HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-04-30 Commissioners Meeting
WEDNESDAY, April 30, 2025
The Franklin County Commissioners met Wednesday, April 30, 2025, with the following
members present: Dean A. Horst, John T. Flannery and Robert G. Ziobrowski. Commissioner
Horst presided and after calling the meeting to order, a Moment of Silence, and the Pledge of
Allegiance, proceeded with the business of the day.
The meeting was live streamed.
On a motion by John T. Flannery, seconded by Robert G. Ziobrowski; the Board unanimously
approved to adopt the agenda.
The minutes of the April 23, 2025 meeting were reviewed. On a motion by John T.
Flannery, seconded by Robert G. Ziobrowski; the Board unanimously approved the minutes.
th
There was public comment from Kim Wertz stating that on May 16 they are having their
Wthe Administrative staff. Speeches and the
walk will be held at the Courthouse on the square. To participate in the walk itself, registration is
nd
open until May 2.
There was public comment from Valerie Jordan who commented that the project outside
is coming along and it is beautiful. Talking about numbers she looked at Public Safety numbers
again. She is paying the same amount in taxes this year as she did last year. In any county
budget, public safety refers to the allocation of funds for protecting citizens and property from
harm, including law enforcement, fire services, and emergency response. It encompasses
various functions from preventing crime to responding to natural disasters, ensuring the safety
of buildings and roads, and maintaining order. Franklin County historical share when it comes
to public safety over the past three years has been; in 2023 it was $28.6 million, in 2024 $29.7
million, and in 2025 it is $27.5 million. Leaving that budget cut by $2.2 million, a significant cut in
her mind. In 2024, the county received federal funding, including $15.7 million for infrastructure
projects in addition to $2 million for an exit 12 project. There was also a community
development block grant and community organizations. Furthermore, the county received $5.1
million in federal grant funding for voting and election. If we lose this federal funding, everyone
orientation, or religion. She then asked that the meetings be put on YouTube into perpetuity as
. After cutting the budget by $9 million, her tax bill remained
the same. She is a big believer in health and safety and public safety. She recently met the
Chambersburg Police Chief and had a nice discussion with her. They are at their cap and even
k about
reassessing.
has 22,000 people. She then asked how much it is to reassess the county.
On a motion by John T. Flannery, seconded by Robert G. Ziobrowski; the Board
unanimously approved all consent agenda items to include:
All bills presented and ordered paid in the amount of $1,669,816.80.
Agreements between the County of Franklin and University of Pittsburgh - Of the
Commonwealth System of Higher Education for Child Welfare Education for Leadership
(CWEL) for a CYS Caseworkers Training.
delivery and pickup of election equipment and supplies. This agreement is based on man hours
but averages $10,000.00 to $12,000.00 per election. This service was put out to bid and the
Commissioners awarded the bid to Zody's on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. The cost will be
paid from the Election Integrity Grant.
Budget revision request for Greencastle's FY 2019 Community Development Block
Grant (CDBG) activity to increase the allocation by $42,532.64 to go to Greencastle's FY 2019
activity of installing ADA Curb Ramps. There is no County Match or General Fund Contribution
required.
Renewal of PCoRP Loss Prevention Grant Program Application requesting a grant in the
amount of $30,000.00 to be used for the implementation of security upgrades to the Human
Services Building, including cameras and access control. This grant is for June 1, 2024 through
May 31, 2025.
Amendment to the agreement between the County of Franklin and Eastern Time Inc. to
automatically renew for video surveillance for an additional one year period beginning on the
anniversary of the initial term, unless a party gives the other party written notice of its intent not
to renew the Service agreement at least 30 days prior to the end of the initial term or the then-
current renewal term at a cost of $4,111.00. This will be paid by the Workers Comp Reserve
funds.
Amendment to the agreement between the County of Franklin and Eastern Time Inc. to
automatically renew for duress testing and inspection for an additional one year period
beginning on the anniversary of the initial term, unless a party gives the other party written
notice of its intent not to renew the Service agreement at least 30 days prior to the end of the
initial term or the then-current renewal term at a cost of $4,095.00. This will be paid by the
Workers Comp Reserve funds.
