County Commissioners - Regular Meeting

Wednesday, July 15, 2026Official site

The Dauphin County Commissioners approved 116 tourism grants totaling over $2.5 million, funded by hotel tax proceeds, alongside numerous other agreements and bids. Key actions included tabling a retirement plan consulting agreement and separate votes on grants for the NRA and The Singer's Lounge.

About this meeting

Government Body
County Commissioners
Meeting Type
County Commissioners
Location
Dauphin County, PA
Meeting Date
July 15, 2026

Published excerpts

Only published remarks appear here. The full transcript is not published.

9 sections

6:19•George Hartwick, III

No questions for me. I will make a motion to accept the personnel packet as presented.

7:07•Mike Pries

Everything is within the budgeted 2026 numbers. Yes. Thank you.

7:19 – 7:38•George Hartwick, III

will move to matters requiring board action we have 171 items before us today is there any we would like to pull out for a separate vote uh yes mr chairman i'd like to uh first off pull out item 20 uh and then i want to also pull out separately at 124.

7:56•George Hartwick, III

On item 20, I'd like to make a motion to table that item.

8:03 – 8:16•George Hartwick, III

Motion made by Commissioner Hartwick, seconded by Commissioner Preece. Any discussion? There are several concerns and questions that I've tried to raise that I've not been able to collect and get answers to. I hope to have those by next week.

9:58 – 10:51•Mike Pries

I'd like to make a comment if I could. I think that the NRA has done an outstanding job being part of the show over the years. When the county lost the show that one year, we lost $80 million in revenue in the region. The NRA stepped up, became the main sponsor, and since then we're averaging $75 to $80-plus million in annual revenue, 8,000 jobs created. plus 2.6 million dollars in taxes it's the largest outdoor show not only in pennsylvania not only in the united states is the largest outdoor show in the world it takes place right here at the farm show and the nra stepped up when nobody else

10:54 – 11:22•George Hartwick, III

so moved i'll second uh we have a motion made by uh commissioner priest uh seconded by myself any discussion yes um obviously there's no direct financial benefit or even personal benefit but out of an abundance of caution because my administrative assistant jennifer smallwood is associated with the grant and works directly for me i am going to recuse myself from the vote great any other comments

11:57 – 16:55•George Hartwick, III

I just want to first start out by giving a public thanks to Sharon Myers, who has been an incredible partner, has sat in tireless sessions to be able to help this board attempt to discern and get the limited amount of resources to the areas where we believe that there might be the most economic impact. Thank her for her expertise, her leadership with VHH and the renewed partnership that Dauphin County and VHH have. And thank you for your time, your effort, your input, and your passion around these issues. I think it really has demonstrated a publicly good relationship with an authority that wa

16:56 – 18:26•Mike Pries

Thank you, Commissioner Hartwood. Commissioner Priest. i want to start off by thanking george for attending that millersburg 250th event with me i do want to remind commissioner hartwick that i believe he owes me an umbrella there was a lady in a wheelchair with two little chihuahuas that was going around it started raining pretty hard and i had the umbrella up and commissioner hartwick recommended i give it to her which i did which i did and uh i don't think i've gotten that back but that's okay that's okay It was very kind to you, George. I want to thank our economic development department f

These excerpts are remarks by officials whose identity a person confirmed, from a transcript generated automatically from the official public meeting video and presented unedited. Accuracy may vary; view the original recording for reference.