Commissioners - Regular Meeting

through the flag of the United States of America, and through the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

In support of any executive sessions? I'm about. If you have a pleasing occasion, I'd like to move back to the board. I have this on my back. Chief Beers? There's a click.

Good morning. Good morning.

Good morning.

Good morning. Becky Ford. I'm with Amazon Web Services Economic Development. And with me today is Jeff Wilhelm. Are you going to speak in the microphone? Becky Ford, Amazon Web Services Economic Development. Is that even on? Yeah, it's on.

All right, good morning. Can everybody hear me okay?

Yes. Welcome.

Thank you. My name is Becky Ford. I lead economic development for Amazon Web Services. With me today is Jeff Wilhelm, our outside legal counsel.

Okay, well, we just wanted, you know, there's a lot of talk about these different centers, but applying township property is probably the one that I would say that's the furthest along in school accounting.

Would that be a fair assessment? I can't speak to any of the other data center developments. As you know, in 2025, we purchased a site along Lofty Road. I think it's approximately 380 acres. And we've had a series of meetings, the most recent public meeting was in January, I believe of this year, We provided an overview of the project and approximate timeline. Is that better?

No, it looks like it went off again. Yeah, I think it's better.

most recently we had a public meeting in January to talk through the pre-construction phase which is where we are now

we have presented a preliminary overview of the project. And next steps for us will be the end of this month. I think it's June 30th and July 1st, where we'll hold a second round of informational meetings.

Okay, so we'll start off. So with those informational meetings, is that for one town to do this? Who's invited to those informational meetings?

Sorry, those are not informational meetings. On June 30th and July 1st at McAdoo Elementary School, I believe it's scheduled from... Still out? Definitely the future. Let me let me try to do let me try to use my courtroom voice, how's that? So from on June 30th at McAdoo Elementary School and July 1st at McAdoo Elementary School from July 1st from 5 p.m. To 8 p.m. We will be presenting to the Klein Township Planning Commission a major modification of land development plan approval for the campus. In January, we presented what is called a sketch plan under the municipal planning code. That was a public meeting that was held at McAdoo Elementary School, this elementary school building from, I believe it was 8 a.m. in the morning till noon. And that was publicly advertised and was conducted by the Board of Supervisors.

That's what it was, isn't it? Is Amazon Web Services, is your user, the entire campus, Amazon? Other entities?

No, it's solely, we purchased the property. We will be responsible for construction and we are the end user operator. There are no other entities that will be associated with the campus. Okay.

Can you speak to energy consumption, water consumption, anything like that?

Yes. Happy to speak to those things. A little challenging without specific questions. Jeff, maybe you can speak briefly about water. What is publicly available?

So we have already gotten into a will serve on the campus, a LOI towards a tapping fee agreement. The campus is going to use 100, well, 15,000 gallons per day for domestic. And then 100,000 gallons per day is the reservation of rights for non-contact pooling one. Yeah, and then it's a closed loop system.

Yeah, so 96% of the year we use outside, 96% of the year we use outside air for ambient air. About 4% of the year when the outside air is not cool enough to cool the data center equipment, we use water. And that water is non-contact water. So it goes through a series of pipes. It doesn't come into contact with any equipment or any cooling chemicals other than a small amount of chlorine that's used to make sure that the water does not damage the pipes themselves.

So you don't, you're reserving the right for 100,000 gallons a day, but it won't always use 100,000 gallons a day.

Exactly.

Okay. So that's what that, because there's a lot of misinformation that we're going to use hundreds and hundreds of thousands of gallons every single day. But from what I understand, it's only on the hottest days that it would use, could have the ability or potential to use 100,000 gallons. Only on the hottest days. Only on the other days. Exactly. That's correct. And with power consumption, do you have to pay to the grid like everybody else? Do you have to pay for upgrades to the services up there? Just explain that briefly. Yes.

This is 100% in front of the meter. So we pay for all of the equipment necessary to serve our facility. So when there's a line that connects from transmission to our facility, Sometimes there's substation equipment and other equipment that's necessary to transfer that power, step it down and feed it to the facility. We pay for 100% of that. No cost is passed along to the regulators.

What Amazon has built before, do they have a tendency to, one of the questions that they say about it is, that they have a tendency to drive up rates in surrounding areas.

Is there any validity to that? There's no evidence. In fact, I'll say two things. We've got a ratepayers study that I'm happy to share with folks so that we've got the data and evidence behind us not driving up rates and paying our own policy. And in addition to that, on The 30th of June and the 1st of July will have representatives from PP&L to address those questions specific to rates and rate structure.

So this is all Amazon, so it's the consumers creating the need for this.

Yes, we develop data center infrastructure based on customer demand. So just about everything you do on a daily basis has requirements for cloud services for data. And that is what is driving our need to establish new facilities and new campus infrastructure. Customer demand is what is driving data development.

Once you build a campus, roughly how many people are there? I mean, not the jobs around it, construction jobs, landscaping jobs, permanent jobs. Roughly, what do you think?

We're estimating 400 to 500 for this campus in particular. There are approximately nine buildings at once it's fully built out and operational.

So for 500 families, is there a skill set involved? I'm sorry? Is this labors or is there a skill set involved?

There are a number of skill sets involved. Many of the folks that work in data centers on a daily basis have skills like HVAC, mechanical, electrical. There are folks that are responsible for fiber optics. So splicing, connecting, rerouting those fiber optic cables. There are security skills involved, data center, engineering, and operators.

So these would be family, sustaining, mortgage-paying occupations.

Absolutely. Average salary is 80 to $100,000, which is roughly 2x, I believe, the state's average wage and well in excess of the county's existing average wage. We're working with Luzerne County Community College right now to get training and programs in place so that folks who are interested in jobs and pursue the skills and training required to work in data centers and jobs that are associated with construction and development.

Are you talking to our vocational schools? I think we've sort of got a problem with the Mopecs, like the Fractal Mopec, Southern Mopec here. Can people get any job out of high school if they have training in the vocational school?

I believe it's 90% of the jobs associated with data center infrastructure can be secured with an associate's degree or certificate. So most jobs do not require a four-year education. We are working with the community college system and the state Department of Labor and Department of Education to connect those those assets in the community that deliver education. So everything from K through 12 to high schools, Botech, community colleges, in order to not only get training programs in place, also to make sure that teachers, faculty, and educators have the skills to deliver the training.

