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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-10-01 Commissioners Meeting WEDNESDAY, October 1, 2025 The Franklin County Commissioners met on Wednesday, October 1, 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. On a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski; seconded by John T. Flannery; the Board unanimously approved to adopt the agenda. The minutes of the September 24, 2025 meeting were reviewed. On a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski; seconded by John T. Flannery; the Board unanimously approved the minutes. Chairman Horst called Prison Board to order at 10:05AM. Prison Board was adjourned at 10:07AM. There was public comment from Valerie Jordan who reflected on the impact of government budget impasses, both past and present. Now, amid a federal government shutdown, she expressed concern for unpaid federal workers like air traffic controllers. She highlighted the difference between federal and local and state budgeting, noting that counties must balance their budgets. She questioned how a deficit could be resolved and also pointed d state senators for delaying the 2026 budget, citing rising vendor costs, falling interest rates, and looming tariffs. During Consent Agenda review, County Administrator Carrie Gray stated that there was a slight modification to the split of the payment for the Property Management Truck. The total is still $50,141.00 but Property management will cover $25,320.50 and Liquid Fuels will cover $25,820.50. On a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski; seconded by John T. Flannery; the Board unanimously approved the amended consent agenda items to include: All bills presented and ordered paid in the amount of $130,585.90. Agreement between the County of Franklin and Pennsylvania Department of Aging for Older Adult Services Grant Agreement, formerly known as Cooperative Grant Agreement, beginning October 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, with a payment of $1,648,770.00 to Franklin County Area Agency on Aging. The former agreement was a four-year agreement; however, now it is only a one-year agreement. Amendment to the agreement between the County of Franklin and The Pennsylvania State University for the lease dated August 19, 2020 for the therapeutic riding facilities located at 191 Franklin Farm Lane, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. The term will be extended for one year commencing on January 1, 2026 and terminating on December 31, 2026. Amendment to the Security Agreement between the County of Franklin and the Borough of Chambersburg in connection with the Land Development Plans executed with the Borough of Chambersburg for the Court Facility Improvement Project. The requirements have been satisfied, and this agreement modifies the required security amount that will be retained by the Borough to the Maintenance Bond amount of $11,849.00. Amendment to Escrow Agreement between the County of Franklin and the Borough of Chambersburg in connection with the Land Development Plans executed with the Borough of Chambersburg for the Court Facility Improvement Project. The requirements have been satisfied, and this agreement approves releasing the balance of escrowed funds down to the required Maintenance Bond amount of $11,849.00. The County will be receiving $225,138.00 in released funds. Grant application to Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency for a $2,000.00 technical assistance grant for recording equipment to be utilized during CJAB meeting and special events. There will be a balance of $29.13 which will be paid for by the CJAB budget. Agreement between the County of Franklin and PennDOT outlining reimbursement procedure for the recently approved contractual agreement between Franklin County and HRG for County bridge inspection services from 2026-2030. Quote from KOCH 33 Ford to purchase of a 2024 Ford F350 with a Western 8.5' V plow to replace 2004 F250 due to age and poor condition (Trade in amount $1,500) at a cost of $50,141.00. The vehicle cost will be split between Property Management ($25,320.50) and Liquid Fuels (24,820.50) paid with General Fund Contingency. The Board reviewed regular agenda items. Ms. Gray provided a high-level overview of each of the actions. Ms. Gray stated that Chief Financial Officer Teresa Beckner and Fiscal Director Janelle Friese were at the meeting last week to present the 2026 budget planning, along with the 2025 forecast. Today they wanted to touch base to see if there were any questions or additional information needed prior to providing direction with respect to the supplemental appropriation amount so that they can move forward with budgeting for 2026. Commissioner Horst acknowledged that the 2026 budget numbers are still showing a deficit. However, he is confident in the Fiscal staff and their management and efforts to reduce the deficit towards a balanced budget. He stated that he believes $2.5 million for supplemental funding would be appropriate. He also stated that switching to the target-based budget model was a great thing and the picture that it shows is clear. Commissioner Flannery stated that $2.5 million is consistent with last year and supports the decision. Commissioner Ziobrowski stated that he has no additional comment or questions. The Board reviewed Proclamation #2025-22 for the purpose of proclaiming the month of October as National Long-Term Care Residents' Rights Month. Aging Director Tawyna Hurley introduced Franklin County Ombudsman Tressia Day. Ms. Day thanked the Commissioners for issuing the proclamation recognizing