Agreement between the County of Franklin and Tax Claim Bureau to exonerate taxes for
parcels that need to be taken off the tax records. The first is a state-owned property in Guilford
Township at the former location of Vision Quest and the second is a mobile home that was
demolished.
Transfer of a donated 2016 Nissan Rogue with special adaptations to a handicapped
Veteran in need. This vehicle was donated appropriately five years ago and was to be donated
to a disabled veteran that could benefit from having a specially adapted vehicle.
The Board reviewed regular agenda items. County Administrator Carrie Gray provided a
high-level overview of each of the actions.
Director Quentin Clapper stated that this is a purchaseof 114 acre easement on the
Hershberger property just north of the James Buchanan High School and adjacent to a few
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other preserved farms that the county has. Once preserved, it would be the 164 farm in the
program and over 20,000 acres preserved. They have 61 more farms on the wait list and met
with 10 new parties this year so far that are potentially interested. They also have 1,300 acres
currently in process of being preserved. Commissioner Horst stated that it is always nice to see
that the county is preserving farms. On a motion by John T. Flannery, seconded by Robert: G.
Ziobrowski, the agreement between the County of Franklin and Daniel Hershberger & Amy
Hershberger for the sale and purchase of an agricultural conservation easement on the farm at
a cost of $284,450.00. This will be paid by Ag Preservation funds. Commissioner Flannery
asked that it was 20,000 acres now. Mr. Clapper stated yes. Commissioner Flannery asked
when the party was. Mr. Clapper stated that it will be in the Fall at the Fall Farm Fest.
Risk Manager Alexis Pennings stated that this is to change out the camera system and
access control currently at the Human Services Building. The existing system is outdated and
this is phase two of the upgrade. There were a few cameras that were upgraded last year in the
waiting area as they made improvements. This is just the second portion of the upgrade.
Commissioner Ziobrowski stated that the building itself is almost 40 years old and at some point
in the not too distant future, they may move the offices elsewhere. He then asked if the cameras
can be moved to another site. Ms. Pennings stated yes, they can be relocated to a newer facility
if needed. On a motion by John T. Flannery, seconded by Robert: G. Ziobrowski, the agreement
between the County of Franklin and AllCom Global to change the Franklin County Human
Services Building from the existing electronic door locks and readers on Kantech Access
Control System and cameras on the VI system. Allcom Global Services will install and configure
Lenel (OnGuard) Access Control hardware and Milestone XProtect cameras to the building at a
cost of $150,146.50. This will be paid by the Workers Comp Reserve funds.
The Board reviewed the bid opening for the Jail HVAC. Before opening the bid,
Commissioner Horst stated that he prefers to have more than one bid and asked if we can put
this out for rebid to try to get more. Ms. Gray stated that yes, there is a contingency plan for this
in the bidding documents andthat the Commissioners have the ability to reject the bids and
start the process over. Commissioner Flannery stated that, as before, he has expressed his
displeasure with only having one bid on large expenses for the county. He believes the county
needs to put itself in a more competitive situation and his suggestion was to do what needs to
be done to obtain more bids to have a proper selection. Commissioner Ziobrowski asked if that
was a recommendation to table. Commissioner Flannery responded that it was his
recommendation to table. Commissioner Ziobrowski seconded the motion. Commissioner Horst
asked if there was enough direction and information to move forward with what they want as far
as the rebid. Solicitor Elliott Sulcove stated that there would be a requirement for the staff to be
provided with the directive to put this back out for bid. The motion would need to be amended or
create a new motion to direct staff to rebid the project. On a motion by John T. Flannery,
seconded by Robert: G. Ziobrowski, to motion was made to direct staff to rebid the project
Ms. Gray introduced Human Resources Director Tiffany Bloyer to present the Employee
of the Month. The Franklin County Commissioners on behalf of the STAR Committee (Special
Thanks And Recognition) proudly presents the Employee of the Month award to Amelia Miller.
