2010 News

July 9, 2010

“Astonishingly Good:” The State of Bucks County
Commissioners Deliver Annual Presentation during Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce (LBCCC) Percolator Meeting

Returning to the spacious, 340-seat auditorium at Bucks County Community College’s Newtown campus, the Board of Bucks County Commissioners offered a comprehensive “State of the County” presentation to approximately 150 members of the Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce (LBCCC) on July 8.

Commissioner Chairman Charles H. Martin opened the State of the County address (his 16th) to the Chamber, local business owners, and other interested public by announcing the state of the county is “very good.” Martin discussed the recent LBCCC Youth Leadership conference in which students from the county visited the Emergency Operations Center in Ivyland. He also introduced two recently promoted members of the staff, Chief Operating Officer Brian Hessenthaler, and Chief Clerk Lynn Bush. Martin discussed how there has been no property tax increase in the county during each of the last four years (2007-2010), and lauded Hessenthaler and the county Finance team for recently earning a Aaa bond-rating from Moody’s Investor Service – the first triple-A bond rating in Bucks County annals. 

Commissioner Martin then turned over the podium to Dr. David Damsker, director of the Health Department, to highlight procedures and events occurring within his department. Dr. Damsker reviewed the previous year’s H1N1 vaccination clinics as well as highlighting all the fully online restaurant health reports available at www.BucksCounty.org. He also detailed plans of drive-through pharmacies and mobile radio stations to increase productivity on this year’s vaccination clinics. The county’s fifth annual Pandemic Flu Drill will take place during November, 2010, at a prominent lower Bucks location.

Following Dr. Damsker to the podium was Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia, LCSW, who detailed the plans of Code Blue, an initiative of the county in cooperation with faith-based organizations, to help get homeless people shelter on dangerously cold nights. Marseglia shared a video presentation and praised the great impact of the program by stating, “One minister said to me that as she left for the night with 23 homeless people sleeping in her sanctuary, she thought, it was the first time her sanctuary had been a sanctuary," she commented.

Commissioner James Cawley spoke next, rousing the morning crowd as he described the state of the county as “astonishingly good,” particularly in the fiscal realm. Cawley highlighted several improvements the county has made recently. He then brought up Jerry Anderson, director of operations, to give a detailed report of the new building plans of the county. “It is astonishing the positive growth we have had in ourphysical plant,” Commissioner Cawley said. Anderson highlighted the new Judicial Center Parking Garage which was opened on June 30. He showcased the features of the new Parking Garage that were specifically designed to blend in with the historic nature of Doylestown Borough. He then detailed plans for the new Judicial Center, including several schematic diagrams. Anderson also described the new Core Creek Offleash Dog Park that was just opened on the evening of July 7. He shared that this was one project that everyone in the General Services department enjoyed completing. Anderson also noted that many jobs have been created locally through the ongoing Judicial Center project.

Another success story on display during the event is that of Bucks County Community College. Dr. James Linksz, president of the college, underscored the booming numbers of community members that the college serves. Dr. Linksz stressed the key component of the college is the community aspect that the commissioners help to foster and support. 

To view a PowerPoint presentation that accompanied the State of the County event, please visit www.BucksCounty.org and click on the link attached to this news release.