Is there a long-term plan Or one of the questions says decommissioning, that the technology is changing so rapidly that you won't need the size campuses, you won't need the stuff. What's the average lifespan and do they retrofit them periodically as the technology changes?

We don't retrofit the buildings once they're constructed. The buildings are very similar to a typical high end warehouse or manufacturing facility, so tilt-tough concrete walls. Inside of the buildings, the racks and servers are the specialized equipment that makes it a data center. That equipment is refreshed on a regular basis due to technology, due to customer demand, due to a number of things. Throughout that process, we decommission some of the equipment. We send it to a recycling facility and either recycle the materials for continued use or make that equipment available to schools and nonprofits that have the need for IT equipment.

Go ahead. Oh, that's what I was going to ask. The noise. You hear that there's low vibration noise release that can travel miles. What's your decibel? What kind of decibel equivalent? What kind of decibel ratings do you have to have outside your building?

Yes. The low voltage aspect is not unique to a data center. Our equipment is just like the equipment used in grocery stores, hospitals, schools, manufacturing facilities. So there are no unique aspects related to data centers. The sound aspects sometimes are associated with the... the way that cooling equipment is located on our buildings. So what we do is prior to any construction during the design process, we do a series of studies and modeling to determine how best to orient the campus based on the unique conditions of the site. So the topography of the surrounding area, and we design the buildings so that they are within or below ordinance requirements for the community in the area.

There's a lot of misinformation about data centers. There is. And data centers, I think they should be doing more public outreach like this, personally, to educate people on what they actually do, what's going on. We're working with the State Chamber of Commerce. We've been trying to set up some dates to have a roundtable discussion with one of their experts just about data centers in general. But the reason I asked to have you, Ben, here is to put a face to one of these data centers, that it's Amazon, that it's Amazon Web Services. And I'm sorry, just about everybody I know shops on Amazon. Because everybody gets packages delivered to their house on a daily basis. and it's consumer-driven, you know.

It is consumer-driven, but data centers are much more than packages.

Yeah, data centers.

Yeah, health care, banking information, financial information, education, again, aspects of our everyday lives. We are working with the Chamber to help support roundtables in communities where developments are proposed and even in communities that are interested in learning and understanding more. So I'm happy to help support that request for a roundtable informational meeting. Certainly encourage everybody who's interested to attend one of the sessions on the 30th or the 1st. And in addition to that, we're gonna be putting together a website where folks can go to find out information about this site in particular and other sites in Pennsylvania.

Okay, and then we'll have that roundtable discussion. It'll probably be sometime in July, I think, if I'm more sure for it. We'll make sure that you're invited to have a presentation, but I just, you know, I'm looking at it, I see the tax benefit and the economic benefit. Four or 500 jobs starting at $82,000 to $100,000 a year, that's really good to be playing jobs. And my thing has always been, my fellow commissioners, is in the right location, done the right way, they can be a benefit. You don't want them on farmlands, you don't want them right up against people's homes. You know, we want to take, you know, the site that you bought was former, well, a former coal generator, or was it a former coal lands?

It has corn mines associated with the property underground. And the part that was attractive to us was the fact that it had already been approved and permitted. The site layout that you'll see for our facility very much mirrors what was already approved. That was a warehouse and distribution project. This project is much lower in terms of impact, much lower in terms of traffic demand, tractor trailers, et cetera. And again, higher paying, more higher paying jobs.

And that's basically once the place would be up and running, that would be your traffic in and out. is the employees. Correct. You don't have to have access to 61 or 81 because you're not trucking anything. Correct. I'm producing anything that has to be shipped or trucked out of here. So.

That's correct. Okay. Some cases we've seen where it's, where it's for the, yes, colleagues, for buildings that are over 80 feet tall or possibly 55 decibels. Can you speak to what the decibel level is? Sure, sure. I can't speak to actual, but perhaps Jeff, maybe you could address what's

within the current ordinance that, again, apologies, I'm not, I'm not.

Yeah, within the Kline Township ordinance, it's either 60 DBA or 70 DBA at that site. That site has long been zoned industrial. So it's an industrial site. That site is also located adjacent to I-81. So I-81 forms a boundary on that site. While we have not done some noise studies at this point in time because we're not into the development yet, I have been affiliated with other projects where you're located up against a highway and the ambient noise is well above 60 degrees because of traffic. So 65 to 70 DBAs with traffic like a major artery, we have seen that in studies, not on a data center project, but just because of that highway.

What is the height of those?

The height of these buildings will probably be less than 80 feet. Under their ordinance, it's 80 feet. That would be a two-story building. Two-story, okay. And also, by going vertical here, the Brewster project had over 3 million square feet on their plan, which was all, as I understand it, one story. So this is going to be significantly less square footage. But because we're going two stories, the actual footprint is going to be basically 125, 126 thousand square feet so we're greatly reducing the impervious area uh the amount of pervious area that we need on the site yeah and that gives you a bigger setback somewhere it gives us a lot of things it it doesn't uh it also would be less storm water and stormwater management okay i appreciate it

Stonie Cooper- Be sure to post on today is a personal note, my wife and I, my son, while my daughter have a small farm operation and we give you a township. Stonie Cooper- email line goes across one of our farms and we're putting in a. Stonie Cooper- conservation project to terraces somebody decided Sunday to put on the Internet on Facebook that the Americans are building a data Center. on their farm because of the PPL line going through their farm. So we're trying our best to say, no, it's not true. This is over Facebook. It's misinformation. People go on Facebook and make statements that are totally false and get the public cranked up. So my wife, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, she's been telling people, no, we're not. It's a water control project. We're trying to keep the runoff from coming down through the farm and making erosion, putting sediment in the Chesapeake Bay. This is actually a conservation. We're not thinking to hold data centers. We appreciate you coming today to help us understand what's going on and get good information out.

And depending on how long the meeting goes, if you want to stick around for afterwards and answer some of the public's questions and ask something, I would appreciate it. Like I said, I'm not trying to be critical, but the data center companies are not doing a good job with their own PR and their own getting the information out to people.

