[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[5:57] Good morning. Welcome to Bucks County Commissioner's Meeting of February 18th, 2026. We will do the
[6:05] Pledge of Allegiance, but afterwards I'd ask for a moment of silence. It isn't lost on me that it is
[6:10] Black History Month and we lost a great person yesterday in Jesse Jackson.
[6:18] Thank you.
[6:52] And we
[6:52] will begin as we get to do every month with employee recognition. We have several employees here
[6:57] for their anniversaries, but we'll begin with just telling you who couldn't make it
[7:02] and that is Tracy Kerwood from Children and Youth, Patricia Arario, mental health
[7:07] and disability programs, and Christopher Hines from the Department of Corrections.
[7:12] They are all 20-year awards, so give them a round.
[7:21] And also for 20 years here
[7:22] with us today is Danielle M. Stasicki from Children and Youth.
[7:32] Yes, come on up.
[7:33] If you wanted to say anything, you can say something if you'd like.
[7:47] I was really worried. I asked three people about how to pronounce.
[8:07] Thank you.
[8:14] And from the Planning Commission for 20 years, we have Matthew M. Walters.
[8:32] Did you want to say anything on your way back?
[8:34] Okay, but we'll take a picture.
[8:48] Thank you.
[8:49] So,
[8:54] and here honoring 30 years is Lisa Marie Hearn from Adult Probation and Parole.
[9:34] And as I mentioned, it is, of course, Black History Month, and we will begin with a proclamation
[9:39] that Commissioner DeGirolam will read, and then Bernard Griggs will be here to give us
[9:44] an update on the African American Museum.
[9:46] Okay, thank you, Madam Chair.
[9:47] Good morning, everyone.
[9:50] Whereas the month of February is observed each year in the United States as Black
[9:55] History Month to commemorate the contributions of African-Americans to our country's foundation,
[10:00] from the arrival of the very first enslaved people from Africa to the African-American
[10:06] icons of today.
[10:08] The commemoration and celebration of black history is essential to enhancing the unity
[10:14] and strength of our nation, whereas the African-American Museum of Books County has
[10:20] officially been recognized as Bucks County's African American History Archive celebrating
[10:27] the African American experience, inspiring pride and heritage, and sharing untold stories
[10:34] of the diverse African American journey.
[10:37] Whereas the construction of the African American Museum's permanent home at the historic
[10:43] at Boone Farm Property in Middletown Township,
[10:46] marked a critical myersland as months
[10:49] of builders' transition from core and shell,
[10:53] work to construction of the museum's interior space.
[10:58] To commend the beginning of the final stages
[11:00] of construction, Bernard Griggs,
[11:03] Director of Operations for General Services Division,
[11:07] handed over to buildings key to museum president
[11:09] and executive director,
[11:11] Linda Sallie during a brief ceremony attended by the museum board members and
[11:17] the county commissioners. Now therefore do we the board of the Bucks County
[11:22] commissioners chair Diane Alice Morsagulia, vice chair Robert Harvey, and
[11:27] myself Gene DeGirolamo hereby proclaim February 2026 as Black History Month
[11:34] throughout the county of Bucks. And so doing we commend the African American
[11:38] Museum of Bucks County, its members and supporters for their passion or hard work
[11:44] and to promote the history and heritage of the diverse cultures and communities of
[11:50] Bucks County. We encourage Buck Countyans to join us in celebrating the
[11:55] innumerable contributions African Americans have made to our country and
[12:00] to our county and the many more years yet to come. Congratulations.
[12:09] As as
[12:10] Because Bernard's coming up there, I just want to say something I should have said before.
[12:13] We are having a problem with streaming, so we will delay show this on the website after
[12:18] the meeting.
[12:21] Good morning, Mr. Greggs.
[12:22] Good morning.
[12:23] And thank you, Madam Chair.
[12:24] Good morning, commissioners.
[12:25] Good morning, Rose.
[12:26] Good morning, senior staff.
[12:27] And good morning, public.
[12:29] As the commissioner said, I am here today to give an update on the African American
[12:32] Museum.
[12:34] And today's update marks a meaningful milestone in the project that is both technically
[12:38] complex and historically significant.
[12:41] And one that carries the lasting importance for Bucks County.
[12:46] As you'll see in the images on the slideshow here, we recently reached an important moment
[12:52] which is the official turnover of the keys to the building to the African American Museum
[12:57] Board of Directors.
[12:59] Now that moment represents the transition from construction to near term occupancy
[13:03] and brings the museum within reach of opening its permanent home.
[13:09] Today's timing of the presentation could not be better.
[13:12] We are at the heart of Black History Month, and the project is focused on preserving, interpreting, and sharing African American history that occurred right here in Bucks County.
[13:23] Now this is not new construction.
[13:25] What we are completing is the total restoration of an original farmhouse
[13:30] that was built nearly in the early 1700s, located at the Boone Farm
[13:36] property within Core Creek Park. The Boone Farm holds historic significance,
[13:41] including documented connection to the Underground Railroad,
[13:46] which makes the site especially meaningful during Black History Month
[13:50] and entirely fitting for the home of the museum.
[13:53] So
[13:59] the project began in late 2020.
[14:02] From there we spent approximately 18 months
[14:05] working through architectural design, engineering, historic review,
[14:10] and required public approvals before construction could even start.
