HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-09-10 Commissioner Minutes
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2013
The Franklin County Commissioners met Tuesday, September 10, 2013, with the
following members present: David S. Keller, Robert L. Thomas and Robert G.
Ziobrowski. Chairman Keller presided and after calling the meeting to order, a Moment
of Silence, and the Pledge of Allegiance proceeded with the business of the day.
Everyone in attendance gave Commissioner Thomas a standing ovation for his
return to the Boardroom.
Chairman Keller asked to include Chairman’s time to provide a brief update on
the potential sale of the Falling Spring Nursing Home. On a motion by Robert G.
Ziobrowski; seconded by Robert L. Thomas; unanimously approved to adopt the
amended agenda.
Chairman Keller said Commissioners Ziobrowski and Keller, John Hart, Carrie
Gray and six nursing home employees visited two facilities per firm each owned and
operated by Transition Healthcare and MidAtlantic Healthcare last Wednesday and
Thursday. They returned at 7 PM on Thursday and convened with all those who
visited the facilities during lunch on Friday where Falling Spring nursing staff shared their
observations with the board while fresh in their minds. Today the Board will have an
executive session to review those observations and to update Commissioner Thomas on
the visits.
Kim Wertz provided public comment concerning the executive session that is to
be held today. She said Allen Piper stated that the County is in violation of executive
session according to the Sunshine Act. They have a right as citizens to hear everything
and none of this discussion should be in executive session. Ms. Wertz said our founding
fathers would never do this, they founded the Country on two things: Freedom of
religion and freedom of politics. As far as she is concerned the Board is not
representing them.
The minutes of September 3, 2013 and September 5, 2013 meetings were
reviewed. These will be approved Thursday, September 12, 2013.
The Board reviewed Agreements, Contracts and Reports. Commissioner
Thomas asked for a brief description of the two GIS items on the board action listing.
John Hart, County Administrator explained item #4 is sharing data with Adams Electric
and will add another layer to the County’s GIS mapping. He explained item #5 with
Here Global B.V. is for centerline data that is used in GPS systems in cars. We are
selling this data to this company for $200. In the future may take approach to share data
back and forth with them. The following items were approved today and the remainder
items will be approved Thursday, September 12, 2013.
The Board reviewed Courts matters. On a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski;
seconded by Robert L. Thomas; unanimously approved the agreement between the
County of Franklin and Haydee Greene to provide English – Spanish Interpreter and
translator services for the Courts and other county offices at a cost of $45.00 per hour
for the period of January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2013.
Continued on page 2
The Board reviewed Grants matters. On a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski;
seconded by Robert L. Thomas; unanimously approved for the Chairman of the Board to
execute the contract between County of Franklin and Pest Patrol, LLC to treat a minor
bedbug infestation for the Forensic Housing apartment, maintained by the Franklin
County Offender RE-entry Initiative for a one-time cost of $1,495.00.
The Board considered adoption of the Municipal Solid Waste Management Plan.
Phil Tarquino, Planning Director, Sherri Clayton, Planner and Tim Cormany from Martin
and Martin were present. Mr. Cormany said the County held a public hearing on March
th
28 and had a number of people attend that meeting that had comments. After that
meeting there was a meeting with the Solid Waste Advisory Committee and took
comments from the committee and made revisions to the draft plan. The plan was sent
to Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and received approval from them to
move forward. Mr. Cormany said once action is taken to formally adopt the plan, the
Planning staff will forward the plan to all municipalities in the county and the States’
requirement is to have at least 50% of the municipalities’ acceptance to ratify the plan.
They have 90 days to respond, which would put timeframe at mid December. Mr.
Cormany would then send plan to DEP who has 30 days to approve the plan. He asked
the Board to execute the agreements with eleven different disposal companies who will
guarantee to have disposal capacity available for the next 10 years. Those agreements
would become effective once DEP approves the plan so it would be January when they
take effect. Chairman Keller said he assumes there is no change of money involved
with the agreements with the disposal companies and Mr. Cormany confirmed that the
nature of the contracts is to show interest in being part of this plan and that they can
handle waste. They will be permitted to accept trash in Franklin County. Plan also
shows how they will handle recycling in the future. Commissioner Thomas said it was
hard to get information from the disposal companies in the past because the companies
said the forms were too difficult to fill out. Sherri Clayton responded that Planning
simplified the process. Mr. Cormany said the county was close to recycling 25% of its
municipal waste before but the hope is to increase by 10% in near future. Chairman
Keller asked Mr. Cormany to highlight changes DEP suggested. Mr. Cormany
responded that they wanted to know what were the county’s selection criteria – only
selection criteria was to receive a Request For Proposal (RFP). DEP also wanted
details of how could get close to 35% goal for recycling.
On a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski; seconded by Robert L. Thomas;
unanimously approved resolution #2013 – 11 which is attached and made a part of
these minutes for the purpose of adopting the 2013 Revised Municipal Solid Waste
Management Plan for Franklin County pursuant to the requirements of Section 501 of
the Pennsylvania Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act of
1988 (Act 101).
On a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski; seconded by Robert L. Thomas;
unanimously approved municipal waste disposal service contracts with the following
disposal companies: Blue Ridge Landfill – IESI; Community Refuse Service, Inc. –
IWS; Conestoga Landfill-New Morgan Landfill; Grand Central Sanitary Landfill; Modern
Landfill - Republic Services of PA; Mostoller Landfill, Inc.; Mountainview Landfill; Shade
Landfill; Waste Management Disposal Services of PA, Inc. - Mountain View
Reclamation; Western Berks Landfill Acquisition – IWS; and WSI Sandy Run Landfill.
Continued on page 3
On a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski; seconded by Robert L. Thomas;
unanimously approved to enter an executive session at 10:17 a.m. this date for the
purpose to review nursing home proposals. Chairman Keller clarifed that he talked to
the County Solicitor and based on her review it is a reasonable and commonsense
interpretation of Sunshine Law executive session provision to discuss the sale or
purchase of real estate in executive session. The Board reconvened into regular
session at 11:55 a.m. No action was required after executive session. Chairman Keller
stated that staff will follow up with the consultant to further research questions from the
Board and conduct further due diligence in working toward a final decision regarding the
nursing home.
The Board recessed at 11:55 a.m. and will reconvene at 1:30 p.m.
The Board held a Franklin County Retirement Board meeting. Commissioner
Thomas was not in attendance for the Retirement Board meeting.
Michael Shone, Peirce Park Group President, met with the Board to provide a
report of the Franklin County Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) Fund. Mr.
Shone reported that the fund in the second quarter net gain was $95,000.00 for a year to
date total of $612,000.00. Mr. Shone asked the Board to approve an addendum to the
OPEB Investment Policy Statement (dated November, 2011) to change International
Equity Benchmark from MSCI EAFE (NET) to MSCI ACWI Ex US (NET), effective
September 10, 2013. On a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski; seconded by David S.
Keller; unanimously approved the addendum.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:18 a.m. with a motion by Robert G. Ziobrowski;
seconded by David S. Keller.
FRANKLIN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS