Week of 2026-07-20
Centre County commissioners approve $75,000 recycling grant, $250,000 pre-trial program application; several July meetings await minutes
The Centre County Board of Commissioners approved a $75,000 state grant for a glass recycling study and a $250,000 grant application for a pre-trial supervision program at its July 7 meeting, according to official minutes. The board also endorsed a letter of support for transitioning Penn's Cave & Wildlife Park into a State Park.
All actions at the July 7 meeting passed unanimously.
Board of Commissioners — July 7
The board took the following recorded votes:
- Approved June 30, 2026 meeting minutes (unanimous).
- Adopted Proclamation 39 of 2026 recognizing the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts (unanimous).
- Approved a $2,000 contract addendum with GovAI Software Solutions, LLC (unanimous).
- Accepted $75,000 in DEP 901A Municipal Waste Grant funds for a glass recycling study (unanimous).
- Approved a $250,000 PCCD grant application for a pre-trial supervision program (unanimous).
- Approved a budget modification for FFY 2022 CDBG (unanimous).
- Approved the 2027 Liquid Fuels & Fee for Local Use schedule (unanimous).
- Added four Children and Youth Services contract items to the next week's Consent Agenda (unanimous).
- Approved a letter of support for the Penn's Cave & Wildlife Park transition (unanimous).
- Approved the July 2, 2026 check run (unanimous).
Other July meetings held — minutes not yet published
Several other county bodies met between July 7 and July 16. Agendas are available, but minutes have not been published, so outcomes are not confirmed.
- **Employee Benefits Trust (July 7):** Agenda included approval of March 24, 2026 minutes and discussion of the 2027 insurance plan structure and new Revive options.
- **Drug and Alcohol Planning Council (July 8):** Scheduled vote on minutes from April, May, and June 2026 and review of the 2025 Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS) presentation to school superintendents.
- **Board of Commissioners – Salary Board (July 9):** Agenda listed personnel actions including a Communications Coordinator job description and funding, Corrections Officer appointments and funding, a $95,280 opioid treatment grant application, a $3,150 contract with Centre Markets for salad kits, and a $50 special event permit for the Bellefonte 5K walk/run.
- **Salary Board – personnel rates (July 9):** Agenda proposed pay rates for Jack Bonsell II as Deputy Coroner at $20.23/hour, Marquell Hudnell as Probation Officer 1 at $22.76/hour ($20,236 budget impact), and Leigh A. Barrows as Deputy Sheriff/Security at $21.94/hour; creation of a temporary Communications Coordinator position at $30.12/hour; and a Senior Advisor position in Tax Assessment at $47.59/hour.
- **Prison Board of Inspectors (July 9):** Routine agenda with the Warden's Report, facility reports on population, work release, medical services, and mental health services, plus policy reviews.
- **Board of Commissioners (July 14):** Agenda included a $55,396.80 contract with Axon Enterprise Inc. for eight Taser 7s funded by a JRI-2 grant, a $47,971.20 Pitney Bowes postage machine contract, a proclamation for Park and Recreation Professionals Day, the final subdivision plan for The Horizon at Brush Valley (21 lots) in Potter Township, and multiple human services contracts totaling approximately $307,177.
- **Emergency Management Agency – SARA-LEPC Committee (July 16):** Agenda covered a Commodity Flow Study, the FFY 2026 Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Planning and Training Grant application, an HHW Report, and the Blair County Emergency Preparedness Summit 2026.
Coming up
- **July 21 — Planning Commission:** Will consider a waiver request for the 234 Shady Farm Lane subdivision in Walker Township (21 lots: 20 single-family residential and 1 solar facility), plus ten time-extension requests and a blight research presentation by Jennifer Chew.
- **July 21 — Board of Commissioners:** Will vote on the FY 2026–2027 Human Services Block Grant Plan totaling $6,332,992, a $58,533 9-1-1 emergency communications contract addendum, a $17,585.55 IT contract with CDW-G, and a letter of support for Penn State University's resiliency hubs grant.
- **July 23 — Agricultural Land Preservation Board:** Will review survey bids from Digman, Gray, and Michael, and discuss the woodland donation threshold and rural enterprise language.