Ms. Miller has been employed with Franklin County since August of 2023. She currently serves
as a Custodial Worker in the Property Management Department. The selection for the April
2025 Employee of the Month was determined by the STAR Committee. There were seven
nominations, three of which were for Amelia. The STAR nomination form asks what recent
events or occurrence made you select Amelia and the answer stated: A custodian can be a
thankless job, but their hard work and dedication should be acknowledged. Amelia is always
happy and checking in with departments regarding their needs. The custodial department
always seems to be short staffed. Amelia volunteered to look after the Admin Building as well as
the Archives building, mostly by herself so that extra staff could be in other larger buildings.
During the day, you will see her in the hallways cleaning the floors, dusting or cleaning the
windows, in meeting rooms vacuuming or wiping down tables; all of which can be taken for
granted. She is always working hard to keep the building clean & in order; doing whatever she
smile on her face. This morning there was an email about some leftover pizza from a meeting
the night before being in the fridge and available for the taking. Amelia came to see where the
meeting was so that she could be sure the room was clean. To me that is a simple act of taking
pride in her role and shows great dedication. She should be recognized for her caring
commitment and for the positive happy attitude that she has while doing it. Amelia is a
dedicated and reliable custodian who consistently performs their duties with excellence. They
take pride in maintaining a clean, organized, and safe environment for all. Amelia is proactive in
identifying areas that need attention and consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that all
tasks are completed efficiently and thoroughly. Her attention to detail and strong work ethic are
evident in the consistently high standards they uphold. They are punctual, dependable, and
always ready to assist with any additional responsibilities or special requests. Amelia is an asset
to the team, demonstrating a strong commitment to cleanliness, safety, and service. Amelia is
our custodian and always does a thorough and detailed job of cleaning our office space and
restocking our supplies. I wanted to nominate her this month because she has been the only
custodian for the Admin Annex and Archives recently and her dedication to her job is
outstanding. No matter how busy she may be, she always has time to share a smile or a short
conversation that shows she cares for the people she works with. It is always a treat to run into
Amelia and I cannot show enough g
characteristics are attributes that have not gone unnoticed by her peers. Those who work
alongside Amelia used numerous positive words to describe her. These included happy,
positive, hardworking, committed, kind, dependable, engaged, dedicated, and reliable. We are
so grateful to Miller as she exudes a high standard of knowledge, leadership and excellence to
the employees and residents of Franklin County. Ms. Miller thanked everyone that voted for her.
She tries to do the best as possible and if you have any issues, come talk to her and she will
take care of the situation. Commissioner Horst always a
pleasure to walk in and see it clean. He doesher smile. Her
attitude and attention to detail is just commendable and appreciated. Commissioner Flannery
stated the work that you do give the community the first impression of us when they walk into
for employee of the
do their job, but he promised he her job. Your efforts and
attitude hopefully motivates others. Commissioner Ziobrowski stated that Commissioner
Flannery stole his thoughts that you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
People have commented to him when they come to visit how nice our building is and how well
kept it is. Thank you.
Ms. Gray introduced Executive Director Missy Wileman of the Tuscarora Managed Care
Alliance to present the TMCA program to keep everyone well acquainted with the different
programs with their emerging trends, topics of interest and any concerns they may have. Her
presentation was made a part of these minutes. Commissioner Ziobrowski asked if similar
entities, since she said we are the third or fourth smallest, like Tioga County combined with
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much larger groups of counties in order to create larger entities because largest
county in Pennsylvania. So being the third or fourth smallest in anything is counterintuitive. Ms.
Wileman stated yes there is a large portion of north central and northwest part of the state along
with what is called the T-bone, some central counties that went together and created the
behavioral health alliance of rural Pennsylvania making it larger in population than Franklin
County. Commissioner Horst first thanked Ms. Wileman for all the information especially the last
slide showing that one in four are on Medicaid. Ms. Wileman stated that one thing she likes to
highlight is the popular media has spread the bad news
find. When looking at most of the individuals they serve, most are employed but are under
employed or have issues or difficulties because of their behavioral health conditions, working a
full-time employment or
conditions. Commissioner Flannery first thanked Ms. Wileman for coming and presenting. A little
over five years ago when he became commissioner and was given the boards that they sit on,
he inherited the seat from then Chairman Keller, he asked then what does TMCA do. It has
been explained to him numerous times and he , to an extent. All
the things that she does, on the level that she does, what she does is incredible and plays such
an important role in the community. Commissioner Ziobrowski stated that he usually monitors
whatever figures she has and tries to find anomalies or mistakes and he found none. This time
he concentrated on determining whether or not she could avoid using acronyms.