[14:14] The building itself is a 4,000 square foot,
[14:18] two and a half storey load bearing masonry structure.
[14:21] Restoring a building of this age requires careful
[14:25] and a methodical approach.
[14:29] And once construction began,
[14:31] we encountered unforeseen conditions,
[14:33] which is typical, working with a structure
[14:35] that's more than 300 years old,
[14:37] and that had been in significant need of repair.
[14:40] Addressing those conditions properly was essential
[14:43] to ensure safety, longevity,
[14:47] and preservation of the building's historic character.
[14:50] Now I'm pleased to report,
[14:52] as you heard from the commissioner,
[14:53] that the county-funded core and shell portion of the restoration is now complete.
[14:59] The interior
[15:00] Build out, which is essentially the responsibility of the museum under the county non-profit lease
[15:05] agreement, is approximately 85% complete. So in practical terms, that means that the project
[15:12] is only a couple months away from full completion. And once the project is complete, we look
[15:17] forward to celebrating with a ribbon-cutting ceremony officially open in the doors to the
[15:24] museum in its permanent home.
[15:27] And so the restoration of the farmhouse
[15:29] will not only serve as a museum, but a living,
[15:32] historical landmark for education, reflection,
[15:36] and community connection.
[15:38] Now, commissioners, before I open up for questions, which
[15:42] you may have some, I'm not sure.
[15:43] But I just want to take a moment to sincerely thank
[15:46] you for your continued support, your leadership,
[15:50] and your vision, because the project would not
[15:53] be possible without it. And in the more than 25 years that I've known the three of you,
[15:58] and we've worked on all sorts of initiatives, long before I joined the county of Bucks here
[16:02] five and a half years ago, your leadership has always been consistent and unwavering.
[16:07] And for that, I thank you. And on a personal note, having lived in Chalfont here, right
[16:13] in the heart of beautiful Bucks County, with my family for more than 21 years, I
[16:17] will tell you, it truly warms my heart to know that Bucks County will be home
[16:22] to an African-American museum and that I was also fortunate enough to play a role in helping
[16:27] bring this historic restoration to completion.
[16:30] So with that, I'd be happy to open up for any questions that you may have or comments.
[16:35] Hearing none, I'll entertain them.
[16:37] Oh wait, you're supposed to say that.
[16:40] Mr. Harvey?
[16:41] Sure.
[16:41] Now, I think really, you know, the four of us up here especially, and leaving out
[16:49] Mr. Grease Room because he came in slightly after the rest of us, we want to thank you
[16:54] because make sure that we don't minimize the role you played. Having the construction background
[17:00] you have is reason that you were hired in this job originally back in 2020. And then
[17:06] handed to you, this may have been the first project we gave you and said, you know, make
[17:10] this happen. And so it is an incredibly difficult project. It's an incredibly complex project.
[17:17] And so I really appreciate everything you've done to make this happen because it really would
[17:22] not have happened without you.
[17:23] You're welcome.
[17:23] Thank you.
[17:25] And I just want to add the same thing.
[17:27] It was great to be able to work with you on this.
[17:29] The one thing I'm noticing though is I wish we had pictures back from 2021 because I
[17:35] might actually have some on my phone.
[17:37] If you could see what it looked like in 2021 with dust and just I can't believe the
[17:43] miraculous change.
[17:44] So, when we come back and show pictures again, we've got to get some before we started anything.
[17:49] And also, thank you.
[17:50] I have hoped for years that we would be able to turn this place over.
[17:54] And you were the first person who said that physically we could do it.
[17:57] And Ms. McKevitt was the first person who said, yes, we absolutely can do it.
[18:01] So I'm very proud to have this.
[18:03] I drive past it every day.
[18:04] It makes me smile.
[18:05] So, thank you.
[18:08] Thank you very much.
[18:17] Oh, that's right.
[18:17] We should take a picture.
[18:19] Good morning.
[18:20] Good morning.
[18:20] Good morning.
[18:51] This month is also Career and Technical Education Month, and I'm going to turn that over to
[18:56] Commissioner Harvey to introduce our guests and read the proclamation.
[18:59] Thank you very much.
[19:02] As some may know, I spent 26 years as a public school teacher before I was elected to this
[19:08] position.
[19:09] Twenty of those years was at Bucks County Technical High School in Lower Bucks County,
[19:12] me, where I was hired in 2000. The school had undergone a $35 million upgrade in expansion
[19:24] to make it a comprehensive technical school, which meant the kids went there full time.
[19:27] They didn't go back and forth between their schools as they had since 1959 when that
[19:32] school opened. It is certainly one of the, you know, kind of the formative times of
[19:38] my life to be brand new at a school. I was 29 years old. I had six years experience as
[19:46] a teacher. I was made department chair of a department of 10 people. I had more experience
[19:52] than all other nine teachers in my department combined. And so at 29 I was the old man
[19:58] in the group and then starting out with really no curriculum to speak of and having
[20:05] to write that. But the tech schools we have here, Upper Bucks Technical School, Middle
[20:13] Bucks Institute of Technology, and Bucks State Technical High School and Lower Bucks serve
[20:18] thousands of students who leave their schools, not just with the technical knowledge they
[20:26] have to enter into that field if they choose to, but having the hands-on experience
[20:33] to build the confidence they need to be successful in whatever they choose to do.
