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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-04-15 Commissioner Minutes Wednesday, April 15, 2026 The Franklin County Commissioners met on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, with the following members present: John T. Flannery, and Robert G. Ziobrowski. Commissioner Flannery stated that Chairman Horst would not be joining today due to another commitment. He 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. There was public comment from Communications Coordinator Sheena Baker on the Data Center Amendment. She reported that since the April 1 hearing, the county had received 12 additional public comments on the Data Center Amendment, bringing the total to 90. She summarized the feedback, noting that many commenters urged the commissioners to vote no and stop data centers from coming. She explained that residents had expressed concerns about water usage, environmental impacts, and strain on the power supply. She also mentioned that a few commenters felt the proposed revisions did not go far enough regarding solar requirements and onsite power generation. Commissioner Flannery stated that there is another public meetingin the evening on April 28th at 6:00 p.m. There was public comment from Valerie Jordan. Ms. Jordan stated that she had returned to comment on AI data centers after conducting additional research. She referenced and agreed with remarks made by conservative radio host Michele Jansen, who warned that the growing energy demands of AI made rising electricity costs inevitable and not the fault of local municipalities. Ms woman who paid $700.00 while her own bill was only $9.00 due to solar panels. She also cited information indicating that using 100% renewable energy for AI data centers was an important longterm goal but faced challenges due to intermittency and the need for storage or hybrid systems. Ms. Jordan pointed out that, as of early 2026, Clearfield County and Pennsylvania regulators were already developing guidelines for AI data centers with a focus on onsite power generation and environmental impacts. Ms. Jordan questioned why Franklin County had not ordinance originated, noting that it appeared suddenly on the agenda. She referenced other counties, such as Chester and Montgomery, that had created comprehensive guides on AI data centers and said she would provide their resources. She asked why the ordinance was being rushed when 156,000 residents lived and worked in the county and requested transparency about whether any AI data center businesses were already approaching the county. Commissioner Flannery responded by stating that he had not received any requests from companies seeking to bring a data center to Franklin County and had heard nothing indicating that the commissioners were not trying to rush anything but were attempting to stay ahead of potential issues and place reasonable restrictions where possible. He emphasized that their authority was limited because the county was not a regulatory body. Commissioner Flannery noted that meaningful changes related to data centers would come from state legislation. He said he was aware of two bills currently addressing data centers, though he did not know their details. He added that these bills did not include a ban and did not grant counties the authority to prohibit data centers from locating in Franklin County. On a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski; Seconded by John T. Flannery; the Board unanimously approved to adopt the consent agenda. Minutes from April 8, 2026. Vouchers in the amount of $544,187.59. Lease Agreement between the County of Franklin and Rodney C. Mose & Cindee L Mose for the HUD Permanent Supportive Housing Lease Program that covers a participant's total rent plus any landlord-covered utilities at a cost of $9,600.00 for the period of April 1, 2026, through April 1, 2027. The County holds the Lease with the landlord and the participant subleases from the County. Program participants are responsible for a portion of their rent and all utilities that are not included in the lease. Rent and utilities cannot exceed 30% of their adjusted gross income. Participants are linked with Supportive Services and case management to assist them with maintaining permanent stable housing. This will be paid from the HUD grant. Grant award in the amount of $184,475.00 from Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. Franklin County was awarded one out of 23 total competitive, federal awards through the FY 2024 Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program funds. Funding will be used to enhance Crisis Intervention Team training through refresher trainings and a customized train- the-trainer program for trauma informed care. In addition, funding will be used to provide three 2-day workshop trainings for our local and surrounding communities' 911 telecommunicators with a program called Deadly Calls and Fatal Encounters. There is no match required for the County. Purchase Order from APR Supply Co for the purchase and replacement of existing HVAC pumps and motors that circulate chilled water throughout the jail facility. The current pumps and motors are original to the building and have reached the end of their operational life. These replacements are necessary to maintain reliable cooling performance, improve system efficiency, and reduce the risk of equipment failure at a cost of $14,909.47. This will be paid by the General Fund. The Board reviewed regular agenda items. The Board reviewed Proclamation #2026-09 for the purpose of proclaiming Crime Victims Rights Week April 19 to 