First one is from Francis J. Paulo. This will be for various bridges county owned throughout the county. Want me to open that? No, I got it. I do have a shiny sharp object that is not called a knife. base bid price of $652,236. $6.

Yes. The second bid is from CHD Enterprises. Total $555,500. And there is a bid bond. And the third is, and I apologize in advance, Kukarin. All right. Contracting at

It looks harder than it is. They've been around quite a while. bid 1,249,000 and bid bond is in there

contingent on those all meeting I they would need solicitor and engineer review as well just to ensure everything's there. Um, but based on that, if everything's approved, uh, the lowest bidder appears to be CHD Enterprises out of New Stand. So, we will send those to be reviewed and review. Do I have a motion to accept these bids tenatively going to CHD Enterprises out of New Stanton contingent on solicitor and engineer review? So move. I'll second. Properly moved and second. All in favor? Hi.

Thank you. Consider agreement with Trinity Services Group. This is for the food service at the Clearfield County Jail.

Yes. You may recall we had sent out a bid for proposals. Um we had received two back. Um the warden and I reviewed those um and ultimately um or requesting that Trinity um be awarded the contract. We currently use Trinity. Um they are making some upgrades. That was part of their proposal in there. Um, as far as some of the equipment goes, the agreement is um fairly similar to our prior agreement with them. I have reviewed it as well as the responsibilities of the jail uh with the warden. Um, no concerns um terminations and everything are in line with what um prior practice has been. Um, and if you recall, that would have been a sliding scale for the meal meal cost. It will be a one one-year agreement with the option to renew for up to three years.

Okay. Do I have a motion to accept the agreement with Trinity Food Services? This is a one-year with options for future years. So move second. Properly moved and second. All in favor? I. Item number four, consider reappointment of Mike Halaba to the Farmland Preservation Board for a three-year term. I'll be happy to move that we reappoint Mike Halibah to the uh Family Preservation Board for a three-year term. He has uh served the same um very well for many years and I think he does a good job when he's on it. So, okay. Second. Second. Properly moved and second. All in favor?

I consider encumbrance of liquid fuel funds. Um we will be encumbering an additional $50,000 for that future project. Uh it's the bridge rehab for Bloomington Avenue Bridge. Okay. Do I have a motion to encumber liquid fuel funds for the Bloomington Avenue Bridge project? I'll second that. Properly move and second. All in favor?

I. Our next will be to consider resolution 2025 number 11 adopting the 2026 budget and setting the millillage. I will read the resolution. Then I'm going to turn this over to Commissioner Glass. He we do have some changes from the initial budget that was displayed. Resolution of the County of Clearfield of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania adopting a budget for the year January 126 to December 31, 2026 and establishing the real estate rate for said year. Be it resolved that the budget for the county of Clearfield for the year January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026 in the form presented at the regular meeting of the Clearfield County Commissioners on December 2nd, 2025 attached here to as appendix A is approved and adopted. There are some changes. I'll let Mr. Glass speak to those. They are [clears throat] mostly pass through items.

Most of these are pass through. Everything on the list that's under planning is just uh revenue and expense that we had not allowed for. I talked to Lisa Kabalik and Jody Brennan about this. Um and then under intergovernmental this is uh Lisa Kabalic uh funds for um the uh redevelopment now but I want to make it clear this doesn't affect the bottom line because those those revenues and expenses total up. Now the changes that do affect the budget um were to the good. Uh notice that we got an increased uh payment in l of taxes for uh some of our uh forest land. So we were able to increase revenue uh on the top line at $50,000. Um we exceeded what we know our tren we're trending up on our map sales from GIS. So I was able to increase revenue there $3,000. And notice that our postage in the treasur's office is way down even from where we budgeted last year. So we trimmed that just a little bit more. And even though he's here, if you end up coming close down to budget, just come and talk to us. But you had plenty of room. Plenty of room. And I think that's probably because of the no license changes. I don't think you're mailing nearly as much as it used to.

Um but even with the increase in postage rates, we have seen a drop. It wasn't close. If it was close, I wouldn't have touched it. But um it wasn't close. So, but again, if it run if we're wrong, we can always do a budget transfer at some point down the line.