[20:38] I used to talk to the students I had and tell them about, you know, when you leave the school,
[20:46] you're leaving here, you know, with not just, let's say, knowledge of how to be a carpenter,
[20:52] or how to be a diesel mechanic, or how to write code for computers, or how to be a first responder.
[20:59] better. You know, you can use those skills obviously to go to college. If you want to
[21:05] advance that career, you can go right into the workforce. You're coming out way ahead
[21:09] of every other 18-year-old who's coming out of a traditional high school. But you also
[21:14] have skills that you're never going to lose. And so certainly you graduate with a degree
[21:19] in carpentry, let's say. If you choose not to go into that field, you choose to
[21:23] do something else, you never lose that carpentry skills. And so I used to say,
[21:28] and you can save yourself a lot of money
[21:30] not having to hire a carpenter to do stuff at your house.
[21:32] No offense to the carpenters out there
[21:34] who are trying to look for a living,
[21:35] but it is practical knowledge
[21:38] that helps literally build futures.
[21:41] So it is my pleasure to be here
[21:42] and to thank the three directors of our schools
[21:45] who are here, I'll introduce them in a minute.
[21:48] Whereas career and technical education, CTE,
[21:51] provides students with the opportunity
[21:53] to build both the academic and technical know-how
[21:55] necessary for success across countless industries
[21:58] and disciplines and whereas CTE students engage in hands-on learning with academics honing real
[22:04] world skills that open doors to career exploration and promote opportunities for high achievement
[22:09] and whereas in these programs businesses and industry leaders work hand in hand with academia
[22:15] to bridge skill gaps in the workforce and to connect professionals with careers in critical
[22:19] fields and whereas technical schools and Buckskin I prepare students for fulfilling careers
[22:24] through integrated educational programs that develop the skills and knowledge necessary
[22:28] for attaining industry-recognized credentials, and whereas by building a workforce ready
[22:33] to succeed in technical fields, CTE programs promote a strong national economy that keeps
[22:39] our nation competitive on the world stage.
[22:42] Now therefore do we, the Board of Commissioners of Bucks County, hereby proclaim February
[22:45] 20, 2026 as Career and Technical Education Month throughout the county of Bucks.
[22:49] In doing so, we commend the Upper Bucks County Technical School, the Middle Bucks
[22:53] Institute of Technology, and the Bucks County Technical High School for providing meaningful
[22:57] pathways to careers, post-secondary education, and lifelong learning to ensure that today's
[23:02] students are ready for tomorrow's emerging technologies and global marketplace.
[23:06] And joining us today from Middle Bucks is Dr. Mark Kavell from Bucks County Technical
[23:12] High School, my former boss, Hank DeGeorge.
[23:16] And from upper box we have Michael Herrera, so please come forward.
[23:20] Thank you.
[23:36] Thank you very much. Well said.
[23:43] We believe that CT is not an alternative pathway but
[23:48] as a primary driver of economic mobility. Our model is built on deep industry alignment.
[23:55] At Upper Box, we have 200 occupational advisory committee members that serve helping that
[24:04] ensure our students are ready.
[24:08] Along with my colleagues, our school to work program is nationally known.
[24:13] Just during the school day, over two years, our students earned over $1.8 million dollars
[24:22] In the school to work, our students leave with industry-recognized credentials and certificates.
[24:32] During CTE month, we not only thank our students, but our staff and community members, the commissioners
[24:40] and Bucks County, which we're very proud to be a part of, and I'll turn it over to
[24:47] Mark.
[24:48] Thank you, commissioners. Thank you very much for the recognition this month. We're super
[24:52] proud to be in CTE as a classic K-12 teacher and administrator myself. Finding CTE made
[24:58] all the difference in my pathway in my career, and I'm thrilled to speak out loudly and
[25:03] proudly about CTE now. So thank you for the recognition. This is a time where Korean
[25:07] Technical Education is experiencing record interest, record enrollments, and record
[25:11] achievement for our students just as Mike had mentioned. So thank you very, very much.
[25:16] Thank
[25:19] you commissioners for honoring CTE this month. I told Mr. Harvey as his
[25:24] former boss this was a formal observation today so I will be sending it
[25:29] to you afterwards Bob. But career and technical education is no longer the
[25:34] best kept secret in Bucks County. We have more kids than we have seats so
[25:40] hopefully going forward with a little bit of assistance from the state we'll
[25:44] be able to give each student that career and technical education that they're seeking.
[25:51] We don't want to stop until every student who wants a career and technical education
[25:55] can get one. So, thank you, commissioners.
[26:36] Yep.
[26:40] Can I just... Hey.
[26:41] Just one more thing to point out, just as we travel around, talk to business owners
[26:47] throughout this county, and since I've been in this job, one of the things I kind
[26:51] you know, when they say, well, we're having trouble finding people to work, we're having
[26:55] trouble finding engineers, we're having trouble finding welders, we're having trouble finding
[26:58] this, that. My first reply to them is, have you talked to the tech school? And usually
[27:04] the reply is, what tech school? And depending on where this business is, I point out, well,
[27:10] you've got one down the street, you've got one here, one there, and all the schools
[27:15] have co-op programs, where seniors especially, who have learned as much as they can in
[27:21] the building actually can go out to work and get credit for working. It is a pipeline
[27:27] for skilled workers. Kids who are coming right out who have learned the latest technology
[27:33] as Mr. Herrera mentioned, those occupational advisory committees, they meet a couple times
[27:39] a year to help the teachers make sure they're teaching the most up-to-date technology
[27:43] in whatever field they're teaching. If you're a business owner out there, you're
[27:47] looking for workers, find out which tech schools near you
[27:49] and call them and ask for help,
[27:51] because they'd be happy to help you, so thank you.