Happy to stay around afterwards. Thank you for allowing us to be here today. I'm happy to come back at any point in time. The webpage that I mentioned will be launching imminently within the week and make sure that you have access to that. I'm happy for you to post a link to that on the county website or any additional information that you need, don't hesitate to reach out.

And we'll make sure you're included when we get this one date for this roundtable discussion. Because I wanted to put a face to it. Like, because you hear it, and it's like, I wanted to put, who's the user? You know, we know the end user of this project is now, it's public information now, but put a face to it. And that, you know, the public relations and other things, townships and county, I think they need to do a little bit of a better job, right? I appreciate it. Thank you.

Point taken. Thank you. And hopefully this is the first of many faces that will be represented in the community associated with the data center. I know I have a colleague that works in our fiber department right now, and he's from the Pottsville area. So we look forward to more residents becoming part of our employee family.

Thank you so much. Thank you. And then they ask them to stick around from the public. Let's talk to them afterwards. So we can do that.

Do you want to stay here or do you want to?

We got our microphones down with batteries in it. Yes. Let's move on to public comment.

Good morning, Jeff. Good morning.

Just Uncle Palo Alto. Not quite sure if that was a presentation, the way the agenda says, but... I get that, but this is a major thing affecting the county and residents.

Now, let me just... No, because I'm going to start off with...

I don't want to be interrupted for the three minutes, okay? Because that's all you do for me. You don't interrupt anybody else but me.

Your biggest complaint was nobody would talk to you. All anybody would say was...

Wait till we're done. You do it for everybody else. You do it for everybody else. Just wait till I'm done. I like the interaction. I like the answers. But wait till I'm done. Because all you do is take me off track when I'm saying things. So what I'm saying was that was a very poor presentation. If that's what you are getting together, present to the residents and taxpayers. There was a lot of I believe, I think, maybe. I have no idea on the decibel levels. We're planning on building something there that's going to impact the area. But we have no idea. Comparing it to a supermarket and a hospital. I mean, that was very poor. And then to not notify anybody. If this was on the agenda, which I didn't, I was on my way home from vacation, but if this was on the agenda and that's the notice to the taxpayer, it's like, hey, we have a presentation. If you want to come in and ask questions to these people, you have 24 hours notice to call off work and get here. Would have been very nice to have him here. Would have been very nice to have him here at the last meeting where it was a night meeting and the place was packed with 80 people. But again, I mean, that was very poor, very poor presentation. So hopefully this round table public can come and ask questions because it wasn't very well planned. Very properly. Moving on, seven elected officials making around $100,000 a year. Not here this morning at 935. Again, writing on the taxpayers. This is habitual. It's every week. Five out of the seven are the same people every week. Ms. Gaffney still hasn't come here to explain her FMLA claim where she worked less than 100 hours in six months while being paid that $100,000 in salary and benefits. Ms. Stevens is still going through the right to know process for her payroll scheme that you guys allowed, not you Larry, because you weren't here, with a slap on the wrist by Mr. Bender. The Prothonotary's office with the issue, has there been any progress on being able to get into that or getting it resolved?

Well, I'll wait till you're done.

Okay, because I was told, I'll continue then, because I was told that the issue is not able to be fixed now. And that's just the way it is. There was no other companies looked into. This was just a rash decision to go with this company. There was no other quotes or anything inside of this company. They went with it. And I'm also being told that there are select searchers and lawyers throughout the county that have been given a code to access this system so that they don't have the issues that some other people do. This is a major issue. Like I explained, if you're printing something off and a foreclosure is 130 pages and you only do five, You have to print the whole thing off because you can't see what you're printing. So that's a major issue, especially if some people are getting a code to bypass it and get in and do it. This needs to be looked into. And then finally, Boots, I'd like to address your defamatory and slanderous comments after the meeting last week. If you would like to put them on record here, since you wanted to cause a scene and scream like a lunatic and bump into me up here, I would like you to put them on record what you said last week so we have them on record. They're audio taped. They'll be in the minutes. I'll request them to be put in the minutes. I would like your actual statements of what you, the accusation, the defamatory statements, I would like them put on record. So if you would like to take the time to speak now, because it is going to progress into a lawsuit, I've informed everybody to keep the recordings because of your actions last week, which we're pissed for. So if you'd like to make a comment. Are you awake? Because I know you like to fall asleep when I give it last week.

So, I'm going to address the issue from last week. Yes, whatever words you've had over campaign finance reports, that's between you and Boots. Are we waiting to blink, folks, or what? That's between you and Boots. But, Jeff, now, see, I want to export it out of you.

Oh, you better do this right, Larry.

No, you just came in the middle. You better do this right. Jeff.

You better do this right. No.

I never kicked you out of the meeting. And at that night meeting, you were screaming defamatory.

Wait, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. How did that start? How did that start? Did Moods ever curse you? Defamatory. First, he banged into me, first of all. And then you said he tripped. He did. And then you said I didn't see it.

No, I said he tripped.

Okay. That was convenient that he tripped. Listen, he tripped out. He's got an argument, but you started cursing him and calling him names and threatening to fight him. Legally, I could do this right now. I could sit here and say everything that I said to him last week on record, and legally you can't kick me out.

If somebody has a problem with it, yes you can.

You better read your public policy comment. You better read it. Because your interpretation of it is completely different than somebody else's. You can't enforce it. You cannot stop freedom of speech. If I was to sit here and say... Hang on, because you're dead wrong on this. No, Jeff. That's face law.

Jeff, that's what people like, not curse. And give people a finger and not curse.

No, you said don't curse.

No, but you shouldn't give the finger.

Well, you didn't.

And that night, it was the way you were acting.

See you in court.

That's what I mean. See you in court. All of you. All of you.

I like to be in court. Oh, yeah. You're already getting named in the soup ladder. You allowed it.

No, I did allow it. Yes, you did.

And you just lied and said you tripped. Last week you said you weren't sure. No, I didn't say that. Don't worry about it. It's all good. Jeff. I'll see you at the court.

Listen, that's fine. But I'm telling you now, no more coursing, no more giving fingers. You can make your public comment.

But I will call the court. We'll call the ACLU. We'll call them. That's good.