FQHC was. Ms.
Wileman said it stood for Federally Qualified Heath Center.
Janelle Friese, Fiscal Director, and Teresa Beckner, Chief Financial Officer, provided a
February
and made a part of the minutes.Ms. Beckner stated the first thing they were going to discuss
was the General Fund performance for 2024 to lay the groundwork for 2025. The numbers are
complete on their end, and they are turning over to the auditors and consider them final and
Ms. Friese started with revenues in the general fund for 2024. She pointed out that
property tax revenue, the primary source of revenue in the general fund, out preformedat
101%, Interest income was about $2.2 million in 2024. In total they recognized $55.7 million in
revenue or about 99% of what they budgeted. Expenses all ended at about 96% of budget for
the year and transfers were at 87.2% or $5.4 of the $6.2 million budget. 911/Hazmat linewas a
transfer of $180,000 of the budgeted $760,000 or 23% due to two factors. Budgeted capital and
increased revenue from an increase in the 911 surcharge, set by the state, of $1.69 to $1.95.
Other Expenses was also low due to capital projects that were pushed into 2025 for the Jail
security system and CAMA software for the tax office. In total the county spent $56 million of the
$61.3 million budget or about 91% of the total expense budget. The net impact was about
$330,000 in reserves being used. When net with the starting reserves, the county ended 2024
with $15.6 million or 93 days in reserve for operating expenses in 2025. They always try to stay
within the 60-90 day minimum. Commissioner Horst stated that it looks like we did very well in
sticking to the budget and came in under. He then thanked the fiscal department and all the
other department heads worked to save the taxpayers money. Ms. Beckner stated for
Commissioner Ziobrowski, CAMA stands for Computer Assited Mass Appraisal. Moving on to
the 2025 year, they went through the first two months of the year. Ms. Friese again started with
the General Fund. Looking at revenue through February of 2025. So far they have recognized
$1.3 million of the $54.3 million revenue budget or about 2.4% which is about $200,000 less
than last year. General Fund is always light the first few months of the year and they expect to
not have a lot of revenue. They have
recognized 30% in interest already because they try to budget conservatively. For General Fund
Expenditures if they spent the budget evenly throughout the year, through February, they would
expect to have spent about 16.5% of the budget and they are at 14.5% compared to last year
the county has spent about $300,000 less from last year.They have transferred about $800,000
of the $5.3 million budget so far this year and have no concerns. Capital expenditure is at 0%
because for the first quarter they try to hold off on all capital purchases when cash flow is light.
Ms. Beckner stated that of the $133.5 million all services budget they have recognized $9.8
million which is about $700,000 less than last year. On the Expenditure side, of the $150.1
million budget they have recognized $18.9 million or 12.6% through February which is$1.3
million less than last year because of capital projects. Last year the finishing up of the
courthouse annex project was near. Commissioner Horststated that it looks like we are doing
good. Ms. Beckner agreed. Commissioner Flannery asked for verification that in 2024 we are
required to keep a 60 to 90 day reserve for the health of the county. Ms. Beckner saidyes that
is correct. Commissioner Flannery continued that if we go below out 60 days, it affects our bond
rating. When talking about the general fund, taxpayer money, the budget was about $61 million
and the actual performance came in at $56 million. Again Ms. Beckner agreed. Commissioner
Flannery then continued that if theyhad spent that $61 million that was budgeted for last year
would have come out of the reserve and could risk ourbond rating.Again Ms. Beckner agreed.
He continued that in essence this year the budget is $60.5 which is an increase of $4.5almost
$5 millionthis year over last year. Once again, Ms. Beckner agreed. Commissioner Flannery
last year. Ms. Frieseking about General Fund budget taxpayer
money. Commissioner Flannery finally asked, iftheyspend that$60.5 millionsave
any money this year, there will be a drop in the current reserve from 93 days to 68 days.Ms.