[27:54] Thank you very much.
[27:56] And we'll go to public comment.
[27:57] Ed McHouse.
[28:12] Ed McHouse from Buckingham, former teacher,
[28:17] engineer, scientist,
[28:22] physicist, discoverer, discoverer of the structure of matter,
[28:25] electron, proton, and neutron.
[28:27] I'd like to comment all the work that's being done by all the great workers and the technical
[28:33] schools and the outstanding technical schools.
[28:40] With the lack of vision, people perish.
[28:44] America has been the greatest nation in the world and is still the greatest nation
[28:48] in the world in many ways.
[28:50] However, America, being the greatest nation in the world, should be producing wealth.
[28:55] we should be having a making trillions of dollars.
[28:59] However, America has been barring trillions of dollars every year
[29:05] and enriching nations like China,
[29:08] which are our greatest enemies,
[29:10] corrupted, taken away our technology,
[29:13] and threatened us with nuclear war,
[29:14] offering nuclear weapons to any nation to threaten us.
[29:19] So President Trump and Netanyahu saved America
[29:24] from being destroyed by nuclear weapons.
[29:29] Iran has reduced thousands of warheads, rockets,
[29:34] but they haven't had the uranium and risk uranium
[29:37] to make the warheads so that they can obliterate us.
[29:41] As a physicist, I understand that if nuclear war occurs,
[29:45] we could lose 50% of our people.
[29:48] The liars will say, well, nuclear war is impossible.
[29:52] people, Russia is threatening it and all, if there's a limited number of nations, China
[29:58] feels they can get away with it.
[30:01] So it's sort of like before Trump came in like we were in the Titanic, it was able to
[30:07] stop, I ran in the nick of time, but the threat of nuclear war will not get away as long as
[30:14] nations have nuclear weapons. And if every nation had nuclear weapons, we couldn't please
[30:19] hundred people with nuclear weapons. We couldn't appease them and protect our people. So we
[30:27] We have all these divisions on our campuses,
[30:30] tacking Jews, Christians, Europe used to be Christians
[30:34] being overrun by people who don't have the same,
[30:38] or invaders who come in for money, monetary things.
[30:41] So we, as individuals, like a vision,
[30:45] impossible dream to keep America and the world safe.
[30:49] And we need to cooperate with ICE to protect America
[30:53] and not have criminals and murderers come live next to us.
[30:58] There's no sure prior way to correct things.
[31:01] We have to have more compassion
[31:03] for the majority of people who are innocent
[31:05] rather than the criminals
[31:06] and protect, cooperate with the federal government.
[31:10] And congratulations for all that you are doing
[31:13] and will do to make America, keep America safe.
[31:17] Thank you.
[31:18] Adrienne King.
[31:31] Good morning, commissioners.
[31:33] Good morning.
[31:33] I'll start off by saying a hearty thank you to you from the five-year-old whose mother moved us here in the early
[31:41] 80s, the adolescent who struggled to find herself and see an image of herself in this county,
[31:48] the wife who finally convinced her husband that this was the place that we should raise our two daughters and
[31:55] the mother who continues to fight for her daughters to see representation of themselves.
[31:59] I thank you for the support, the presentation that was done about the African-American Museum.
[32:05] It really is going to have a huge impact in this county.
[32:09] That's really not the reason I came. I didn't know that was going to happen.
[32:13] But I felt like I had to say that.
[32:15] So my name is Adrienne King, and I serve as the president of the NAACP Bucks County Branch.
[32:20] I'm here today to express my appreciation for Bucks County's decision to file a brief to support
[32:26] the preservation of the president's house slavery exhibit in Philadelphia.
[32:32] Sometimes it seems like we're so far away and we forget that we are connected.
[32:37] Since 1909 the NAACP has relied on the courts as a mechanism to protect civil
[32:43] rights and ensure our nation confronts its full honest history. Through the
[32:48] work of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Educational Fund legal
[32:51] Legal advocacy has been used to defend educational equality and equity protections when those
[32:59] principles were at stake.
[33:02] The President's House site is not only significant to Philadelphia, it is vital education resource
[33:08] for students and families throughout our region, including right here in Bucks County.
[33:14] And Bucks County itself carries a meaningful African-American history as we just heard preserved
[33:23] through institutions such as the African-American Museum of Bucks County, the gathering place
[33:30] in the African-American Historical Society of Bucks County.
[33:35] These organizations remind us that our local history is deeply connected to the national
[33:40] narrative. Preserving access to complete and accurate history is not about
[33:46] politics, it's about civic literacy, it is about educational integrity, it is about
[33:53] ensuring that future generations learn full story of our nation, including the
[34:00] realities of slavery at the highest levels of early American government. By
[34:06] participating in this process the county affirmed that regional history matters
[34:12] and that public institutions have a role in protecting historical integrity when
[34:17] it impacts their residents. On behalf of the NAACP Bucks County, thank you for
[34:23] your leadership and your thoughtful consideration and continued support of
[34:27] this issue. Thank
[34:34] you Chris Polly.