But I'll see you at the court. That's what I'm asking you to ask me. That's the only way you're going to get me out of this. See, that's what I mean. Because you want to play the trump card where I can say what I want. Yes, you can. So I can't ask you to be polite. You should be threatening me. Did you threaten me? Take boots outside and finish it. You didn't threaten him and say let's finish it. I haven't recorded it on my phone.

You'll see. It's all recorded.

Okay.

Go ahead, Chris. I don't think it's funny, Larry. What did you have last week with his comments? It's not funny. Here's another lawsuit. Now he's going to be in. Jane Doe's line is still going. Go ahead. You soon. I will soon. Oh, it's already being done.

Over talking about campaign financials.

No, that's not the word to use. Why did you ask me what to use last week? You were right there. And you heard him say it. And then you said to me, I heard the same thing at the same fundraiser. So now let's all bring it out, Larry. Let's bring it out. Listen, Jeff, I don't know why everybody cares.

That's fine Good morning commissioners Chris Valesky, Norwegian Township. I kindly ask that you refrain from any comments until after my three minutes. I would like to respectfully request that the board review and clarify the Schuylkill County public comment policy and how it applies to other boards, commissions, and authorities. The county adopted a public comment policy in November of 2022, which provides for public comment in both agenda items and non-agenda matters, establishes a three minute speaking limit. However, of course, at last week's meetings, questions have recently arise regarding whether the policy applies only to meetings of the board of commissioners or whether it applies to other county boards, such as retirement board, salary board, prison board, and similar public bodies. As a member of the public, I believe clarification would benefit everyone involved, board members, county staff, solicitors, and residents alike. The Pennsylvania Sunshine Act requires agencies to provide a reasonable opportunity for residents and taxpayers to comment at public meetings. The county's current policy appears to go a step further by expressly allowing comment on both agenda and non-agenda matters. That is a positive step for transparency and public participation. My request today is simple. Please consider formally clarifying whether the existing commissioner's public comment policy serves as a county-wide policy or umbrella policy for all county boards and authorities, or whether each board should adopt their own written policy for comments by the public. A clear written policy would help ensure consistency from meeting to meeting eliminate confusion for the public, and provide clear guidance to county boards regarding public participation. Government functions best when the rules are written clearly, consistently applied, and readily understood to everyone who attends public meetings. I appreciate the board's consideration of this request and respectfully ask that this matter be reviewed and discussed publicly at a future meeting. Thank you for your time. Thanks, Ms. Barnes.

Any other public comment?

Good morning. May this have gone on? Excuse me, Todd Spill. Yesterday, I read a Spotlight PA article saying that Congressman Dan Muser had called a March 12th meeting of Schuylkill and Berks County's Republican commissioners to provide some positive spin for the concentration camps in Tremont and Upper Bern. And it would have been with DHS and And ice and I want to commend Commissioner Fedora and Boots Hetherington for including Commissioner Hess, despite the D after his name. Yeah, I agree. I totally agree.

I'm giving a compliment. Just saying. Okay. And I

I really commend Commissioner Hess for continuing to oppose the Tremont concentration camp. I was also disturbed that there's very little substantial information about the fate of the Tremont camp and the one in Upper Bern. I oppose them on humanitarian grounds. People have died in them because of neglect and cruelty of the operators. Not everybody agrees with me on the premise for these abominations, but I think everyone here does agree that the Tremont Township location is insane and would cause all kinds of upheaval in the township and surrounding areas. So I find it disturbing Frankly, I find it disturbing that you even listen to Dan Muser, who spends every working breath trying to ingratiate himself with the Trump regime and the agencies it controls. He's tried to spin the Tremont Township concentration camp as a positive development, but he should be supporting his constituents instead of the Trump regime. So I'm asking, please don't be like Congressman Muser. stand up for your constituents and oppose this monstrosity. Thank you.

Well, Lisa, I did just want to say it was Congressman Muenzer that has facilitated all the conversations with DHS. And like I said, Monday at the fire company in Palo Alto, if I would do, if you stick your finger in our chest and say, listen, if you stay out of Schuylkill County, we don't want you here, they will not talk to you. You have to go through their lawyers. They are not talking to the state. The state gets the information from us, right? Anything the state needs. But I'm going to give you, not Commissioner Padora's thing, just Larry Padora. Trump's mission with illegal immigration, you should come here to our country legally. As for the Tremont facility, me personally, I don't know if it's coming. And I think it's because we did their due diligence that they didn't do. and to be able to present them with all the information that we flooded DHS with, with the water capacities, the sewer capacities, the road conditions, the EMS problems, that you can't get more water. You just can't. It's not physically possible. We did their due diligence. So me as Larry Padora, not as Commissioner Padora, I don't believe that facility is going to be open.

Well, I hope you're right. I really hope you're right.

But what I'm saying is to be able to give DHS that information and to be able to have the conversation with them, like everybody, this resolution is leading one of us to sign. We sign a resolution against DHS. They will not communicate with you at all. They go through our lawyers because that's what they have done to other communities is you get no information whatsoever in any way, shape, or form and no communications.

I have heard of other members of Congress who chased them out, essentially. And I think that, as I've said before, I think that they respect, if they respect anything, they respect people who stand up for them, not who let them roll over them.

Well, no, but letting them roll over would be not bringing all of our concerns to them and presenting everything to them. And that's what we did. We inundated DHS with every concern anybody brought to us about the township, the municipality, the tax rates, the water rates, the sewer, the impact of the local community, that they can't transport trucks through Tremont Borough or Tremont Township, that they can only use 81 for any of their trucking. We inundated them with a ton of money and a ton of information because of having that communication that Congressman Muser provided for us. He is the only person and dislike him or dislike him or like him. He is the only person that facilitated direct conversations to DHS. Fetterman's office did, McCormick's office did, only person that did, and the governor's office did, because they won't communicate with the governor's office. The only way we had direct communications with DHS is because of Congressman Muser. He set up all the meetings, he set up everything, and that spotlight PA story, I saw the spotlight PA story. I'm sorry, Commissioner Leinbach should have invited whoever he wanted to the meeting. That's funny. Nobody told us we can't count anybody in, like any of the other commissioners in or the county administrator or one of the county solicitors. Yeah, Sanco was on the calls with us. Water Authority, Pine Grove School District, I think was on. The superintendent from Pine Road was on. The fire company was on. So nobody, we could invite whoever we want to.