Beckner and Ms. Friese both agreed. Commissioner Ziobrowski stated he had no questions.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:02a.m.on a motion by John T. Flannery, seconded
by Robert: G. Ziobrowski.
Carrie E. Gray
County Administrator/Chief Clerk
FRANKLIN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
____________________________________
Dean A. Horst, Chairman
____________________________________
John T. Flannery
___________________________________
Robert G. Ziobrowski
FRANKLIN COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS
Dean A. Horst, Chairman
John T. Flannery
STAR COMMITTEE
Robert G. Ziobrowski
Special Thanks And Recognition Committee
Tiffany Bloyer, HR Director
272 North Second Street ~ Chambersburg, PA 17201
Telephone (717) 261-3150 Fax (717) 261-3156
April 30, 2025
The Franklin County Commissioners, on behalf of the STAR Committee (Special Thanks And
Recognition) proudly presents the Employee of the Month award to Amelia Miller.
Ms. Miller has been employed with Franklin County since August of 2023. She currently serves as a
Custodial Worker in the Property Management Department. The selection for the April 2025
Employee of the Month was determined by the STAR Committee. There were seven nominations,
three of which were for Amelia.
The STAR nomination form asks what recent events or occurrence made you select Amelia and the
answer stated:
A custodian can be a thankless job, but their hard work and dedication should be acknowledged.
Amelia is always happy and checking in with departments regarding their needs. The custodial
department always seems to be short staffed. Amelia volunteered to look after the Admin Building
as well as the Archives building, mostly by herself so that extra staff could be in other larger
buildings. During the day, you will see her in the hallways cleaning the floors, dusting or cleaning
the windows, in meeting rooms vacuuming or wiping down tables; all of which can be taken for
granted. She is always working hard to keep the building clean & in order; doing whatever she can
in the early morning so that it’s ready when other staff and the public come in, always with a smile
on her face. This morning there was an email about some leftover pizza from a meeting the night
before being in the fridge & available for the taking. Amelia came to see where the meeting was so
that she could be sure the room was clean. To me that is a simple act of taking pride in her role and
shows great dedication. She should be recognized for her caring commitment and for the positive
happy attitude that she has while doing it.
Amelia is a dedicated and reliable custodian who consistently performs their duties with excellence.
They take pride in maintaining a clean, organized, and safe environment for all. Amelia is proactive
in identifying areas that need attention and consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that all
tasks are completed efficiently and thoroughly. Their attention to detail and strong work ethic are
evident in the consistently high standards they uphold. They are punctual, dependable, and always
ready to assist with any additional responsibilities or special requests. Amelia is an asset to the
team, demonstrating a strong commitment to cleanliness, safety, and service.
Amelia is our custodian and always does a thorough and detailed job of cleaning our office space
and restocking our supplies. I wanted to nominate her this month because she has been the only
custodian for the Admin Annex and Archives recently and her dedication to
her job is outstanding. No matter how busy she may be, she always has time to share a smile or a
short conversation that shows she cares for the people she works with. It is always a treat to run
into Amelia and I cannot show enough gratitude for her hard work.
Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (717) 264-8474
Telephone: (717) 261-3150 Fax: (717) 261-3156
Website: www.franklincountypa.gov
FRANKLIN COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS
Dean A. Horst, Chairman
John T. Flannery
STAR COMMITTEE
Robert G. Ziobrowski
Special Thanks And Recognition Committee
Tiffany Bloyer, HR Director
272 North Second Street ~ Chambersburg, PA 17201
Telephone (717) 261-3150 Fax (717) 261-3156
Ms. Miller’s outstanding characteristics are attributes that have not gone unnoticed by her peers.
Those who work alongside Amelia used numerous positive words to describe her. These included
happy, positive, hardworking, committed, kind, dependable, engaged, dedicated, reliable.
We are so grateful to Miller as she exudes a high standard of knowledge, leadership and excellence
to the employees and residents of Franklin County.