[34:48] Good morning. Truth is not midway
[34:51] between the liar and a truth teller.
[34:53] The people who tell the truth don't need to make liars
[34:56] feel better about what they said.
[34:58] Politicians or people that spread fear and hate
[35:00] may think of themselves as real Americans,
[35:03] but we don't have to.
[35:04] Truth tellers certainly don't have to sow out
[35:06] our principles for their comfort.
[35:09] When you stand on the ground of truth and justice,
[35:11] many others will find their way to you,
[35:14] of course recognizing sadly that some
[35:16] will never find their way.
[35:18] Thanking some of the people in this room
[35:20] for taking a stand for truth. What you do on this side of the barrier matters a
[35:26] great deal. Thank you Sheriff for your focused interest on public safety and
[35:30] core responsibilities for emphasizing to residents with certain concerns that
[35:36] Bucks County is not and never has been a sanctuary county that Bucks County
[35:41] will continue to cooperate with federal agencies including ICE honoring
[35:46] judicial warrants and orders, an established legal precedent that was set in Lehigh County
[35:51] that respects both our residents and our Constitution. I also read recently about waste, saving
[35:58] taxpayers $125,000. I'm not familiar with the specifics but thank you for that as well.
[36:05] Also in the truth, in the interest of justice and truth, thank you commissioners for supporting
[36:11] item 20 regarding the ICE detainee processing and for allowing Bucks to join the Collar Counties
[36:18] in a pro bono supported lawsuit regarding enslaved persons panels in Independence National Historic
[36:24] Park in Philadelphia. Federal politicians have clearly lost the public trust. Hotting
[36:29] the past does not help. My questions relate to any federal policing agency request to Bucks
[36:36] County. What happens when an ICE or CBP representative or any federal policing
[36:41] agency calls or emails Bucks County asking for information that the county
[36:46] may have on a Bucks County resident? Are there controls on the request itself?
[36:50] Is a request forwarded to the sheriff or a designated individual in his
[36:54] department to handle all requests in the same manner? Or can the request be
[36:59] handled directly by any Bucks County employee who receives this request?
[37:03] Are there any controls on the information that may be shared, any areas that are prohibited,
[37:10] such as confidential taxpayer or voter information?
[37:14] Are there always specific verifications, absent fourth amendment probable cause justification,
[37:20] to ensure that the federal government is entitled to the help requested?
[37:25] Thanks for any further clarification you might provide in that area.
[37:30] Thank you. Natalie Pashkett?
[37:45] I'm Natalie Pashkett, currently a resident in Benzalem
[37:48] of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and I'm here today because I'm scared. I'm scared because of the
[37:53] overwhelmingly amount of community members that do not trust any of you in your government capacities
[37:58] right now. This goes for the local, state, and federal levels. As of today, February 18,
[38:05] 2026, it is to my understanding that the social facts that we hold true now
[38:08] is that our current federal administration has violated the first, second, fourth, fifth,
[38:13] tenth, and fourteenth amendments as of our constitutional rights granted to the people
[38:18] in the United States of America. It is also to my understanding that the current federal
[38:23] administration is attempting to push the SAVE Act through Congress, effectively violating
[38:27] our 24th amendment as well. And this is where I would like for you to please lock
[38:31] in and internalize what I'm about to say to you and ask any acts or amendments
[38:37] that are going to touch voting will be affecting everyone and there is a lot of
[38:43] heavy rhetoric going around of what actions are being implemented to ensure
[38:46] that no voter intimidation will be happening going into this midterm of
[38:50] season and voting going forward. Will this county speak up and defend its
[38:55] power to the federal level if need be? Will this county stand firm in its
[38:59] voter integrity across this county? What does election support mean? The
[39:05] The proposed SAVAC looks to add more required documentations to vote.
[39:09] One example being the passport.
[39:11] I am somebody that has to reapply for my passport right now.
[39:14] I have to go through the reapplication process.
[39:17] When I opened up the Ben Salem Free Library webpage to see that effective February 13th,
[39:23] the Bucks County Free Library can no longer offer passport services as the U.S. Department
[39:27] of State has determined that the Bucks County Free Library is no longer authorized
[39:30] to operate as a passport acceptance facility and must seize accepting passport applications.
[39:37] What are those parameters that no longer authorize a free public library to operate in
[39:43] this manner? And offer that what is the county doing to open up more avenues to make obtaining
[39:48] these documents easier if this is to go through? What precautions and conversations are the
[39:53] county having if the Senate gets through with this and it becomes law, right?
[39:58] what are the guardrails in place that you are pushing to the public that this
[40:04] county can feel secure and safe and carrying out their civic duty. I am
[40:09] scared but thank you and please if you can't answer any of those that would be
[40:16] appreciated.
[40:18] Thank you.
[40:21] Jill Wallweiser.
[40:32] Good morning. I spoke at the last
[40:35] meeting here regarding hearing, vision, mobility and orientation services for
[40:39] infants and toddlers in Buck's County.
