Gale objects to COVID-19 contract renewal

NORRISTOWN >> A nearly $40,000 contract renewal for COVID-19 education and outreach services brought about some discussion during last week’s Montgomery County Commissioners meeting.

The package of contract items arranged through the county Office of Health and Human Services passed in a 2-1 roll call vote, with Commissioner Joe Gale as dissenter, who cited the item, which he said “might seem minor” as an expense.

“We’re now a couple years into Covid and after shutdowns, lockdowns, mandates, mask wearing, children not having in-person education, the general public is well aware of Covid,” Gale said. “They know what it is.”

The $39,916 contract, between the agency’s Office of Public Health and ACLAMO, is the third and final sixmonth agreement with the

Norristown-based nonprofit. ACLAMO serving as a “Covid-19 outreach and educator provider” will take place from Dec. 17 to June 16, 2023, according to the contract.

The trio of elected officials unanimously authorized the remaining contracts, that totaled more than $26.4 million, during the Nov. 17 board meeting.

The county also authorized the increased funds for its supplemental reimbursement agreement by $17.2 million related to the Ridge

Pike Improvement Project. There was initially $953,753 allocated in funding back in 2015 “for the replacement and reconstruction of two bridges along Ridge Pike that span railroad tracks owned by Norfolk Southern Corporation,” the contract states.

Of the authorized funds, “80% of which is reimbursable by Federal Highway Administration funds and 15% of which is reimbursable by PennDOT, with 5 percent to be paid by the county from its capital funds.”