But then there was one item we found where it was an expense that we didn't allow for and this was strictly an oversight um that the corner has an ongoing vehicle lease and in the initial budget we had forgotten to fund it. Um just one of those things we just missed it. So, um all that said, it ended up being $47,500 in reduced transfer from reserve. Um so it's 47,500 to the good overall and that's it.

Okay. Seeing those changes, further be it resolved that a real estate tax is hereby enacted and levied for the year beginning January 1, 2026 and ending December 31, 2026 for the general purposes at the rate of 2.5 mills on each dollar assessed of real estate valuation. In witness thereof, the Clifford County Commissioners had duly adopted this resolution and caused it to be executed by an appropriate officer at the meeting of December 23rd, 2025. Are you sure you read the mill, right? Did you say increase or did you say total knowledge? Increase of 2.5. Increase of 2.5.

And do I have a motion to adopt resolution 2025 number 11? So move. Do I have a second?

I'm going to second it, but I do want to make a comment. Um, I hate raising taxes as everyone knows and this year in particular, at least in the more populous parts of the county, everybody's raising taxes and that's putting a tremendous burden uh on the citizens uh well the citizens throughout the county, but also in particular in as I've said the more populous areas. However, the reason I'm going to vote for it is is severalfold. One, I want to say that I've noticed and I want to compliment my fellow commissioners and controller Edwards. This year is different in the sense that several weeks ago, I presented the folks with a list of suggested cuts I thought we could make to the budget because I was operating on incorrect information, 99% of which fell out pretty quickly. But I do think it started a process where everyone took a serious and long hard look at the budget even though the savings are very small considering the total budget that we have extremely small. An effort a sincere I do think a sincere effort was made to cut the budget. Uh I also know going forward and I don't want to reveal the details because there's folks I think need to hear from us and not read about it in media or hear about the media. We are going to initiate some uh we're going to start some initiatives maybe is the best way to say it uh to try to going forward in in coming years to keep the budget down changing some practices and some procedures and and I'm going to use the word culture that that I'll take as much responsibility for as anyone for maybe allowing some things to happen that that uh shouldn't. Uh and and I'll I'll say I I I think I would do think there are further cuts to be made. Not enough to any extent that we would reduce the millage. I don't want to create a wrong impression, but

but uh it's just my just something that reflects my my personal views as far as taxes. So um uh I know folks I know folks are upset with us. they will be upset with us. But but uh I do I do want to say that I I do want to say that that an effort really a sincere effort was made this time to to see if something could be done to uh uh improve a bad situation and and I think that in and of itself um deserves a compliment from me. So I will have be happy to second.

Okay. And I I do I thank you for that for that explanation, Commissioner Soil, which which I echo I echo much of that. And none of us likes to raise taxes. Unfortunately, with the way the county code is structured in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, this is the only means we have to present a balanced budget. We do not cut services. Our our constituents have become accustomed to the services we provide. We do run a very lean operation here and with the cost of everything rising, we are just backed into this position where the where the state gets more money every year or can borrow money or go into debt. We run a balanced budget on a yearly basis. Seeing that all in favor?

I I thank you gentlemen. I do want to give a shout out to Controller Edwards because I mean you put a lot of work into this and I I think he and I worked really really hard and well together on this. I I will echo that Rob had a full head of hair when he started this. [laughter] He let's not let's not overstate there. There was a lot of consternation on the budget, but and this was was truly a a group effort and we all went over this repeatedly well and and to the point where I can say with honesty up until 15 minutes before this meeting, we were still working on it. I mean, we were Yeah, I believe the wire trying to make sure we had

I believe we started with a 107 page draft and worked on that and we all went through each individual page multiple times, several times. So I I thank everyone for their efforts.

Yeah. And and to I want to say to Commissioner Winter's point, one of the things I'm trying to be sensitive to is the fact that you know the higher levels of government give us tasks to do and partially fund them. Not fully, but normal the usual procedure is to partially fun. And uh I would note that a lot of that funding has has reduced for the coming year and and that that's something that that um you know just Unfortunately, amongst many amongst many reasons for the budget to be what it is. Okay. And our final item on the agenda under new business is to set the meeting dates and times for 2026, which I believe you have a list of those compiled.

