2008 News

April 2 , 2008

Bucks County Commissioners Celebrate Warwick Township’s 275th Anniversary by Meeting in ‘The Heart of Bucks County”
Bi-Monthly Session Includes Unanimous Approval of Resolutions for 12 Departments

On Feb. 13, 1733, Warwick Township – now known as the “heart of Bucks County” - was founded by petition of a group of Bucks County residents. This morning, with a large mural of the historic Moland House framing the proceedings inside the spacious Warwick Twp. municipal building, the Board of Bucks County Commissioners commemorated the township’s 275th anniversary by conducting one of the bi-monthly meetings.

Warwick Supervisor John Cox, Township Manager Gail Weniger, Commission Charles Martin, Warwick Supervisor Judith Algeo, Commissioner James Cawley, Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia, and Warwick Supervisor Edward Thompson during a proclamation presentation for Warwick's 275th Anniversary. “We join in the ongoing celebration of the 275th anniversary of Warwick,” Commissioner Chairman James F. Cawley, Esq. told a sizeable audience. “We want to thank the good people of Warwick for hosting us. In particular, we’d like to recognize a few folks who have joined us, their board of supervisors Judith Algeo, John Cox, and Ed Thompson. Township Manager Gail Weniger is here, as well.”

The agenda was highlighted by a proclamation that recognized Warwick Township’s incorporation milestone, a proclamation designating April 13-19, 2008, as National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, and the unanimous approval of resolutions for 12 departments by Commissioner Chairman Cawley, Charles H. Martin, and Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia, LCSW.

The business portion of the agenda included five union contract approvals that extend through Dec. 31, 2010. Those agreements were with AFSCME District Council 88 (representing almost 500 employees and supervisors with the Department of Corrections), Pennsylvania Social Services Union (PSSU) Local 668, Union 84 (employees with the Area Agency on Aging, Children and Youth, and Mental Health/Mental Retardation), PSSU Local 668, Union 44/45 (employees with various departments), and PSSU Local Union 04 (Area Agency on Aging, Children & Youth, MH/MR). According to Human Resources Director Carmen Thome, each of these contracts includes a three percent annual salary increase, and a new employee contribution to health-care coverage.

Commissioner Martin, Barbara Clark, executive director of NOVA, Commissioner Ellis-Marseglia, and Commissioner Cawley during a proclamation presentation for National Crime Victims' Rights Week. The commissioners approved a one-year patient care report maintenance contract with Emergency Health Services that is funded by state contract. This contract allows local ambulance companies to file and archive all incident reports.

County Chief Information Officer Don Jacobs expanded on a one-year contract extension to provide printer repair services for county offices, noting that cost savings is being achieved through the elimination of many “dedicated” printers. That elimination allowed the county to extend the original contract without any additional monetary outlay.

During his bi-weekly report, Chief Operating Officer/Managing Director David Sanko detailed efforts by which Bucks County leadership is recognized at the state and federal level.

“In the ongoing effort to point out that Bucks County is often recognized for its leadership, I have several items that further document that,” Sanko noted. “We have been notified by the U.S. Department of Justice of an award in excess of $300,000 for a ‘COPS’ grant that will enable us – through the (Bucks County) Police Chiefs’ Association – to add more laptop technology <mobile The Bucks County Commissioners, COO David Sanko and Assistant Solicitor Don Williams listen to public comment during the meeting.data terminals> into police cars around the county as part of our public-safety enhancement.”

Sanko also recognized former Judge William Hart Rufe, who co-chaired last year’s Open Space Education “Save Bucks County” Committee, for his selection as the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association’s 2008 “Lifetime Leadership Award” winner. Calling it another “great feather in the cap of Bucks County,” he thanked Judge Rufe for his many years of commitment to open-space preservation.

Having just returned from the County Commissioners’ Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) spring conference, Sanko reported that Bucks County Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Bob Stanzione delivered a best-practices seminar to commissioners from across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Following their presentation of the National Crime Victims’ Week proclamation to Network of Victims’ Assistance (NOVA) Executive Director Barbara Clark, the commissioners approved a $17,500 contribution to NOVA.

For a full audio account of the April 2 meeting, please click here.