HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-09-30 Commissioner MinutesWEDNESDAY, September 30, 2026
The Franklin County Commissioners met on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, with the
following members present: Dean A. Horst and Robert G. Ziobrowski. Commissioner Horst
stated that Commissioner Flannery would join virtually for Prison Board only. He then 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 Dean A. Horst; the Board
unanimously approved to adopt the agenda.
Chairman Horst called Prison Board to order at 10:03 a.m.
Prison Board was adjourned at 10:04 a.m.
There was no public comment.
On a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski; Seconded by Dean A. Horst; the Board
unanimously approved to adopt the consent agenda to include:
Minutes from September 16, 2026.
Vouchers in the amount of $2,383,586.94.
Amendment to the agreement between the County of Franklin and The Pennsylvania
State University to the lease dated January 1, 2019. The County of Franklin will extend the
lease to PSU for another year. Leased property consists of a stable, indoor arena, tw o outdoor
arenas, pasture, old corn crib, fenced barnyard, all located on east side of 191 Franklin Farm
Lane, Chambersburg, PA 17202.
Amendment to the IMPACT! Grant contract dated March 10, 2023, between the County
of Franklin and Luminest, Inc. The end date of the contract is amended to June 30, 2027. All
other terms and conditions of the original contract remain in full force and effect.
Amendment to the agreement between the County of Franklin and Acadia Healthcare for
Substance Use and Mental Health Services. This contract allows the Good Wolf Treatment
Court (GWTC) grant to provide funding for GWTC participants who are utilizing their s ervices for
mandated treatment. This contract minimizes costs for participants and supports their recovery
and success in the program. The original encumbrances agreed upon in the original contract
are not changing, therefore no additional amount is set fo r the funding source. All costs come
directly from the BJA Treatment Court Grant.
Amendment to the agreement between the County of Franklin and Pyramid Healthcare
for Substance Use and Mental Health Services. This contract allows the Good Wolf Treatment
Court (GWTC) grant to provide funding for GWTC participants who are utilizing their services for
mandated treatment. This contract minimizes costs for participants and supports their recovery
and success in the program. The original encumbrances agreed upon in the original contract
are not changing, therefore no additional amount is set for the fundin g source. All costs come
directly from the BJA Treatment Court Grant.
Amendment to the agreement between the County of Franklin and getResQ911, for the
Pennsylvania State Police Commonwealth Law Enforcement Assistance Network (CLEAN)
Administration approved process based upon the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services
S ecurity Policy (CJISSECPOL) Version 6.1, which allows contracted dispatchers to access
Criminal Justice Information (CJI) while performing duties for our 911 Center. There is no
change in the cost of this contract.
Agreement between the County of Franklin and Progressive Casualty Insurance
Company for a settlement in the amount of $21,781.39, for a Franklin County HazMat mitigation
as a result of an incident on Interstate 81 involving two tractors and trailers that h ad collided.
Fiscal year 2025-2026 fourth quarter report on the income and expenditures for the
Children and Youth program. Expenditures for the fourth quarter totaled $3,756,861.00 resulting
in a required county local share totaling $954,046.00. This will be paid by t he General Fund.
Renewal application between the County of Franklin and PA Department of Labor &
Industry Bureau of Workers' Compensation to continue self-insured workers' compensation
employer status with the PA Department of Labor & Industry. Information within the appli cation
has been revised and updated from previous years to include updated building locations and
employee counts, as well as updated expenses and claims data provided by our third-party
administrator, Inservco Insurance Service, Inc. Information collected from Fiscal audits/report
and actuarial audits are requested by the State in part with this renewal and provided as
attachments within the application at a cost of $100.00. This will be paid by the Worker's Comp
fund.
The Board reviewed regular agenda items. County Administrator Carrie Gray provided a
high-level overview of each of the actions.
