Josephine Bentley

The meeting involved reviews and approvals regarding salary board actions, personnel transactions, and appointments to the Cumberland County Housing Authority. Key agenda items included the approval of a budget adjustment, various service contracts for Aging and Community Services, the District Attorney's office, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation services. The board also discussed the annual and five-year plans for the Housing Authority, the awarding of a refuse removal contract, and multiple grant agreements for treatment programs, human trafficking task force initiatives, and infrastructure improvements. Additionally, capital project requests for public safety technology and software were reviewed alongside general disbursement authorizations.

The meeting included various employee recognitions for years of service and special assistance. The Board approved several items through a consent agenda, including personnel transactions, the issuance of a request for qualifications for an owner's representative, board appointments, contract extensions, the conclusion of a disaster emergency, a grant application, and updates to human resource policies. Regular agenda items featured the approval of various grants and contracts related to housing, legal research, mental health services, historic preservation, prison internships, and hazardous waste disposal. Additionally, the Board received reports from several liaisons, including updates on planning, housing, library services, conservation, and aging advisory efforts.

The board discussed representation on the Criminal Justice Advisory Board and a proposal for Alcoholics Anonymous to assist inmates with alcoholism. The board accepted commissary reports, approved prison and central processing expenditures, and reviewed the warden's report. Additionally, the board received updates regarding the upcoming annual Department of Corrections inspection and held an executive session to discuss security and personnel matters.

The proceedings included a public hearing concerning the 2025-2026 Human Services Block Grant Plan. Discussions covered the plan's outline of human services needs, strengths, and weaknesses. Specific departmental presentations addressed Mental Health priorities, focusing on maintaining current services, crisis intervention, and suicide prevention. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities plans emphasized supports for independent living and employment, while noting ongoing challenges with affordable housing and complex behavioral cases. The Drug & Alcohol section detailed the use of block grant funds for treatment services as a funder of last resort, acknowledging the loss of COBRA funding due to Medicaid cuts, and planning to address issues such as vaping and opioid use. Additionally, discussions covered funding for Aging services (transportation, meals, health line) and the Homeless Assistance Program, which supports agencies like Safe Harbour and provides rental assistance. Following public testimonials expressing concerns over service cuts, the Commissioners unanimously approved the 2025-2026 Human Services Block Grant Plan. A subsequent Finance Meeting addressed the approval of a cooperation agreement among Cumberland County, CAEDC, and Penn Harris Hospitality RE LP regarding ineligible expenditures of grant funds for the Penn Harris Hotel Redevelopment Project.

The Salary Board agenda included calling to order, roll call, public comment, approval of previous minutes from January 28, 2026, approval of Salary Board Actions, and adjournment. The Board of Commissioners' meeting agenda covered similar preliminary items. The Consent Agenda involved approving personnel transactions, a reappointment recommendation for William Piper as Chairman of the Agricultural Land Preservation Board (term effective retroactively to January 1, 2026), approvals for Budget Adjustments Resolutions 2026-04 and 2026-05, continuation/acceptance of various grants and contracts (including PCCD RASA/VOJO, Juvenile Probation Services Grant), approval of a Collective Bargaining Agreement, approval of revised Human Resources Policies (Fleet Vehicle and Overtime/Comp Time), approval to advertise the sale of surplus property, and approval of General Disbursements Transfer Authorizations. The Regular Agenda included discussions and potential approvals for Refuse Removal Services bids, contracts for Children and Youth Services, the DCED Municipal Assistance Program Grant, various GIS contracts, MH/IDD contracts, HRG contract, Robert & Kathryn Boyce Contract Addendum, Scantek, Inc. contract for the Prothonotary's Office, Public Safety contracts and grants (including Mobile Communications Unit Grant and Radiological Emergency Response Fund Grant Application), the County Recycling Coordinator Program Grant Application, and the Body-Worn Camera Program Grant Application. Capital project requests for the Prison (Transport Vehicle) and Court Administration (WestLaw Contract) were also scheduled for discussion and approval. The meeting concluded with liaison reports and a report of an Executive Session held on February 4, 2026.