[40:42] I know that the county has found providers
[40:44] for all the families affected,
[40:46] but there are still concerns about the quality
[40:47] and longevity of these providers.
[40:50] No one is addressing these concerns.
[40:53] Questions about who will provide evaluations
[40:54] for babies with visual impairments have not been answered.
[40:58] I wanna try to explain some of the impact
[41:00] of these changes.
[41:02] When I brought my son home from the hospital
[41:04] 10 years ago, I was overwhelmed
[41:06] with all the regular things new parents
[41:09] have to deal with the feedings, the changeings, the lack of sleep. But I also suddenly, unexpectedly,
[41:15] had to deal with this entire new landscape. I had a million questions. My son's father
[41:21] and I had not known anyone with hearing loss. We had no resources. We didn't know are we
[41:27] going to give this perfectly healthy child infant elective surgery to help him hear
[41:33] and communicate before he turned one year old, do we have to teach him a whole new language
[41:39] just to communicate with my son?
[41:42] I didn't know what cute speech was.
[41:44] I didn't know what a speech pathologist was.
[41:46] I didn't know the difference between that and a teacher of the deaf.
[41:50] I did not know what kind of future my son would have.
[41:54] But luckily for us, providers from the IU knew.
[41:58] They visited us at home and they explained all the options without pushing any of them on us.
[42:04] They answered my questions, they gave me resources, they educated us and made us feel, most of all,
[42:10] in a time of complete chaos and overwhelm that things might be okay.
[42:16] Right now, other families in Bucks County don't have that anymore.
[42:21] This county used to be known for its exemplary services for hearing loss.
[42:26] Like when I took my son to chop for appointments, other people would say, wow, Bucks County is
[42:31] so great.
[42:33] And in neighboring areas they didn't have that, and now we risk that same fate.
[42:39] We do have warm bodies filling these roles, and some of them, yes, may have the right
[42:43] qualifications.
[42:44] But in general, overall, there are still big concerns about the quality, longevity
[42:49] of these services, and they do not have the knowledge, dedication, and compassion
[42:54] that the IU was able to provide.
[42:57] Bucks County has not just a legal obligation
[42:59] to these children, but a moral one as well.
[43:02] The program as it stands is flawed.
[43:05] It's not offering the same quality of services
[43:07] my son received, and it's not sustainable long term.
[43:10] We're still relying on providers to pull second shifts.
[43:14] They're seeing babies, literal newborns late
[43:18] in the evening hours because it's all that's available.
[43:21] Families have expressed to me concerns
[43:22] about how this is sustainable.
[43:25] When my son was born, I became a disability rights advocate,
[43:29] but none of us should have to personally experience
[43:31] these things to know what is right.
[43:33] As public servants, and I am one,
[43:35] we take oaths to protect and serve our constituents,
[43:37] and the most vulnerable among them surely deserve...
[43:48] Your microphone is still going, but your time's up.
[43:57] Okay, we're going to move right on to Steve Nolan.
[44:14] Steve Nolan, Newtown.
[44:16] Since our current president celebrated Black History Month by superimposing the faces of
[44:23] a former president wife onto a couple of apes, let me read from an op-ed that I just started
[44:29] writing this morning.
[44:31] Try to educate a little bit.
[44:32] It's called, Hitler was duly elected.
[44:34] Why America must understand malignant narcissism.
[44:38] If the United States is going to escape the fate of Germany, we must understand something
[44:43] very simple.
[44:44] After 10 years of a grown man engaging in totally inappropriate behavior on a daily basis,
[44:50] we freeze and refuse to acknowledge an obvious truth.
[44:54] For the first time in American history, we have a president who is mentally unfit for
[44:57] command.
[44:58] In fact, he has such...
[45:08] I'm a retired military officer who had to evaluate and discharge personality disordered
[45:14] people throughout my career. It's a disorder that renders the person incapable of adapting
[45:21] to military or societal norms. This is an instant disqualification because you have someone
[45:28] who cannot work with others as a team, cannot alter their personal beliefs even for our
[45:32] regulations, and they cannot delay gratification or sacrifice their own needs for the sake
[45:38] of others in an environment where selfless service is required even unto death.
[45:45] The phenomenon of Donald Trump is made possible by three factors.
[45:49] Number one, personality disorder is easily the least known mental illness outside
[45:54] the military and our prison system.
[45:55] Number two, narcissism has a common lay meaning for people who are merely full of themselves.
[46:02] So people, even members of Congress, can believe that a narcissist and a narcissistic personality disorder are synonymous.
[46:10] This is a dangerous mistake. Number three, personality disorder people are what we call ego-syntonic.
[46:17] They feel normal to themselves, not symptomatic, so they do not go to mental health voluntarily.
[46:23] They are almost always referred to mental health after doing something inappropriate.
[46:28] Almost all sex offenders, for example, are personality disordered, but rarely have a
[46:34] mental health record.
[46:36] The sexual assault, the crime is the symptom, not anxiety, depression, or any other mental
[46:41] health symptom.
[46:42] Needless to say, we do not allow a rapist or a pedophile to continue to wear the
[46:47] uniform of the United States of America, but we are allowing a sex offender to
[46:51] sit in our White House. We have betrayed our military by giving them a leader who is a convicted
[46:59] felon, an adjudicated sex offender, when every member of the military would face a court
[47:04] marshal or jail time had any of them committed the same crimes. Or as I said to Sheriff
[47:10] Harron, when he contracted with ICE, unless you're arresting murderers, you won't
[47:16] be arresting anyone who has committed worse crimes.
