Commissioners OK 10 resolutions and 14 awards of contract
NORRISTOWN >> February’s first Montgomery County Commissioner’s meeting began with announcements regarding the Overdose Awareness Billboard Competition.
Commissioners’ Chairwoman Val Arkoosh took time before the meeting to announces the opening of the voting period for the county’s billboard contest. The contest features artwork submitted by Montgomery County High School students. The selected work will be displayed on Clear Channel digital billboards throughout Montgomery County from April 1 thru June 30.
“This year we have gotten some really incredible entries into the contest and now it is open for the public to vote so we want to encourage everybody to vote on their favorite billboard. By
favorite I mean, the one you think would have the most impact. You can vote at a link that can be found on our county homepage: montcopa.org,” said Arkoosh.
Additionally, Commissioner Ken Lawrence noted his and Arkoosh’s participation in the Point in Time Count, which counts and surveys homeless in the county.
“We found 19 unsheltered individuals that night and we’re still working to get them into the system and I will say that while I was aware that homelessness exists in Montgomery County, to actually see people sleeping on playgrounds and under bridges was very powerful and I remain committed as a commissioner to doing all that we can to end homelessness here in Montgomery County,” said Lawrence.
Commissioner Joe Gale ended comments from commissioners ahead of the meeting by remarking on his opposition to the 2019 budget and the possible use of a project labor agreement on the county campus construction project.
“Everyone here knows that I opposed the 2019 county budget and since then there has been further developments that further reinforce my opposition to the budget,” said Gale.
“I voted no on the budget for two reasons. One was the excessive cost of the county campus construction project which is now $406 million and the fact that I did not receive a guaranteed commitment from my colleagues on the board that there would not be a project labor agreement implemented for the construction of the new justice center across the street.”
Reports
Following commissioners’ comments, Tom Bonner, Capital Projects Program Director gave an update on the work being done at 1 Montgomery Plaza. Bonner explained that the first phase of the project is underway, which includes a new security booth and the demolition of parts of the building. The first phase is scheduled to be completed by March 2019. Bonner noted that the entire project is currently on budget and is on schedule to be completed by 2020.
Awards of contract
Additionally, commissioners approved 14 awards of contract related to county business. Those awards included:
• A contract renewal for Public Safety for $44,932 with Verizon Wireless
• A contract renewal for Financial Services with the PFM Group of Philadelphia
• A contract renewal for the District Attorney/Office of Children and Youth Forensic Interviewing Services for $375,000
• A contract renewal for Youth Center food service with US Food Service of Philadelphia for $115,000
• Award of contract for Public Safety HVAC upgrade for $22,077
• Award of contract for Sheriff’s equipment and software including 30 body cameras in the amount of $71,000
• Award of contract for Coroner equipment in the amount of $37, 568
• Award of contract for an Adult Probation vehicle in the amount of $27,950
• Award of contract for Sheriff’s office vehicles, two 2019 Ford Interceptor SUVs and transport vans, in the amount of $168,900
• Award of contract for the Planning Commission for hazardous waste collection in the amount of $455,000
• Award of contract for Adult Probation monitoring services in the amount of $250,000
• Contract amendment for Planning Commission engineering
• Contract amendment for Assets and Infrastructure engineering in the amount of $14,799.75
• Ten contract renewals for Health and Human Services.
Resolutions
Commissioners approved 10 resolutions at Thursday’s meeting including several appointments and reappointments. Appointments included those to the Montgomery County Parks & Heritage Services Advisory Board, the Montgomery County Norristown Public Library Board, the Montgomery County Workforce Development Board, the Montgomery County Drug & Alcohol Planning Council, the Montgomery County Citizen Advisory Committee of the Office of Children and Youth, the Montgomery County Mental Health/ Developmental Disabilities/ Early Intervention Board and the Montgomery County Local Emergency Planning Committee Board.
Reappointments were also made to the Montgomery County Parks & Heritage Services Advisory Board and the Montgomery Count Soil Conservation District.
Authorizations of lease extensions were also approved for Bridgeport District Court and Red Hill District Court. Bridgeport’s 3-year lease extension is expected to lead to $31,800 in savings. Red Hill District Court’s lease is expected to expire in April of 2020 and the 10-year extension is expected to lead to $115,000 worth of savings over the life of the lease, according to County Solicitor Joshua Stein.
“It’s encouraging to hear about the savings that this lease will bring. We’ve been on a long process to look at our district courts and do a couple things such as consolidate them where it makes sense to do that. In some cases, in smaller communities there’s not really an opportunity for consolidation but we are looking for the most cost effective ways to maintain these leases,” commented Arkoosh.