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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-01-21 Commissioner Minutes WEDNESDAY, January 21, 2026 The Franklin County Commissioners met on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, 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 theday. On a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski; Seconded by John T. Flannery; the Board unanimously approved to adopt the agenda. The minutes of the January 14, 2026 meeting were reviewed. On a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski; Seconded by John T. Flannery; the Board unanimously approved the minutes. There was public comment from Valerie Jordan from Fayetteville who expressed her concerns regarding the President's recent speech and the proposed state legislation SB121 by State Senator Doug Mastriano. Ms. Jordan perceives significant cuts in the 2026 county budget and questioned the county's ability to afford collaboration with ICE. Mrs. Jordan expressed her opposition to ICE's presence in Franklin County. On a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski; Seconded by John T. Flannery; the Board unanimously approved to adopt the consent agenda to include: Vouchers in the amount of $333,372.73. Invoices from David H. Martin for time and materials in the amount of $203,594.62 for the Courthouse Annex Storm Sewer Project to remedy water infiltration at 157 Lincoln Way East. This work was the result of an emergency declaration signed by the Board on July 16, 2025. This will be paid with Bond Funds. Agreement between the County of Franklin and Lumen to replace the internet connection at the Coroner's office. This places the connection back under contract, locking the rates for a year and increasing the bandwidth to 50MB at a cost of $6,371.76. This will be paid by the General Fund. Proposal between the County of Franklin and Herbert, Rowland, & Grubic Inc.(HRG) for Engineering Services by HRG for bridge deck rehabilitation work for County Bridge 105 - Sylvan Drive over Little Cove Creek in Warren Township. This rehabilitation project has been prioritized due to ongoing maintenance necessary to address the condition of the bridge deck's second span at a cost of $107,700.00. Act 44 funding is anticipated to be utilized for all project phases. Agreement between the County of Franklin and VITA for service of x-ray units used at security stations where all parts, labor, travel, on-site support 24/7/365 for unlimited unscheduled visit in case of failure, one scheduled visit for annual preventative maintenance complete with radiation survey, and Tech Support & Help desk: Response within two hours at a Agreement between the County of Franklin and Tuscarora Managed Care Alliance (TMCA) to outline the duties of TMCA as required by Franklin County. It also details the duties of Franklin County. TMCA will reimburse Franklin County a monthly administrative allowance of up to 19% of the total monthly invoice. The amount billed to TMCA may not exceed a total of $129,427.00 for calendar year 2026, $133,292.00 for calendar year 2027, and $137,273.00 for calendar year 2028. Changes to the Credit Card Payment Acceptance Policy. The Board reviewed regular agenda items. County Administrator Carrie Gray provided a high-level overview of each of the actions. Ms. Gray first introduced Human Resources Generalist Chuck Martin to present the Employee of the Month for October. The Franklin County Commissioners, on behalf of the STAR (Special Thanks And Recognition) committee proudly presents the Employee of the Month award to Ms. Haleigh Dunkle who has been employed with Franklin County since February of 2024. She currently serves as a Caseworker in Children and Youth. The selection for the October 2025 Employee of the Month was determined by the STAR Committee. There were 16 nominations, three of which were for Haleigh. Mr. Martin read the nomination forms which are attached to these minutes. Ms. Haleigh Dunkle expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the county, the commissioners, and her team for their unwavering support. Dunkle acknowledged that her job was made significantly easier by the kind words and support from her colleagues, emphasizing that it was a collective effort. She highlighted the challenging nature of their work and appreciated the positive environment created by her team. In her speech, Dunkle stated, "It makes it so much easier working with people that have said kind words like that because it's not just me that does my job and it's not a cakewalk for our job." She concluded by thanking everyone for their support and kind words, underscoring the importance of teamwork in their success. Commissioner Horst expressed his admiration for Ms. Dunkle, stating that he could not add any more to the praise her peers had already given. He acknowledged the demanding nature of her job and appreciated the time and effort she put into supporting the youth and children in the county. Commissioner Flannery highlighted the importance of teamwork, noting that it is a common theme among the employees of the month and a key factor in the success of the departments in Franklin County. He expressed his respect for this quality and acknowledged the challenging nature of the work done by the Children and Youth staff. He emphasized that he couldnt do the job himself and expressed gratitude for the hard work and dedication of the employees. Commissioner Ziobrowski responded to Haley Dunkle's comment about her job not being a "cakewalk." He expressed delight that someone under 40 was