October as Resident Rights Month in Franklin County as this shows the importance of listening to and advocating for residents in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and personal care homes. In 2025 Ombudsman volunteers dedicated 680 hours to activities including facility visits, resident council meetings, routine check-ins, and educational She then introduced Ms. Diane Strock,former volunteer and Mr. Rabi Dalial, who is a current volunteer. Ms. Strock shared a personal journey of nearly 10years as a volunteer before experiencing firsthand as a resident in a long-term care facility due to a fall and broken kneecap. This experience deepened her understanding of the challenges residents face and reinforced the importance of advocacy, especially through the support of the county Ombudsman. She emphasized calling for community involvement in supporting residents' concerns. She affirmed their commitment to standing with residents and promoting their rights, particularly the right to self-determination and choice in daily activities. Ms. Strock then talked about a case involving a resident who wished to have lunch off-site with his wife. Initially denied due to safety concerns, the issue was resolved through Ombudsman intervention, resulting in facility-provided transportation that allowed the couple to meet at a restaurant. Another example involved the closure of Michaux Manor, where residents had to be relocated. She followed up with several individuals, noting both positive and difficult transitions. One couple thrived in their new setting, reconnecting with church friends and engaging in activities, while another resident struggled with the change. The speaker worked with staff to offer more choices and improve her quality of life. Commissioner Horst thanked the local nursing homes for their excellent care and expressed deep appreciation for county employees like Ms. Day and Ms. Hurley, who work diligently to support seniors. He also thanked the volunteers, recognizing them as the backbone of senior advocacy efforts and emphasizing how much their time and dedication are valued. Commissioner Horst then read the proclamation that is made apart of these minutes. On a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski; seconded by John T. Flannery; the Board unanimously approved the proclamation. Commissioner Ziobrowski stated 101-year-old aunt this past Spring. After closing her home and moving her into assisted living facility two things made a world of difference, having some of her own furniture so the space felt like home and enjoying a glass of wine in the evening that he sometimes brings by. These gestures of respect and flexibility affirmed her rights and dignity, making her transition smoother and more meaningful. He noted that not all facilities may offer such freedoms, but in this case, honoring her preferences truly enriched her quality of life. Ms. Gray introduced Human Resources Director Tiffany Bloyer to present the Employee of the Month for September. The Franklin County Commissioners, on behalf of the STAR (Special Thanks And Recognition) committee proudly presents the Employee of the Month award to Bryan Chappell. Mr. Chappell has been employed with Franklin County since December 2024. He currently serves as an Investigator in the Public Defender's Office. The selection for the September 2025 Employee of the Month was determined by the STAR Committee. There were 19 nominations, three of which were for Bryan. Human Resources Director Tiffany Bloyer read the nomination forms which are attached to these minutes. Commissioner Horst thanked Mr. Chappell for his positive personality, echoing sentiments shared by other colleagues. He reflected on how maintaining a positive outlook can transform daily life, even when challenges arise and for being a source of light both in the office and in the broader community, expressing appreciation for his contributions and affirming how valued he is as part of the team. Commissioner Flannery stated to make that much a difference in ten months that he hopes to have Mr. Chappell working with the county for at lease another ten years. Commissioner Ziobrowski stated that he was aware Mr. Chappell had a long police rking in the public defender's office. He asked if it is a different mindset or just doing the job. Mr. Chappell explained that his job as a police officer and supervisor was trying to make sure that everything was correct and people were treated fairly. Working with the public defender's office, they have made it easy for him and the job is still the same. He continued that the staff in the public defender's office no turnover in the office and he pay; they do it for the clients and the community that they work for. He stated that he is the lucky one for being able to work with them. The Commissioners presented a check to the United Way executive director Amy Hicks and Kelly Frazer for the employee dress down fundraiser and Pacesetter Campaign that was held in September. Keri Kenney, HR Coordinator, said that employees raised a total of $8,149.00 for the cause from 157 employees working in 24 departments. Ms. Hicksstated that the county is a pacesetter for the United Ways campaign as we launch our efforts early and with high energy. She noted the strong presence of county employees in community events and initiatives, such as the Winter Warmth Drive, school supply drives, May of Caring, and Learn and Play Day. This consistent engagement reflects a deeply rooted culture of service and collaboration within Franklin County government. Ms. Hicks also commended the accessibility and leadership of county