Sincerely,
The STAR Committee
TLB/kmw cc: Personnel File; Supervisor
Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (717) 264-8474
Telephone: (717) 261-3150 Fax: (717) 261-3156
Website: www.franklincountypa.gov
HEALTHCHOICES
MEDICAID BEHAVIORAL
Improve Access to Health Care for Medical Assistance (MA) ConsumersImprove the Quality of Care Available to MA ConsumersDevelopment of innovative programs
A Medical Assistance mandatory managed care model of mental health and substance abuse treatment services. Goals:
Licensed
100% At Risk
-
Intergovernmental Cooperative Agreement of Tuscarora Managed Care Alliance~
disabled and addicted citizens of Franklin and Fulton Counties, and to administer a comprehensive and integrated network of locally accountable, publicly funded services for the purpose
of promoting excellence in delivery of behavioral healthcare, including but not necessarily limited to services pursuant to the mandatory Medicaid managed care initiative known as
HealthChoices administered by the Department of Public Welfare
TMCA AS PRIMARY CONTRACTOR
2006 Entered into an Intergovernmental Agreement with Fulton County:TMCA is considered a Risk Assuming NonInsurer Preferred Provider Organization
Child only
Child only
Child Only
Child Only
MEDICAID MEMBERS
IN PLAN SERVICES AVAILABLE TO
InpatientPartial HospitalizationOutpatient Intensive Behavioral Health Supports (IBHS) Family Based Mental Health Services (FBMHS) Peer SupportTargeted Case ManagementResidential Treatment
Facility (RTF) Community Residential Rehabilitation
MENTAL HEALTH (Child and Adult)
Hospital
-
Hospital
-
Hospital and Non
MEDICAID MEMBERS
Hospital and Non
IN PLAN SERVICES AVAILABLE TO
Detox Rehabilitation Outpatient and Intensive OutpatientCertified Recovery SpecialistsPartial HospitalizationHalfway HousesMedication Assisted Treatment
Substance Abuse Services
Recovery Support Services plans such as Peer Support Training for specialized populations or Employment Recovery Oriented System of Care Specialists have been conducted.
most appropriate
Financial
Social Determinant of Health Assistance Plan and supportive assistance to meet needs that pertain to shelter, budget, food, clothing and living stability.
-
Supportive Housing PlanYoung Adults and AdultAssistance finding and applying for affordable housing, supportive assistance to keep and maintain housing
REINVESTING IN THE COMMUNITY
Savings from authorizing thebehavioral health services, in the right setting, and for the correct length of time are utilized, in some instances, to develop new and innovative services
within the community.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
General Fund Summary
Year End 2024
¨ƇŎŎêŵƢ
BUDGET FINAL%
REVENUE
TAXES40,320,000 40,790,000 101.2%
FEDERAL/STATE3,180,000 2,970,000 93.4%
CHARGES8,050,000 8,010,000 99.5%
INTEREST1,230,000 2,170,000 176.4%
1
OTHER3,480,000 1,770,000 50.9%
TOTAL56,260,000 55,710,000 99.0%
EXPENSES
GENERAL GOVERNMENT14,790,000 14,300,000 96.7%
JUDICIAL13,650,000 13,040,000 95.5%
PUBLIC SAFETY23,410,000 22,440,000 95.9%
TRANSFERS6,240,000 5,440,000 87.2%(See Detail Below)
1
OTHER3,230,000 820,000 25.4%
TOTAL61,320,000 56,040,000 91.4%
CONTRIBUTION TO/(USE OF) RESERVES(5,060,000) (330,000)
SOY - UNRESTRICTED RESERVES15,980,000 15,980,000
ENDING RESERVES10,920,000 15,650,000 days93.2
1
Line includes capital items that were planned for 2024, but did not occur. (i.e. CAMA, Jail Security etc.)
°ŵêŏŹĨđŵŹ
General Fund Transfers/County shareBUDGET FINAL%
AGING230,000 270,000 117.4%
CHILDREN & YOUTH3,610,000 3,500,000 97.0%
D&A60,000 90,000 150.0%
MH, ID, EI270,000 290,000 107.4%
911/HAZMAT760,000 180,000 23.7%
DOMESTIC760,000 600,000 78.9%
OTHER, (AG, CDBG, LF, CC)540,000 510,000 94.4%
TOTAL6,240,000 5,440,000 87.2%
0%
15%
15%
1%
8%
9%
11%
10%13%
31%
8%7%
7%
2%
11%
16%
15%15%15%