He implied, though, that you guys were basically the ones who knew what they were talking about, the only ones. I mean, I thought that was kind of a really inexcusable slur.

Well, I had a lot of information on the AHS that I was providing to of Boots and Gary. Gary can attest to that, that I, he was included in everything with it.

So what another county decided to do, that's, that's on that county, not on... No, but I, but you know, it did sound, from reading the article, it sounded like he wanted just the Republicans.

I, I do get that impression because I was never told I couldn't invite Commissioner Hassett into my chamber.

Did you get an invitation, Gary, from Larry?

Well, you know, I'm glad that you included him and I asked, I asked, I asked, oh, ask that I be included, you know, as, as, you know, as you should.

Thank you. Any other public comment?

Morning, Judge.

Morning, guys. Morning, everyone. My name is David Plachko from St. Clair. I stand here once again to ask the County Commissioners to formally object to to the Brad's landfill major permit modification that will allow trucking of leachate as the principal means of leachate management. As the principal means of leachate management at the Brad's landfill. We all know of the problems at the landfill. They're having a hard time treating their leachate and trucking of leachate. I listed all the concerns last week and You know, they're still very real. So I'm asking, will this county file a formal objection with the DEP? Yes.

They're dotting right after the meeting last week. Okay. A letter for both.

Not a letter. This has to be a formal objection. And then that will require, and then are the people that I'm associated with, with the landfill will happily give whatever information we have. We have a lot of data. that we can provide, we'll have to provide that, David. And once you formulate that file objection, they'll consider that, and then the DEP has to give a written decision. So what we will now have is this County going on record, citing the concerns, and then DEP also going on record. So now we have some baseline information when we go forward with the tonnage increase that they will be asked for probably next year. And that's one thing, Larry, you stated that there's about 20 years Lifespan?

15, 16 years.

Well, it's about 21. At the meeting at Senator Arbill's, it's about 21.7. 21 years total, but they can't apply for it. Okay, but listen, hear me out. If they get the tonnage increase from 15,000 to 3,000, then that landfill lifespan comes down to 10 years. Right. And then they can apply for an expansion in five years. Right. So we're looking five years from now, not 15 years from now. Should they get the tonnage increase?

Well, I'm just going by what the DDP secretary said at that meeting. Well, I'm just going by math. Yeah, but I'm saying what permits and everything that are in front of DDP right now, they said as of right now, their major modification is for the leachate. We told them we think it should be piped in. and I asked Gary to follow up to get that written down for us.

Well, that formal objection should be available to the public.

And also the increase from 1,500 to 3,000, that shouldn't happen.

The DDP secretary himself said at the meeting with Senator Argo that that would exacerbate all the problems. So that should be a no-brainer. There's no way they should be able to increase the time, especially since they have a leachate problem.

Yep, and that's where we're putting that in.

Thank you.

I just wanted to clarify and be sure because I know that they came here to speak on data centers. That's great. I think that there's a lot of misinformation on both sides. Okay, so when you do this roundtable, will you have an independent party present, and not just people representing corporations, because

That's the Chamber of Commerce that has done the pros and cons. They've done this. State Chamber of Commerce, not our state. They have done discussions on this, pros and cons, play everything, and we're going to try to have a lead. We're looking at Penn State.

Well, I'm just saying, if they're coming, there should be an independent party. Because, I mean, I know none of us have ever been lied to by a corporation before. So I would just like both sides. Right? Not just one.

Well, that's what we're doing. But I figured since they were gracious enough to come here today, in short notice, to put a face to the only project that I believe is farthest along to this project. To put a face to it that it's Amazon, that it's not a mysterious entity.

No, I get that. And they answered everything perfectly.

What? Weirdly perfectly.

So... I just want to make sure at the roundtable that there will be an independent party. Well.

I just don't see how the state extension reached out to them.

Somebody not associated with data. Okay.

Things I think online from what I understand. Okay.

When the state got involved with Marcellus Shale years ago, Penn State Extension held meetings at several, I was at the Tom Katz, the whole school up up there. And Penn State would be, engineering would be a third party, not involved, not a homeowner, not a developer. And they ran some very good meetings talking to people about how to do gas leases, how to protect yourself. The idea is also the chambers bring in possible Penn State, the third party to say, this is what the facts are. They're not, they don't have a horse in the race. So that's really good.

That is exactly.

And that's why we reach out to the State Chamber of Commerce because they put on of roundtable discussions that goes over the pros and cons and everything they just it's not one side okay we're very good and we're trying that's what we're trying to set up because my personal belief is they're no different than any other industrial use and if they're done the right way in the right locations they are a benefit i i know your personal belief i hear it every week um but thank you that's all i wanted to know is there any public comment for the meeting surely No, I'm just checking.

I have a question for the commissioner. As reported, were you initially not included in the congressman's meeting?

At first I wasn't, and then I'd ask why when show basically showed up, saying why wasn't I in the meeting to go. And also, I'm going to be honest with things, they did take a tour of the facility, and I wasn't included and didn't know they were there.

That was by Big Gary. They were invited from the very beginning to every meeting. With ICE, I would. Yes, with everything. Well, the congressman, that was an impromptu meeting. But we ran up with the congressman just to see it. But you were asked to every meeting you were invited to. And I made sure of it. So it doesn't matter who. It was up in the county to a five-minute tour. I wasn't moved.

I wasn't moved.

And we had a conversation with ICE.

and even the second congressman came in, I was not. Well, that was on the conference. That was on the conference. Just to be honest with us and thank you for the answers.

OK, don't want to comment. Children and youth. Speak it with the car. I'll speak it.

Morning Commissioners, I do want to address our contracts for this upcoming 26-27 fiscal year. I did observe with our contracts manager this morning that the state has not yet approved a single placement provider budget packet that has been submitted with the deadlines in March-April this year. I would suggest that the federal audit of child welfare funding may be a big factor there. And so I just want to give advance notice that as we get those approved amounts, we will be processing contracts that may end up being backdated to July 1st of 2026. But for today, we have five items. First, we're requesting approval of an addendum to the current agreement, Pathways Adolescent Center, Ohio City, Pennsylvania, that would add an additional complex cases programming per diem rate $1,495. Second is an addendum to the current agreement, Children's Choice Incorporated, Belmar, New Jersey, extending its term period to include fiscal year 26-27 current rates and terms with an end date of June 30th, 2027. We are looking for approval of a new agreement, KL Davis Polygraphs, LLC, New Columbia, Pennsylvania, for polygraph services with rates as follows. The polygraph exams at $360 per exam. A no-show for an appointment would be at $150 as a flat fee. An expert witness testimony is at $850 per day. The term of this agreement would be June 1st, 2026 to June 30th, 2027. Finally, we have two agreements with term period July 1st, 2026 to June 30th, 2027. Both are for solicitors. Agreement with attorney Karen Rissmiller Pottsville for her services with a monthly retainer at $2,989.44. and extraordinary expenses at an hourly rate of $100. The next is the same agreement with attorney Mary Kathleen O'Connor, the same rate and retainer.

Good morning, John.

Good morning. John Reed, Drug and Alcohol. Just have two items. First is the approval of a contract with Spiegel Community Action for the period of June 1st, 2026 to August 31st, 2026. Schuylkill Community Action will be partnering with the Schuylkill County Drug and Alcohol Prevention Team to facilitate the Summer Blast Program with a contract cap of $50,081.

Second item is an approval of an addendum to Sage Action Consulting to update the scope of services to be provided in fiscal year 26-27. An updated Appendix B and Appendix E will be attached to reflect the changes in services.

I heard that Summer Blast last year was very successful. Didn't you add a couple more stools onto this?

Correct. Last year we had four sites since it started. This year we added two additional sites, one in Haven and one in Minersville.

That's great.

Thank you.

Good morning, Mr. Johnson.

Cheryl Woods on behalf of Grant Writers. Approval of a contract in the amount of $49,999 to Bill Davis Cement Contractors on behalf of Mononoke Township for a demolition project. That project is at 121 Lower Street. Approval of a contract in the amount of $13,700 to Affordable Construction and Demo LLC for a demo project in Riley Township. That is at 12 Sport Hill Street. Approval to advertise for a demolition project in St. Clair. That one is at 126 Barnes Street. Approval to add to a cooperation agreement with the borough of St. Clair for a demo project at 126 Barnes Street, St. Clair. Approval for contract with Schuylkill Community Action for CDBG years 2025, 2026, and 2027 for the house. Thank you. Union Services. One line. That's what they need. Morning.

I have a recommendation that the Board of Commissioners approves a program-funded agreement with Schuylkill Community Action Potsville for Outreach Case Management Services for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 with a contract half of $38,432. Thank you. Now you have to speak. I'll try and consolidate. More on the agenda tomorrow.

Good morning, commissioners. Approval of an addendum for fiscal year 2526 with Mid-Penn Legal of Harrisburg, contract number 2026-115 for ombudsman services. Department of Aging allows us to give a 4.5% increase to the provider. The revised contract cap would be $128,535. Approval of an addendum to fiscal year 2526 for Mets Culinary Management of Dallas for congregate and in-home meals contract 202.3-203 to allow for a 4.5% increase that will change the rate from $4.88 to $5.10 effective as of July 1st. The capital will remain at $746,640. I'll have contract addendums for 2526 with Caregivers America of Clark Summit, PA Compass Rose Care Limited of Possible PA, WA2, Doing Business as Family Home Medical Support Services of Mount Carmel PA, and Maximum Care of Whitehall PA, all for personal care services with rate increases of 4.5%. Their rates will change from $24.41 to $25.51 an hour. Their contracts will all remain the same as the current fiscal year. Contract approval for mid-Penn legal for 26-27 to extend their contract. The contract capital will be $128,525. Approval to extend the contract for another fiscal year 26-27 with Mets Culinary Management of Dallas for concrete and in-home meals. the rates $5.10 and the performance bond will follow. Diacon Child, Family and Community Ministries of Middleton, PA for 26-27 to extend their contract. Senior Community Centers will be for $524,861. PA Medi, $104,257. Health and Wellness, 38,664. Health and Wellness, Evidence-based programming, $33,461. Volunteer serving seniors, $90,662. And in-home meals, $369,395 for an overall cap of $1,161,300. Approval of an addendum to extend STS of St. Clair, PA for fiscal year 26-27. for the same rates that we currently have that were adopted as of April 1st, the contract capital remained the same at $86,649.50. Approval to extend the contract for another fiscal year with service access management for our caregiver processing checks, the contract capital remained the same at $4,800 and the check processing is $5. approval of addendum for fiscal year 26-27 for Caregivers America of Clark Summit, PA, Compass Rose Care, Pottsville, WA2 Inc. Dealing Business as Family Health Medical Support Services of Mount Carmel and Maximum Care of Whitehall, PA. Their contract rates will be $25.51 and their caps will also remain the same.

Any questions?

Thank you, thank you.

Good morning.

On behalf of solid waste and recycling, requesting approval of the county's annual fall cleanup, the cleanup will take place amongst 15 sites, Pottsville, Minersville, CES, Landfill, Girardville, North Mannheim Townships, Schuylkill Haven, Wayne Township, Porter Township, Pine Grove Township, Ringtown Borough, New Ringgold Borough, Monash City Borough, Branch Township, East Union Township, and Tremont Borough. This year's fall cleanup accepted item list will include tires, residential appliances, bulky items, and is open to all residents of Schuylkill County. It should also be noted that there will not be any electronics accepted this year. The fall cleanup will start on September 8, 2026 and conclude on September 19, 2026. The Department of Environmental Protection will reimburse the county up to 50% of the cost of this event through the Act 190 grant. Advertisements for the event, as well as the Schuylkill County website, will have exact locations provided for each site. Next item is approval to advertise for bids for the waste tire collection and recycling. Bids will be accepted in the Comptroller's Office until 3 p.m. July 13, 2026, with bid opening in the Commissioner's Boardroom on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at 9 a.m., with a tentative bid award at the Board of Commissioners meeting on July 22nd. Approval to advertise your bids for the bulky item collection will be accepted in a controlled loose office until 3 p.m. July 13th, 2026, with bid opening in the Commissioner's Boardroom on Wednesday, July 15th at 9 a.m. with a tentative bid award at the Commissioner's meeting on July 22nd, 2026. And then in liquid fuels, I'm requesting an approval of change order number one in the amount of $40,875 with multi-scape for additional concrete needed for the replacement of County Bridge 24, Lyon Street over Good Spring Creek. The contract total is $1,463,577.45. And the project has been completed. So we're looking to close that out and I'm requesting a motion to take. I'll make a motion.