familiar with the term and acknowledged the challenges, heartache, and frustration associated with her role. He also commended on her positive attitude and the contributions she brings to the job. On a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski; Seconded by John T. Flannery; the Board unanimously approved the Resolution 2026-01 Designation of Depositories. Voting as a block on a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski; Seconded by John T. Flannery; the Board unanimously approved the reappointment of Scott Bert to the Franklin County Redevelopment Authority to serve a five (5) year term of January 1, 2026 until December 31, 2030 and the appointment of Nathan Shoemaker to the Franklin County Redevelopment Authority to serve a one (1) year term of January 1, 2026 until December 31, 2026 to finish the term of Michael Hicks. The Board reviewed Proclamation #2026-01 for the purpose of proclaiming 2026 the Year of the Young Child. Ms. Gray introduced Ms. Annette Searfoss, CEO of First Start Partnerships for Children and Families, formerly known as Franklin County Head Start. Ms. Searfoss noted the organization's shift from celebrating the Week of the Young Child in 2017 to dedicating a full year to young children. She emphasized the dedication and hard work of the staff, who have adapted their schedules to support high-quality programs for families, working from 6:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Despite challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, First Start Partnerships for Children and Families maintained a 90% staff retention rate, showcasing the commitment of their team to early childhood education. Ms. Searfoss expressed gratitude for the recognition and the opportunity to spotlight the importance of early childhood education, which is crucial for economic stability and preparing children for kindergarten. Through the validation process of lots of documentation and on-site visits from an independent entity, not only had they met the criteria for being nationally accredited, which would be 70%, but 100% of their teachers scored 98% or higher in their classroom observations. Commissioner Horst expressed his gratitude to Ms. Searfoss and her staff for their dedication to teaching young children. He emphasized the importance of building a strong foundation, drawing a parallel to construction principles, and noted that this approach could lead to significant positive changes in the future. He acknowledged the critical role of early childhood education in society and thanked Ms. Searfoss and her team for their efforts. Commissioner Flannery believed that 2026 was very deserving of being the Year of the Young Child. He noted that this year, more than any previous year, he had heard about the challenges in Franklin County related to early childhood education and childcare. He acknowledged the phenomenal job done by Ms. Searfoss and her team in serving hundreds of children and expressed the need to expand these efforts to serve thousands, which is the demand in Franklin County. Commissioner Ziobrowski praised Ms. Searfoss for acknowledging her staff and all the people helping, stating that they were well deserving. He highlighted that since she joined in 2017, she had done extraordinary things with Head Start/First Start, and the NAEYC plus designation was a validation of her extraordinary efforts. Commissioner Horst then read the proclamation that has been made a part of these minutes. On a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski; Seconded by John T. Flannery; the Board unanimously approved the proclamation. During new business Commissioner Ziobrowski noted the irony in recognizing Haleigh Dunkle as the Employee of the Month for her hard work in Children and Youth Services while discussing the Year of the Young Child. He suggested that if society invested more in early childhood education, there might be less need for children and youth services, which typically address issues when things aren't going well. Commissioner Horst brought up the topic of data centers, noting that while zoning is typically managed by townships under the Municipal Planning Code (MPC), some townships lack zoning regulations. Heexpressed a desire to explore ways to protect these townships, suggesting an amendment to the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO) as a starting point. He also mentioned the possibility of creating a standalone ordinance or model ordinance to be presented to the board, emphasizing the need to address this issue as soon as possible.Ms. Gray discussed the potential of recommending amendments to both the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO) and a Model Ordinance to support municipalities, particularly those without zoning regulations. This approach aims to provide a framework for managing data centers and ensuring proper land use and development. Commissioner Ziobrowski concluded that he is not against data centers but believesthey should be located appropriately. The goal is to assist municipalities in determining the best locations for data centers, ensuring they are situated in suitable areas. The meeting was adjourned at 10:36a.m. on a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski; Seconded byJohn T. Flannery. Carrie E. Gray County Administrator/Chief Clerk FRANKLIN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ____________________________________ Dean A. Horst, Chairman ____________________________________ John T. Flannery ___________________________________ Robert G. Ziobrowski *May be assisted by Copilot