I do. I mean, we do you're going to keep them the same. I assume the first one, the first Tuesday is a work session. Second, fourth [clears throat] is meetings. We do have some that conflict with holidays and election and and I have that ready for the ad to go on the paper. So, in January, we'll have the reorganization. Reorganization is the 5th at 10:30. Will we do a work session or no on the 6th? No work sessions. I'm just making sure. That's up to you. You guys can do whatever you want. I I just I think just I advertised as just let's go with that. Okay. So, we will we will announce those dates at our reorganizational meeting.

I'm just going through to see if there's anything you can set them and then she'll just put the actual dates with them that you're going to keep the work sessions and fourth. Yeah. Okay. I'm just looking to see if there's anything that really gets in the way. Motion to approve what Lisa said. What she said. Okay. Second. I'll I'll second in the door. Just making sure. All in favor? I. Thank you. At least we trust. Well, we're not we're definitely going to have a work session on November 3rd. I'll say that. So that's that's election day.

We we will we will announce the full list. There weren't there weren't a lot of changes to this year. We're gonna have fall conference is going to hit the second one in November. Yeah, we already planned for that. We planned around that. Okay, we're good. Um, anything from the solicitor to report today?

Just a very brief update. Um, we had spoken at the prior meetings that on December 10th we had our hearing on our redistricting proposals um from the board of elections. The judge did grant those. Um, so the four townships are combined and the changes made with Sandy and Dubo. Um, Brian the election director has already started um with the state to get everything updated. So anybody, you know, impacted by those changes um are going to be getting their notices. But if there's any questions, they can always call in. But um that that at least one step of that is done. We still have a couple things to finish up to get it wrapped up that the judge did grant those petitions from the board of elections. As a followup to that, um we've already begun looking at some of the precincts because some of the locations are going to change um especially in Dubo because of the changing. So we've already started to go out and look at that. We hope to have those decisions made in January. Um you should probably stop by and talk to Brian because the state already asked a question. Okay. Um and then I do you have something else?

Okay. Another polling change that we want to announce that the election board will take action on. Um, Sabula had Tri County Church has told us they no longer want to host. Uh, so we kind of jumped on that quickly. We talked to Hickory Graange. I went up and did a site survey of Hickory Range. It's where it used to be. They renovated the property. It's got a landline, so the cell problem. Plus, I actually had self service in the building. So, um, it's got really, really good parking, really, really good ADA access. Um, it's really ideal. and they really want us. So that has it's not official yet and we will send this out but the public should be aware that that is I'm 99% sure that's going to move from the Tri County Church to the Hickory Graange for Sabula precinct

and they throw throw one heck of a breakfast. Yes, the Hickory GR maybe they could coordinate the two. We we we are we are glad to have the Hickory Graange back in the fold and but I want to make it clear we are not in the business of wanting to move precincts willy-nilly. We were we were not wanting to move it from Tri County Church. This was this was their decision. So we are reacting but other other of those meos to follow. And then the only other thing I have and is that we were informed that finally Verizon has attack activated their cell service on our cohort tower and I was able to confirm with some coort residents that it's noticeable. Okay.

So better late than never but we're happy to be able to serve those residents. Although they'll start seeing a new phenomenon with teenagers down in Cop walking around [laughter] tripping over things and each other. I would be remiss if I did not thank the the members of the public who did participate in the budget process. Um we had one person come in and meet with all three of us. I had an in-person phone call inerson meeting and a phone call. Did you other gentlemen have similar numbers? I had to not sure I had any um I had some conversations with some of my friends, but it was

okay. Well, let let's just say that I think um there wasn't the participation in the budget discussion that I thought. No, we we have we encourage participation. We inter encourage conversation and uh of course everything is open in public meetings very transparent and going forward we would like to see more public participation in in our entire process here. So that's my PSA for the day and we will finish with behalf of myself county commissioners we wish everyone a merry Christmas happy holidays into the new year and safe travels. Anything gentlemen?

Ho ho ho. You need to grow a beard for next year. Motion to adjurnn. Second. Properly moved and seconded. All in favor? I. Thank you all. Yeah, I can't. Merry Christmas. A budget.