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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-03-05_Commissioners' Minutes No. 1225_APPROVED2739 MINUTE BOOK BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLANIA IMR..LIM.I7LU_ L 18Q84Q1.KV_ Minute No. 1225 March 5, 2026 The Washington County Commissioners met in regular session in Public Meeting Room G-16, at the Crossroads Center at 95 West Beau Street, Washington, PA, with the following members in attendance: Commissioners Nick Sherman, Electra Janis and Larry Maggi. Also present were: Solicitor Gary Sweat; County Administrator Daryl Price; Chief Clerk Cindy Griffin; Public Affairs Director Nicole Ford; Administrative Assistants Debbie Corson, Heather Wilhelm and Randi Marodi; Veterans Affairs Director Michael Pierce; Pastor Aaron Miller from Life Church of Washington; US Army Veteran Pvt. 2nd Class Jon Messmer; Human Services Administrator Dr. John Tamiggi and Deputy Administrator Tiffany Milovac; Prothonotary Laura Hough; Clerk of Courts Ray Phillips; Human Resources Director Andrea Johnston; Finance Director Adam Pettis; Sheriff Anthony Andronas and Deputy Sheriff Anthony Mosco; )TPA Journalist Joe Jasek; Canon -McMillan Competitive Cheer Team (Camryn Loebig, Sydney Klasnick, Avery MacEachern, Carly Conley, Ava Jarecki, Ryann Drazick, Reagan Drazick, Matilda Houser, Brynn Piatt, Ava Mary, Jocelyn Petras, Bella Keefer, Kaylin Hajdu, Avery Masci and Cheer Coach Paige Linnert); and residents Robert Kalakenich, Jr., William Hiles, Jonathan Bedillion and Laura Dieterle. Mr. Sherman called the meeting to order at approximately 10:06 a.m. and announced the meeting was being video and audio live -streamed via the Commissioners' YouTube channel. Mr. Sherman introduced Pastor Aaron Miller from Life Church of Washington, who led the meeting in prayer. Mr. Maggi introduced US Army Veteran Pvt. 2nd Class Jon Messmer of Washington, who led the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Sherman entertained a motion to approve Minutes No. 1224, dated February 19, 2026. Moved by Ms. Janis: seconded by Mr. Maggi, approving Minutes No. 1224, as written. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS Ms. Janis read a Certificate of Recognition from the Board to the Canon McMillan Competitive Cheer team and coaches for their championship title in the WPIAL and PIAA 3A Small Varsity cheer competition. Each girl came up and received their personalized Certificate from the Board. Members of the Canon -McMillan Competitive Cheer Team (Camryn Loebig, Sydney Klasnick, Avery MacEachern, Carly Conley, Ava Jarecki, Ryann Drazick, Reagan Drazick, Matilda Houser, Brynn Piatt, Ava Mary, Jocelyn Petras, Bella Keefer, Kaylin Hajdu, Avery Masci and Cheer Coach Paige Linnert) were recognized for their historic achievement in winning the PIAA State Championship. Mr. Sherman welcomed the team and congratulated them on their accomplishments, noting that the Board was pleased to recognize them with a special certificate and commending the athletes for representing Canon -McMillan and Washington County with pride. Mr. Maggi also congratulated the team and commended the athletes for their dedication, athletic ability and the demanding nature of the sport. Cheerleader Sydney Klasnick addressed the Board, noting that the program was formed in late August, months after many competing teams had begun their seasons, and still went on to win the WPIAL 3A Small Varsity title. This team also earned its first -ever bid to the state championship, advancing to the finals, and ultimately securing the PIAA State Championship, earning the highest overall score in the competition. Ms. Klasnick thanked the team's coaches, parents and school for their support. Board members congratulated the team on their accomplishment and encouraged the athletes to carry the lessons of teamwork and perseverance with them into the future. 2740 MINUTE BOOK BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLANIA _ _ IMF3_LIMII�U_ 1=]fll]t34E]i1CY AGENDA COMMENTS None. COMMISSIONERS' RESPONSE None. OLD BUSINESS Solicitor Sweat, on behalf of Purchasing and Children & Youth Services, recommended the Board approve a CYS furniture purchase from contract vendor TriState Office Furniture Inc. (McKees Rocks, PA), at a cost of $58,178.70. Costs will come from ACT 148 monies. Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Solicitor Sweat, on behalf of Purchasing, recommended the Board approve the proposed work on the ramp and door for the 911 Annex with StoneMile Group, Inc. (Canonsburg, PA) at a cost of $48,430, which will be funded from the 2024 GO Bond. • Construction of a new exterior deck • Installation of new railing • Installation of a new exterior door • Construction of a new concrete access ramp Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Solicitor Sweat, on behalf of Purchasing and Corrections, recommended the Board approve a Work Order with McVehil Plumbing, Heating & Supply Co., Inc. (Washington, PA), for engineering, fabrication and installation of new exhaust ductwork, inline booster fans, testing and commissioning as specified by the engineer's design. Costs will be $57,783 and will be paid with insurance monies. Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. 2741 MINUTE BOOK BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLANIA NEW BUSINESS Chief Clerk presented to the Board for their consideration and approval, the appointment of William Evans to the SWPA Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council. Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Chief Clerk presented to the Board for their consideration and approval, the adoption of a resolution appointing Dan Harvey as the Project Officer/Designated Agent for the Washington County HMGP Hazard Mitigation Planning process. This approval also designates Mr. Harvey as the signatory on all documents on behalf of the County. Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Chief Clerk, on behalf of the Courts, presented to the Board for their consideration and approval, an agreement with Attorney Harrison P. Graydon for representation of post -conviction relief (PCRA) filings, as determined by the Courts. The cost will be $50,000/year, effective January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026, and continue year-to-year, unless otherwise terminated pursuant to a 60-day written notice. Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Chief Clerk presented to the Board for their consideration and approval, an agreement with Attorney Frank Arcuri to provide solicitor services for the Prothonotary's office. This agreement is in the amount of $200/month, will be effective March 1, 2026, and shall be continuous until terminated by either party with a 30-day written notice. Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Chief Clerk, on behalf of the Coroner, presented to the Board for their consideration and approval, the cost of training and all travel related fees, within the rules of the county's travel policy, for Deputy Coroner/Solicitor Tim Uhrich to attend a seminar on April 12, 2026 through April 16, 2026 in State College, PA. The cost of the seminar is $350 and will be paid from the Coroner's operating budget. Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. 2742 MINUTE BOOK BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS �I'm InW1lTI10am a�fTo-TTIM @J WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLANIA Chief Clerk, on behalf of the Planning Commission, presented to the Board for their consideration and approval, the signing and acknowledging receipt of the Chartiers No. 64 Bridge Project Rights -of -Way Plan. This document will be used to identify any needed rights -of -way in the vicinity of the bridge project. Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Chief Clerk, on behalf of Finance and Human Services, presented to the Board for their consideration and approval, a renewal agreement with SPHS Connect, Inc. for permanent housing services to eligible homeless individuals and families. This agreement is in the amount of $49,000, effective January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026, and includes unreimbursed expenses for December 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025. Costs will be paid with Act 13 funds. Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Chief Clerk, on behalf of Children & Youth Services, presented to the Board for their consideration and approval, a provider agreement with Family Pathways for continued foster care placement for the period of July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. The contract authorization amount is $50,000, and no additional county funds are required. Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Chief Clerk, on behalf of Children & Youth Services, presented to the Board for their consideration and approval, a provider agreement addendum with Perseus House for residential treatment services for the period of July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. The contract authorization amount will be increased from $200,000 to $450,000, and no additional county funds are required. Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Chief Clerk, on behalf of Children & Youth Services, presented to the Board for their consideration and approval, a provider agreement with CSI Corporate Security and Investigations, Inc., to conduct investigations to locate missing, abducted, or runaway youth for the period of July 1, 2025 through January 31, 2026. The contract authorization amount is $90,000, and no additional county funds are required. Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. 2743 MINUTE BOOK BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLANIA Chief Clerk, on behalf of Human Services, presented to the Board for their consideration and approval, a provider agreement with MINC for the annual maintenance, hosting and domain services for the Human Services website. The term of the agreement is January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026, in the amount of $5,500, and no additional county funds are required. Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Chief Clerk, on behalf of Human Services, presented to the Board for their consideration and approval, the statewide Local Share Assessment funding in the amount of $240,000 for building acquisition costs to be utilized for purposes of the Mon Valley Wellness Center, and designate Administrator John Tamiggi and Deputy Administrator Tiffany Milovac as the officials to submit, administer, and execute all related documents to the Commonwealth Financing Authority on behalf of the county. Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Chief Clerk, on behalf of Purchasing and Buildings & Grounds, presented to the Board for their consideration and approval, the authorization of the advertising for proposals for design build services for repairs to the A -Level parking garage. Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Chief Clerk, on behalf of Purchasing and Court Administration, presented to the Board for their consideration and approval, the authorization of the advertising for proposals for office space for MDJ Kanalis (27-3-03). Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Chief Clerk, on behalf of Purchasing, presented to the Board for their consideration and approval, the formalization for the termination of the lease agreement with Danaus Plexippus for MDJ Porter (27-1-03). Termination will be effective February 21, 2026, in accordance with the agreement's 15-day notice clause and therefore, decline the final extension option. Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. r MINUTE BOOK BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLANIA Chief Clerk, on behalf of Purchasing, presented to the Board for their consideration and approval, a 6-month relocation lease agreement with Comprehensive Community Services, Inc. for MDJ Porter (27-1-3), in the amount of $14,207.20. This agreement will be effective February 6, 2026 through August 31, 2026, unless otherwise terminated pursuant to a 60-day written notice. Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. Chief Clerk, on behalf of Purchasing and the Planning Commission, presented to the Board for their consideration and approval, a purchase from Woltz and Wind Ford for a 2026 Ford F-350 diesel truck with equipment upfit for use throughout county parks. The cost will be $114,799.25, will be purchased via COSTARS 25 and, therefore, does not require bidding, and will be paid via gas and oil funds. Moved by Ms. Janis; seconded by Mr. Maggi. Roll call vote taken: Mr. Maggi — Yes; Ms. Janis — Yes; Mr. Sherman — Yes. Motion carried unanimously. PUBLIC COMMENTS Jajuan Golden, a Washington resident in recovery, shared his personal experience of receiving services through the Washington Drug and Alcohol Commission (WDAC). He credited the agency and its staff with providing critical support, resources and guidance during his transition from treatment to independent living. He stated that WDAC plays a significant role in his continued recovery and personal stability. Robert Kalakenich, Jr. of Washington stated that he and his wife had, on February 17, 2026, witnessed raised voices coming from a back office in the Register of Wills Office. He said they observed two visibly upset, female employees leave the room. He stated that he believes the individual speaking to them was Register of Wills James Roman. Mr. Kalakenich described the language used as degrading and inappropriate. He expressed concern about what he characterized as a hostile work environment and stated that, in his opinion, there should be accountability for such behavior. He indicated that he did not know any of the employees involved but felt compelled to bring the matter to the Board's attention. He requested his concern be placed on the public record. Mr. Sherman noted that the Board does not have the authority to discipline or remove another elected county official. Solicitor Sweat further stated for the record that the complaints had been referred to the County Human Resources Department and the county's labor attorney, who are reviewing the matter, interviewing individuals, and would prepare a response or report. William Hiles of California spoke about his personal experience with substance use and recovery. He credited the services provided through Washington County Drug and Alcohol Commission (WDAC) with helping him obtain treatment. He stated that after initially lacking funding to remain in a rehabilitation program, the county agency assisted him in receiving support that allowed him to complete treatment and transition to a halfway house. Mr. Hiles said the assistance he received enabled him to rebuild his life and become a productive member of society. He expressed support for WDAC and voiced concern that changes to the structure of the program, including the creation of a single county authority, could jeopardize services for those residents seeking help with addiction. 2745 MINUTE BOOK BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLANIA Jonathan Bedillion of Claysville identified himself as a lifelong resident, farmer and taxpayer. He stated he was speaking as a concerned citizen regarding the reported misallocation of opioid settlement funds currently under investigation. Mr. Bedillion asked how the situation occurred, whether corrective actions would be taken and how any improperly used funds would be repaid. He also questioned whether taxpayers could ultimately bear the financial burden if repayment is required. Mr. Bedillion encouraged transparency, accountability and responsible management of public funds to maintain public trust. Laura Dieterle, Director of Clinical and Case Management Services at WDAC, stated that the Pennsylvania Opioid Abatement Trust previously determined that eight grants totaling more than $430,000 were non -compliant with settlement guidelines and that an additional nine grants totaling nearly $950,000 were under review. Ms. Dieterle noted that an appeal hearing was scheduled for March 13 to determine whether the questioned grants would ultimately be deemed non -compliant and whether the county would be required to repay the funds. She expressed concern that potential repayment could place a financial burden on county taxpayers. Ms. Dieterle also raised concerns about transparency in the grant approval process and the selection of members for the opioid settlement review board. She urged greater oversight, transparency and collaboration with subject -matter experts when allocating settlement funds intended to address addiction and recovery services. COMMISSIONERS' RESPONSE None. SOLICITOR'S REPORT None. ANNOUNCEMENTS An executive session was held at the end of the Agenda meeting on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 to discuss litigation and personnel. Today's Salary Board has been canceled. The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Commissioners will convene at 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, 2026, in this room, followed by the Salary Board. There being no further business, Mr. Sherman declared the meeting adjourned at approximately 10:45 a.m. THE FOREGOING MINUTES WERE SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL: o� 12026 ATTEST:vvrc�c�c��- CHIEF CLERK