move the request for the additional money for bridge 24. so i've got a question commissioner fedora yes commissioner hetherington yes yes and for planning and zoning i'll let susan read all those items in case anyone has any questions morning commissioner susan smith for planning uh the first is a motion to request

approval of a land development improvement agreement to be substantial in the form of the county standard development agreement between the county and the applicant for the preliminary final land development plan for Ronald K. and Lucinda Z. Martin Poultry Operation, which is dated May 14th, last revised April 30th, and which is located in Ferry Township and to authorize execution of the agreement by the Board of Commissioners. The Planning Commission conditionally approved this at their May 13th meeting. The next was also conditionally approved by the Planning Commission at their May 13th meeting. This is for a land development improvement agreement and a stormwater management agreement to be substantially in the form of the county standard documents between the applicant of the county and the applicant for the current solar project final land development plan, which is dated August 20th, 25 and revised January 26th, 26, and which is located in Washington Township and to authorize execution of the agreement by the Board of Commissioners. The next motion is to request a reappointment of the following individuals as Spokane County's voting members. The following are county and at-large voting representatives and alternates to the NEPA NPO Technical Planning Committee for a term commencing July 1, 2026 and ending on June 30, 2028. As a county representative, me, Susan Smith, Spokane County Planning and GIS Director. As the alternate, Lisa Mayhall, County Real Estate Director. The at-large representative, John Melinchak, who's the County Planning Commission chair, and the at-large representative, alternate Chris Spence, in his capacity as the Chamber of Commerce Infrastructure Committee chair. A motion is requested to approve a contract with WSP USA Inc. of Philadelphia to provide professional services related to the anthracite connector trail peer study. The county had been awarded a grant from DCNR to conduct this peer study in relation to the proposed Anthracite Connector Trail. The Anthracite Connector Trail is part of the 9-11 National Memorial Trail and would connect Possible to Jim Thorpe and Carving County. The purpose of the peer study is to identify a practical, sustainable governance, ownership, and maintenance structure for the Anthracite Connector Trail. A motion is requested to approve a contract with Simone Collins Landscape Architecture of Norristown to provide professional services to lead the development of the Sweetheart Lake and Frog Hollow Master Site Plan The next motion is all for the same contractor, but this time for the development of the County Park Recreation and Open Space Plan. Both of these products are being funded in part through a grant award from DCNR. The Framboise and Sweet Arrow Lake study was reviewed. The study committee reviewed and evaluated all the submitted proposals and conducted interviews and shortlisted qualified firms, and based on that process, the committee recommended Small Collins. Similarly, the study committee for the open space park and greenway plan also reviewed and evaluated all submitted proposals and conducted interviews with a short list, and based on that process, they also recommended Small Collins for that project.

Thank you. Thank you.

Good morning, Commissioners. David Rice from the Solicitor's Office on behalf of the Tax Claim Office. Requesting approval of the following private sale bid pursuant to 72 pertinent statutes, section 5860.613. And that private sale is delineated within the agenda with an address of 31 Cole Street in Middleport. On behalf of the solicitor's office, we are requesting on behalf of the Tax Claim Bureau, Approval to authorize the county solicitor's office to enter into a joint stipulated order of court pursuant to 72 current statute section 5551, which authorized the compromise of delinquent taxes, penalties, and interest regarding the property system in exhibit A. The respective school districts and municipal districts have all been notified and have consented to the compromise of those delinquent taxes on these parcels. And commissioners, I note that Petitions to compromise the delinquent real estate taxes, penalties, interest, and costs has been filed in the Court of Common Pleasure of Schuylkill County on behalf of the borough of Frackville by Attorney Mark Simagic and Riley Township. Those two properties have been filed an objection by, or a petition rather, by Attorney Tom Pelish. With hearing dates of June 26th, June 29th of 2026. Therefore, I am asking immediate approval of our motion.

I'll make that motion. Second. So the question is, Commissioner Padora? Yes. Commissioner Hetherington? Yes. Commissioner Haas? Yes.

Thank you, Commissioner.

The Treasury reporting on the monthly cash statement total for the end of May is $108,215,439.11. Thank you. Finance Office.

Good morning, Commissioners. We have two items for informational purposes only. County administration adjustments, budget adjustments of $3,500, mental health, a budget adjustment of $85,000. And then we ask for two items for immediate approval. These are additional monies received from state grants in the amount of $1,500,000 and one in the amount of $156,000. We ask for immediate approval of both.

Then I will motion that we approve 2026 Act 12 and 2026 Act 13.

Sorry, I don't know. Commissioner Fedora? Yes.

Commissioner Cunnington? Yes. Commissioner Kass? Yes. And the administration. You have a lot to say. Okay.

On behalf of the Dermatological Workforce Development Board, I recommend the Workforce Development Board Finance and Executive Committee, the Workforce Development Board, accepted the projected budget for the program year July 1, 2026, and 30th, 2027. The 1.9% decrease in the program year budget is 2025. who was requested to accept the annual budget for the Theron County, which the county wouldn't want to go on board. On behalf of the Spookville County Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board, approval of the following funding recommendations from the 2026 Spookville County Affordable Housing Trust Fund, as well as the authorization to execute agreement between the county of Spookville and the service providers listed below upon grant approval. The board recommends funding for the following seven projects along with an allocation to the Preserve County. Cookville Hope Center for the Victims of Domestic Violence, project-based virtual housing program for victims of domestic violence project, $11,000. Cook County Housing Authority, Honorization of Work, Shenandoah Family Development Center, $44,000. Servants to All for Homeless Prevention Project, $19,000. Community Action for Cook County Housing Repair Program for Senior Citizens and Individuals with Disabilities, $59,000. Cook Community Action for Cook County Brick House Program, $49,000. for the Shenandoah Veterans Common Conflict, $29,000. Sexual Assault Resource and Counseling Center, start healing at home, permanent supported housing for sexual assault survivors, 24,000. And 10137 for service count, $8,432. Total allocation this year was $243,432. And again, on behalf of the board, On behalf of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board, based on the director of the planning for the School Community Action, the administrative agents with the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board, I propose that Ken Huebner, Ann Hooper-Smith, Karen Tenderdine, and Kate Williams be approved to serve two years term on the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board, determined July 1st, 2026, June 30th, 2028. And lastly, approval of the 2025 Affordable Housing Trust Fund Annual Reward.