Last week t he Board opened bids for the Delivery and Pick Up of Election Equipment
and Supplies. Ms. Gray introduced Director of Procurement Robin Harmon and Director of
Elections Susan Christophel to present the recommendation for the award. Ms. Harmon stated
that last week was the bid opening with one bid. She stated Ramar Moving Systems was the
lowest responsive bid at $24,600.00. Late yesterday they reached out with an objection to the
letter of credit in the amount of $12,000.00. Ms. Harmon stated we had d one this with the
previous company. She recommend ed Ramar Moving Systems for award with the removal of
the letter of credit. Commissioner Horst asked if she was okay with removing the requirement.
Ms. Harmon stated it was an extra safety net that had never been executed before and she
Dean A. Horst; the Board unanimously approved the bid award.
Human Resources Director Tiffany Bloyer presented the Employee of the Month for
August. The Franklin County Commissioners, on behalf of the STAR (Special Thanks And
Recognition) Committee proudly presents the Employee of the Month award to Kimberly Kulpak.
Ms. Kulpak has been employed with Franklin County since June of 2015. She currently serves
as the First Deputy in the Clerk of Courts. The selection for the September 2026 Employee of
the Month was determined by the STAR Committee. There were eight nominations, one of
which was for Ms. Kulpak.
Clerk of Court s Todd Rock reflected on the transition within the department. He noted
that approximately a year prior, his F irst D eputy had informed him of her intention to retire,
which prompted him to con sider succession planning. Upon realizing the urgency, he identified
Ms. Kulpak as the next in line, despite her not being a veteran in the role. Although Ms. Kulpak
had eight years of experience, Mr. Rock felt that this was not extensive for the position of F irst
D eputy. Consequently, Ms. Kulpak underwent a rapid training program, after which she
assumed the role independently following Dottie's departure. He likened the department to a
sports team, describing himself as the general manager responsible for selecting the right
coach. He affirmed that Ms. Kulpak was chosen to coach the rest of the team and emphasized
that the absence of negative feedback indicated smooth operations, especially given their
responsibility for the Criminal Court. He stressed the importance of their work and commended
Ms. Kulpak for her effective leadership and teamwork. Mr. Rock concluded by congratulating
Ms. Kulpak for her excellent performance and acknowledged the quality of the written summary
about her, stating that it captured the essence of her contributions.
Commissioner Horst expressed appreciation for the office staff, noting that during visits
to the office, Ms. Kulpak was consistently among the first to greet him. He observed that she
always maintained a cheerful demeanor and a welcoming smile. He remarked that it was
evident she managed the office effectively and commended her for doing an excellent job. He
concluded by congratulating Ms. Kulpak on her performance.
Commissioner Ziobrowski acknowledged the essential role of C hief D eputies within the
County and he remarked that C hief D eputies contributed to the timely functioning of County
processes and helped E lected O fficials maintain a positive reputation. Commissioner Ziobrowski
thanked Ms. Kulpak for performing her duties exceptionally well and encouraged her to continue
the good work.
The Board reviewed Proclamation #2026-23 for the purpose of proclaiming September
Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Community Relations Manager Roxann Miller from
Women In Need addressed the Board and explained that victim services provided support to
victims and their families of sexual assault and domestic violence in Franklin and Fulton
C ounties. Ms. Miller thanked the Board for the opportunity to speak and announced that, with
October approaching, the team planned to hang ribbons in downtown Chambersburg and
Greencastle to show support for survivors and victims of domestic violence. She highligh ted the
prevalence of domestic violence, noting that it affected one in four women and one in seven
national day of advocacy, by wearing purple on October 15th. She concluded by expressing
gratitude for the chance to speak on this important issue.
Commissioner Horst welcomed attendees and expressed appreciation for their
presence. He thanked the community relations team for their contributions, specifically
referencing the statistics shared regarding the prevalence of domestic violence, which he fou nd
particularly striking and disturbing. He emphasized the importance of having dedicated
individuals in the community to provide support and expressed gratitude for their efforts. He
then read the proclamation, and it was made a part of these minutes. O n a motion by Robert G.
Ziobrowski; Seconded by Dean A. Horst; the Board unanimously approved the proclamation.