[47:24] I'll take care of it.
[47:27] Thank you.
[47:31] Andy Warren.
[47:47] As a one-time, long-time, dues-paying, card-carrying
[47:55] member of the NAACP, I commend the commissioners
[48:01] for the recognition today.
[48:03] I also bring to anyone's attention who may not be aware the federal judge who
[48:12] ruled favorably with the placing of signs back was is a Bucks County resident
[48:19] all of which we should be proud now hopefully somebody will get together
[48:26] and start putting back statues of Columbus Jefferson Jackson and many other
[48:32] historical figures, but so far we're doing good. The two points that I have today, one,
[48:39] item number 15A, new found incorporated approved contract with the opioid settlement, but
[48:49] it doesn't have any statement as to how much the adjustment is. Do we have a figure
[48:58] year for how much that adjustment is, and while I speak of money, I bring back to the meeting
[49:11] of May 21st where there were three million dollars worth of projects on that list, one
[49:20] of which was $400,000 for a facility that had a 90 days from notice to proceed construction.
[49:34] Now I know $400,000 doesn't go as far today as it used to, however, I would think that
[49:44] But after nine months, certainly, we ought to have more than two potties, job potties,
[49:53] and an outhouse if this is in fact a good expenditure of county dollars and who's keeping
[50:02] track of the little things while there's each week you all pass over three, four million.
[50:09] And don't think this isn't being actively used.
[50:12] We've got every day, I mean every two days, these job jobbies are cleaned, which is wonderful for use.
[50:27] But what about the $400,000 that you passed nine months ago, perhaps we could go back to the tech school
[50:35] and get some of the seniors to help construct a what looks like a basically
[50:43] prefab facility I'm sure they could do it in less than nine months. Watch our
[50:51] tax dollars.
[50:54] Thank you. Reverend Kevin Jago?
[51:16] Hello I'm Reverend Kevin Jago
[51:17] resident of Doylestown and minister of Bucksmont UU fellowship. I want to
[51:24] to speak in support of the regulation opposing ICE detainee processing of detention facilities
[51:33] being located in Bucks County warehouses. I was recently in Minneapolis for the massive
[51:39] protests. I'm a native Minnesotan and now resident of Bucks County. And what is happening
[51:46] there is something horrific. It is devastating to witness my friends, my family, and the
[51:53] entire community ripped apart by illegal operations by our federal government. We don't want that
[52:00] here. Already too much is happening in Bucks County. Residents of our county are being abducted
[52:06] around the corner from my congregation in Ben Salem across our county. We don't want more
[52:13] of this. We actually want less of it. What's going on, what's going to be built in Berks
[52:17] This is going to amplify what's happening here as well already.
[52:22] So I want to just publicly and vocally support what this commission is doing, and I hope
[52:30] that it is not the end of what you are doing, but just the beginning.
[52:35] Again, this is something that we don't want to see here.
[52:38] We don't want our residents, our citizens, and non-citizens terrified to talk to our
[52:44] police terrified to interact with our government because it's already happening, we've already
[52:49] had the breakdown of relationship between our communities and our representatives and
[52:55] our law enforcement. Everything that happens from here on out could either make things
[53:00] better or make things worse. And I hope our elected officials will continue to do what
[53:06] is necessary to keep us safe and safer rather than more endangered and more attacked by
[53:13] the people that we've elected. Thank you. Thank you.
[53:22] Susan Day.
[53:32] Good morning. My name is Susan
[53:34] Day. I'm from Wrightstown. I want to thank the commissioners and our county representatives
[53:39] for what they do for us. I really appreciate it. I'm here to talk about issues with drinking
[53:45] water here in Bucks County. We've had most recently a notice that Wrightstown wells
[53:51] may be affected by PFAS. Upper Makefield has the jet fuel pipeline contamination,
[53:59] and according to ArcGIS, there are over 10 different pipelines criss-crossing
[54:05] Bucks County. I want to thank Steve Santocero and Frank Ferry for introducing
[54:10] the Pennsylvania Environmental Cleanup and Responsibility Act this month in
[54:14] Harrisburg. This act will address both pipeline and other environmental
[54:19] contamination, but it addresses contamination, post-accident, not prevention.
[54:27] This is more than Brian Fitzpatrick has done.
[54:30] He signed on as one of 24 co-sponsors to a 2025 bill by Representative Mary Gleason-Camp
[54:38] Perez from Washington State, where Boeing is located regarding PFAS cleanup.
[54:43] this bill has been referred to multiple committees. Brian Fitzpatrick is one of
[54:49] 24 co-sponsors. He did not author the bill. That bill has now been referred to
[54:55] multiple committees where it sits at the whim of the speaker. That being said, we
[55:02] need to do more here in Bucks County. Residents of Mount Erie are still
[55:07] without potable water. It will take time for any of these bills to go
[55:12] anywhere and do anything. They have no remediation plans in sight. Their homes are unsalable.
[55:21] As an additional note, that jet fuel pipeline goes under the Delaware River. We have no
[55:27] idea if there's any contamination occurring from that. We need to have the owners of all
[55:33] these pipelines in Bucks County prove that there is no additional contamination through
[55:38] active monitoring and not wait for contamination to happen.