officials, especially in community partnerships like Healthy Franklin County. Commissioner Horst first stated that the county has the best employees around and are very giving. United Way does such good things in the community, and Ms. Hicks mentioned a lot of them and we're just thankful to be a partner. He then thanked them for all that they do. Commissioner Flannery first thanked Ms. Kenney and the employees for being very generous. To him, Ms. Hicks is the Uni much he appreciates all that they do for the community. Commissioner Horst then asked what the largest donation ever made by the employees. Ms. Kenney stated that she thought they have donated over $10,000.00 but that was before her and pre-COVID in 2019. Ms. Hicks stated that COVID has had lasting effects, and all companies are in a recovery mode. Ms. Gray introduced Chief Information Officer Josh Hinkle to present the Information Technology program to keep everyone well acquainted with the different programs with their emerging trends, topics of interest and any concerns they may have. Their presentation was made a part of these minutes. Commissioner Horst stated that there were two major changes this year, moving from Google to Microsoft 365 and the phone system upgrade. Through those changes, which is always difficult, but at the same time he got a lot of compliments from different department heads on their response time and willingness to train staff. He thanked all of the IT staff for their time and effort. Mr. Hinkle stated that typically there is only one major change in a year but due to support ending there has been three this year. Nothing has been perfect, but the team continued to work hard and got the county where it needed to be. Commissioner Ziobrowski asked how the county stacks up compared to other counties since government typically runs behind the private sector in terms of IT. Mr. Hinkle stated that he was on a call yesterday with a similar question. He believes that we stack up really strongly. A lot of the counties that are class four and smaller are still struggling to make tackling the right security gaps, struggling to make sure they are moving forward and the right technology. He thinks the bigger counties probably have some of the technology in place that we have. But at some point, they're big enough where the integration of it as strong as what we're getting. He thinks we're in a sweet spot because we're big enough to do it and small enough to manage it.The county will bemoving Munis ontothe cloudwhichputs the countyahead of some otherswith respect to their ERP system. The next big hurdle for the county to tacklethis year and into the next isdisaster recovery. Commissioner Ziobrowski then stated that when he was on the Board of Directors for the Chambersburg Hospital,they implemented a system where the doctors used I-Pads instead of handwritingbecauseit slowed them downformat when he was doing real estate appraisals. He asked if there still resistance or is the staff young enough that they have embraced it? Mr. Hinkle stated that as humans we dochange,but the adoption curve is much quicker based on the workforce that we have. The meeting was adjourned at 11:11a.m. on a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski, seconded by John T. Flannery. Carrie E. Gray County Administrator/Chief Clerk FRANKLIN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ____________________________________ Dean A. Horst, Chairman ____________________________________ John T. Flannery ___________________________________ Robert G. Ziobrowski Supporting all county departmentsEnsuring secure, reliable, and modern technologyFocused on efficiency, cost savings, and public service facing systems - DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW Our goal is to provide secure, efficient, term technology planning and modernization - Network, systems, and cybersecurity managementSupport for county staff and publicLong Core responsibilities:Mission: and modern technology that supports county operations and benefits the community party solutions rd RECENT PROJECT SUCCESS #1: MIGRATION TO MICROSOFT 365 Improved collaboration (Teams, OneDrive, Outlook)Increased security through policy and automationStreamlined integration to 3 Transition from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365Benefits to the county: premises to the - TYLER ERP MIGRATION RECENT PROJECT SUCCESS #2: Increased system availability and disaster recoveryReduced maintenance costs and hardware dependencyBetter scalability for future growthLeverage Microsoft Power BI (Business Intelligence) Migration of Tyler ERP from oncloudBenefits to the county: premises system - on Shoretel RECENT PROJECT SUCCESS #3: PHONE SYSTEM MODERNIZATION Unified communication platform (chat, calls, video, team building)Lower capital investmentElastic licensing aligned to headcountLowered MRC for telecom connectivity Migration from legacy to Microsoft Teams VoiceBenefits to the county: MOVING FORWARD Increase cybersecurity protectionsProvide modern tools to county staff Leveraging new platforms (Microsoft 365 + Tyler Cloud): COMMUNITY IMPACT Modernized tools for departments and publicGreater security of sensitive dataCost savings that protect taxpayer resourcesStronger foundation for future county services How these improvements serve the public: driven efficiencies - LOOKING AHEAD Expanding automation and AIAdditional cybersecurity enhancementsOngoing staff training and technology awareness Upcoming initiatives:Commitment to continuous improvement CLOSING & Q&A Reiterate mission: efficient, and modern technology that supports Questions from Commissioners