2008 News
February 7, 2008
Commissioners Approve Contract Resolutions for 18 Departments
Public Discussion of Voting Machines Highlights Comment Portion of Bi-Monthly Meeting
Following a rare three-week break between meetings, the Board of Bucks County Commissioners considered a large slate of business Feb. 6 in the Doylestown courthouse community room. From Children & Youth Services to the county’s annual allocation from the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, the agenda prompted lively discussion amongst Commissioners James F. Cawley, Esq., chairman, Charles H. Martin, vice chairman, and Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia, LCSW.
Ultimately, the board approved resolutions for 18 different departments, although Commissioner Ellis-Marseglia voted nay on five of the individual items – including insurance contracts with Paist & Noe for insurance coverage, a warranty extension for the county’s 765 Danaher electronic voting machines, and an upgrade to the existing fire alarm system at the Youth Center.
Prior to the 2-1 vote on the $98,685 voting machine warranty extension, members of the public consumed over an hour expressing support for the proposed House Bill 5036. Commissioner Ellis-Marseglia motioned to have the board present a resolution in support of the bill. Chairman Cawley and Vice-Chairman Martin felt there is “sufficient ambiguity” about the specifics of the bill to delay such a resolution until further research is conducted on the matter.
Moving forward on the 18 contract resolutions, the commissioners approved submission of a $3.667 million grant application for 2008 funding of the CDBG, HOME and Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) programs. They approved a contract to provide a Livescan full-hand identification booking system for the Department of Corrections. They approved three Public Works resurfacing projects, including individual items to pave the Correctional Facility, the Public Works maintenance facility and Core Creek Park. They approved a three-year Treasurer’s contract with ePaymentNow.Com to provide online sales and data base maintenance for dog licensing.
According to county Treasurer William Snyder, the online dog licensing “is a new endeavor for us. It is scheduled to begin March (on the official county Web site, www.BucksCounty.org).
The commissioners also approved an $8,000 revenue contract with Hulmeville Borough for the county Planning Commission to update the borough zoning ordinance. According to Planning Commission Executive Director Lynn T. Bush, Hulmeville represents the 33rd of 54 Bucks County municipalities with which the Planning Commission either has ongoing or completed contracts within the last year. In Hulmeville’s Borough’s instance, according to Bush, “The Planning Commission helped the borough get a state grant for this project. It is a compliment to our county staff that the Bucks County Planning Commission is selected to do professional planning work.”
During the other civics portion of the meeting, the commissioners reached out to New Hope’s “Save the Mules” fundraising campaign, unanimously approving a $5,000 allocation to the mule-barge venture that is a fixture of tourism along the Delaware & Raritan Canal.
During his bi-weekly report, Chief Operating Officer David Sanko detailed several items of significance, including the ongoing project to migrate the Neshaminy Manor telecommunications room from copper wire to fiber optics. Sanko also issued a public invitation to apply for the county’s two dozen boards and authorities.
Mr. Sanko delivered news that the Federal government has approved $2.4 million to continue flood mitigation and elevation along the Neshaminy Creek, continuing a program that has paid large dividends during recent flood events by taking residents and large portions of property out of harm’s way.
For a full audio account of the 2 ½-hour meeting, please click here.