Ms. Gray introduced Executive Director of the Tuscarora Managed Care Alliance
(TMCA) Genevieve Harper to present the reinvestment program to keep everyone well
acquainted with emerging trends, topics of interest and any concerns they may have. Her
Commissioner Horst commended the staff for their excellent work and thanked them for
their contributions to the community. He acknowledged that the staff effectively addressed
important needs within the community and expressed appreciation for their effort s. He also
inquired about the financial impact of the 3% capitation mentioned at the beginning of the
discussion, asking for clarification regarding the dollar amount involved. Ms. Harper reported
that, since 2015, the County had spent just over $4 million. For the current year, from January to
the pr esent, expenditures totaled approximately $428,000.00.
Commissioner Ziobrowski commended the staff for their excellent work. He observed
that, in many Human Services and TMCA programs, efforts often focused on addressing
symptoms rather than root causes. He expressed enthusiasm that much of the work described,
particularly the parent-child interactive therapy, targeted the underlying issues. He noted that
this therapy required significant emotional investment from all parties and had the potential to
create lasting change, reducing the need to address symptoms later. He thanked Ms. Harper
and the team for their dedication to addressing root causes and for their valuable contributions.
Ms. Gray introduced Fiscal Director Janelle Friese and Chief Financial Officer Teresa
se minutes.
Ms. Beckner presented the 2027 preliminary General Fund budget, noting the continued
use of target-based budgeting. Departments received spending targets based on historical
costs, with supplemental requests to be considered separately. She requested Board direction
on funding for these requests.
Commissioner Horst raised concerns about losing unspent funds. Ms. Beckner
explained that departments received funding for essential services, with flexibility for
supplemental requests if needs changed.
Ms. Friese reported 2026 projections: $59 million in revenue, $57.3 million in
expenditures, and a $1.7 million reserve contribution. Higher-than-expected revenue led to
outperforming the budget. Unassigned reserves were projected at $16.6 million for 2027. The
2027 preliminary budget included $59.1 million in revenue and $60.5 million in expenditures,
with no tax increase. Transfers of $6.2 million supported mandated programs, mainly Human
Services and Children and Youth Services, when outside funding was insufficient.
Ms. Beckner noted that $6.2 million in General Fund support, about 15% of property tax
millage, was allocated to mandated programs outside the General Fund.
Ms. Friese summarized that the 2027 budget projected a $1.4 million shortfall to be
covered by reserves, with $15.1 million in unassigned reserves at year-end.
Ms. Beckner explained that reserves would cover about 91 days of operating expenses,
on supplemental funding.
Commissioner Horst thanked department heads, e lected o fficials and f iscal staff for their
fiscal responsibility and successful implementation of target-based budgeting. He appreciated
their efforts and asked about the estimated increase in health insurance costs. Ms. Friese stated
that the preliminary budget estimated a 35% increase in health insurance premiums compared
to 2026, with final figures still being determined.
Commissioner Horst asked if there were reasons, beyond state mandates, for the large
transfers to Children and Youth Services, and whether matching funds contributed to this. Ms.
Beckner confirmed that matching funds were a critical factor in Children and Youth Service s
transfers. She explained that services were mandated, with some requiring a 20% or 40%
match, and that the C ounty covered costs not funded by the state directly with taxpayer dollars.
Commissioner Ziobrowski noted that a 35% increase in health insurance costs was not
unique to the C ounty, as similar increases were being experienced by other governmental
agencies and private organizations. He asked staff to elaborate on this trend. Ms. Gray
confirmed that the 35% health insurance increase was consistent with trends seen in other
count ies and private organizations. She explained that the end of a three-year contract cycle
typically resulted in larger premium increases also, as observed both intern ally and in
conversations with other business leaders.
Commissioner Horst asked when Fiscal need s to know the Supplemental Funding
number. Ms. Beckner stated they would like to get that number from the Board in the next week
or two if possible.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:58 a.m. o n a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski;
Seconded by Dean A. Horst.
Carrie E. Gray
County Administrator/Chief Clerk
FRANKLIN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
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Dean A. Horst, Chairman
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John T. Flannery
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Robert G. Ziobrowski
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