25. District Attorney Ian Brink Rights Week was especially meaningful because his office worked with crime victims on a daily basis. He emphasized that victims never expected to become victims and that the experience often devastated their lives, forcing them to change how they lived and how they felt about their own safety. He gave examples, noting that people whose homes had been broken into no longer felt secure, and victims of domestic violence often did not know where to turn for help. DA Brink stressed the importance of having strong resources available, not only within his office but also across other agencies that support victims, because victims frequently felt lost after their world had been turned upside down. He said the proclamation recognizing crime victims was important because it acknowledged both what victims endured and what they needed to rebuild their lives. He also pointed out that the justice system often focused heavily on offenders, including efforts to rehabilitate them, which required significant funding. Meanwhile, victims were not consistently present in court, were not ordered to participate in programs, and could easily become overlooked. DA Brink urged the county to continue supporting organizations that assist victims, noting that financial support was often the most effective way to ensure those services remained available. DA Brink added that the victim advocates his office worked with had been outstanding. He said they consistently tried to connect victims with whatever assistance they needed to move forward, noting that every victim came to them from a different place and required different types of support. Commissioner Flannery said that crime victims were not often heard from and that, in his role as a county commissioner, he typically heard far more about offenders, their rehabilitation, reentry programs, and efforts to help them return to being functioning, positive members of society. He noted that crime victims, by contrast, did not receive the same level of attention, even though they had not chosen or experiences were not addressed as much as they could be. He said the proclamation victims endured. He agreed with the district attorney that there was likely more the county could do to support victims. Commissioner Ziobrowski stated that he agreed with Commissioner Flannery and DA Brink. Unfortunately, crime victims are victimized twice, first by the crime and then by being forgotten. He was glad to have the opportunity to remember the victims. Commissioner Flannery read the proclamation which 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. Commissioner Flannery introduced Mosquito and Tick-borne disease control specialist Jason Goetz to present the Mosquito program to keep everyone well acquainted with the different programs with their emerging trends, topics of interest and any concerns they may have. His presentation was made a part of these minutes. Commissioner Flannery said he had a question as the county moved into summer, noting that many people would be going on vacation, whether camping in the woods or spending time at the beach, where mosquitoes could be a problem. He asked for recommendations on the best forms of personal protection and whether certain methods worked better than others, particularly for people camping in wooded areas. Mr. Goetz recommended using a permethrinbased product, such as the commonly available Sawyer brand for tick protection. For mosquitoes, he advised two approaches: when someone was stationary at a campsite, he said a Thermacell device worked very well by heating a pad containing a pyrethroid to create a roughly tenfoot protective zone that mosquitoes would not enter. When people were walking or otherwise not stationary, he recommended traditional bug sprays, especially those containing DEET. He noted that some natural products, such as eucalyptus or lemon oil formulations, were available and somewhat effective, though research showed they were not as effective as DEET. He added that these natural options might still work for some individuals.Commissioner Ziobrowskiasked for more information about mosquitoes hunting carbon dioxide. Mr. Goetzexplained that mosquitoes used several methods to locate hosts, with carbon dioxide being one of the primary cues. As people exhaled carbon dioxide, mosquitoes were attracted to it because it signaled a potential source for a blood meal. He added that mosquitoes also tracked pheromones and other scents released by humans.Mr. Goetz described how their mosquito traps worked, noting that one type, an ABG trap combined with a light trap, used dry ice in a canister to release carbon dioxideas bait. The trap also included a tube that emitted a scent resembling bovine sweat, and the combination of these attractants helped draw mosquitoes into the trap.Commissioner Ziobrowski asked a followup question, noting the earlier mention of bovinerelated attractants. He asked whether birds experienced the same level of discomfort from mosquitoes as people did, and whether there was any way to sense or understand how birds reacted to mosquito activity or if they simply ignored them.MR. Goetz said he was not completely certain, but he believed that most animal species were bothered by biting flies, ticks, and mosquitoes. He noted that observing animals such as whitetailed deer or cattle made this clear, as they constantly swished their tails to keep insects away. He concluded that mosquitoes likely bothered birds and other animals to some degree as well. The meeting was adjourned at 10:41a.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 *May be assisted by Copilot