Good morning, Commissioners. Human Resources is asking the Department of Human Services for an appointment for Mary Pastora, a clerk type of 2, on a salary of $13.929.8, back to $6.926. tax assessment department is requesting the motion for the promotion of um carol federoff as the administrative acceptor at a rate of 18 dollars effective 6 22 26. then the motion on the tax system promotion so we'll try to second the question yes yes In court administration, we have a transfer of Jean M. Davis to the Judicial Secretary, effective 7-6-26. All appointments are pending birth test and physical, and all actions involving salaries or provisions in the creative are considered for approval.

Any visits? One quick comment. Teresa, Mr. Kyle, Mr. Gary Bender, and remember VP Giuseppe's having a girlfriend in Gerardville driving over to Ulysses down in the Big Mine Run, back in Gerardville to pick her up. The joke was, each night there would be a new couch there, or a pair of tires, or a running sofa, or another refrigerator. That's all been cleaned up. That's 50 years ago. That stretch of highway from Australia down to the back of Gerardville was just in garden still. I was on it last week. It's just, I had a dumb luck. But it's been cleaned up, and it just feels so good to not see that EBS and fires and other favorite place that there's no one who's at all the favorite place to stop all things off on a long, long trip. This is a menace for bad preventer and said, Oh, John, we're going to clean up says what's a big help.

What's your journey. So we're forming the exact incentives that are public comment for salary work.

All right, good morning again, gentlemen. Chris Molesky, Norwegian Township. Please refrain from any comments until after my three minute period is expired. I would like to address again, I'm gonna reinforce what I stated earlier, what appears to be an inconsistency in public comment procedures among county boards and meetings. At commissioners meetings, members of the public are permitted to speak on agenda items and non-agenda items. At salary board meetings, member of the public have likewise been permitted to address matters beyond the specific agenda. However, during a recent retirement board meeting, which was last week, the public was informed, which was me, that comments must be limited only to agenda related matters and that the restriction was the law. As a citizen, I find that very confusing. These boards often meet one after another in the same room with many of the same elected officials sitting in multiple boards. Yet the rules for public participation appear to change depending on which board is meeting. If the county's public comment policy appears only to commissioner's meetings, then where are the written public comment policies for the retirement board, salary board, and county boards and authorities? If there are separate policies, they should be made readily available to the public so that everybody understands the rules before speaking. If there are no separate policies, then I respectfully question why different standards are being applied from one board meeting to the next. Title 65 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statute Section 710.1 Subsection A requires an opportunity for the public comment before official action is taken. While boards may adopt a reasonable rule for public participation, those rules should be applied and easily accessible to the public. I am not a legal scholar, however, I believe an educated citizen can read the law, review public policies, and reasonably expect consistency from one public meeting to another. Therefore, I respectfully ask that the commissioners clarify. First, what written policy governs the Retirement Board? Second, what written policy governs the Salary Board? And third, why members of the public are allowed to address non-agenda item matters before some county boards, but not others? Consistency, transparency, and public trust all benefit when the rules are clear and applied equally. Thank you for your time, guys. One quick question, if I could just jump in. You guys did make a quick motion. I shouldn't say a quick motion, but you did motion in regards to the approval of the supplemental budget for Schuylkill County Economic Development. In regards to that motion, there wasn't an opportunity for a discussion or any questions from the public. So my only question that I would have if it did fall under that, that $1.5 million grant is what and where is it coming from?

That came from DBC into redevelopment management.

Was this the 1.5 that certain amount was going to the hotel, the 7.5 without any discussion? So that money now is being reallocated to the supplemental budget then for the economic development, correct? Thank you for clarification. Thanks, Mr.

Can you, after I'll say the first question, follow up on the prothonotary issue, the online access and certain people having access. Second of all, the $125 million since I've been following that for many weeks now, could you expand on It's going to set, but how do they plan on using it? If it's like, what is, what's the game plan for that 1.5 million? We answer either of those.

Well, I'm waiting two or three minutes.

Okay. I'll stand here for another two and a half minutes.

It's not going to set. Okay. Where's it going? It stays in there a week at all.

And is it still for the same outline of what it was supposed to be for blight?

Yes. Whatever it was putting for blight demolition.

And has any of that been awarded yet, or is there going to be an application process?

I know COVID Linux was mentioned in the hotel. Are either of those going through, and is there an application process? I'm aware of any action being taken at this time. Okay. No application process either?

No. Paul is reviewing what he can do in the city. Application process for that. and we're going to get that application processed.

Oh, cool. And the Bartholomew's office?

The Bartholomew's office. I followed up with them right after that meeting, and I saw some email exchanges with Bridget at the Bartholomew's office and the Burmean. No, not Burmean. The woman that brought the question up originally at the meeting. They've been in communications. So I assume Bridget was handling it. Oh, you're talking about Dr. Malone? Yeah, that's it.

Yeah, but that's a whole different

Well, that's the same thing she's talking about.

She was talking about the civil dockets. I'm talking about title searches and access and being able to see what you're printing.

Yeah, okay. That's all the same thing now.

As far as I know, yes. Thank you.

Okay, we are requesting two motions this morning for the tax-adjusting office. One to create a position as an interim clerk type of two, effective 6-17-26. The second motion is to set a salary for Carol Vederoff, administrator or assessor, at $18 per hour, effective 6-22-26. Human services to set the salary for Mary Pastora, clerk titles to a salary of $13.92.9298, effective 629.26. And in court administration to set a salary for Jean M. Davis, judicial secretary at 29.8387, effective 7.7626. Is there a motion for the community to set a salary for tax assessment?

So move, sir. Second, the question. Commissioner Padora? Yes. Commissioner Hetherington? Yes. Commissioner Haft?

Yes. Comptroller Yankensik?

Yes.

All those in favor? So moved.