[55:43] Thank you.
[55:48] Beth Curcio.
[56:03] The data center project at the Keystone Trade Center in Fairless Hill will cover about 247
[56:09] acres and include 2 million square feet of data center buildings, 10 structures with
[56:13] range between 112,000 and 217,000 square feet and they are planning a standalone
[56:21] building potentially reaching 1 million square feet within the campus.
[56:24] Eventually, this could span up to 15 million square feet with the campus.
[56:29] This is one of the largest data centers in the country, and the data center is in the
[56:34] very early stages.
[56:35] Many counties across the country have halted and actually stopped data center projects.
[56:40] When the community pushes for public hearings, petitions, and environmental reviews, over
[56:46] 64 billion in U.S. data center projects have been blocked or delayed by community
[56:51] campaigns.
[56:52] Residents organizing can have a real impact.
[56:56] Data centers can significantly environmental impacts.
[57:00] They use the amounts of electricity globally.
[57:03] Data centers use 460 terawatt hours in 2022.
[57:09] And in the U.S., they admitted over 150 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2023.
[57:16] They also use enormous amounts of water for cooling,
[57:19] sometimes 50 million gallons per day.
[57:21] and they can strain along the infrastructure.
[57:24] Five million gallons per day is the equivalent to the water usage of a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people.
[57:31] They bring pollution impact since they rely on diesel backup generators,
[57:37] which release nitrogen, oxygens, and fine particles,
[57:41] raising air pollution risks, especially within a mile of the site.
[57:46] And these projects have been tied to billions of public health costs.
[57:49] Plus, e-waste from frequent hardware updates and chemical
[57:53] pollutions from cooling can also harm the environment.
[57:57] Josh Shapiro has been pushing to bring data centers to PA for jobs,
[58:01] which they create only short-term construction jobs.
[58:04] They actually employ very few people.
[58:06] I think the people of Bucks County and especially of
[58:08] Fairless Hills need to start asking a lot more questions.
[58:12] Number one, is there a decommissioning clause?
[58:15] How is a data center being generated?
[58:17] Are they being in their own micronuclear reactions bringing in?
[58:23] Will they guarantee that no electrical charges they generate are passed on to the residential customers?
[58:28] Are they paying all the taxes and not being giving tax abatements?
[58:32] They aren't getting exempt or special tax privileges, correct?
[58:38] No nondisclosure agreements between the center and the township and or the county, correct?
[58:44] cooling process. They are not taking from the water sources our residential
[58:49] communities need, correct? There is new technology that says these data centers
[58:55] should be using air cooling. Is that being looked at? I don't see the benefits
[59:00] to collect more data. It seems like a risk to the community and the county.
[59:04] This is absolutely not worth it for our environment. Thank you.
[59:11] Jake Zizinski?
[59:24] Good afternoon. Give me a minute. My first time speaking in front of you also,
[59:27] really excited, but also I have autism so bear with me. I came here to say a
[59:33] couple things but I'm going to start by saying those and I kind of want to pivot.
[59:37] My big ask of this commission is we need a commission advisory board for
[59:40] people with disabilities. We don't currently have one we're supposed to.
[59:43] 1966 law in the state says we're supposed to have one. We don't. I have
[59:47] like I said autism, I have a medical disease. That board needs to exist.
[59:51] I'm happy to serve on it. Let's make that happen, please, because, like, we really need to do that secondarily.
[59:58] Some of the things that I've heard today...
[1:00:00] I'm new to Buckstown County. I'm moving back home from Montgomery County, Maryland, where
[1:00:04] I served on the IDDC commission there and created that, so I was pretty proud of that. Just want
[1:00:10] to remind people that even at these hearings, despite how we feel, we need to maintain some
[1:00:14] sense of decorum about how we speak and how we sit in the audience. That is important.
[1:00:18] Otherwise, nothing gets done and we become no better than anybody else running around
[1:00:21] screaming in the middle of the streets. As you've heard today from various people,
[1:00:27] you know ice is a problem I would argue but it's how we talk about that that
[1:00:33] matters I think someone here in the audience actually mentioned they're
[1:00:36] scared hell I'm scared I've had friends dragged away I have a friend and who's
[1:00:40] from Peru who's going to school at American University who is I have to
[1:00:45] text them every time they go back from class to make sure they get back to
[1:00:47] their dorm because I'm afraid they're gonna get picked up and shipped out to
[1:00:50] some country they don't belong to like that that's the reality of what
[1:00:54] we're talking about here. I heard someone bring up a nuclear apocalypse. We have this
[1:00:58] thing called nuclear assured destruction that's not going to happen.
[1:01:00] Anybody fires a nuke at anybody, we're all going to die. We got one rock. We got to
[1:01:04] share it. That's just the reality of the situation. Physicists are not,
[1:01:07] everybody should know that. I have an insane amount of respect for what you
[1:01:12] guys do as public servants. It is what I have dedicated my life to being a
[1:01:17] spokesperson for people like me who have always been told that we can't speak
[1:01:20] for ourselves. I've been told I'm too autistic and not autistic enough at the
[1:01:24] same time sometimes which is genuinely impressive let me tell you. I'm wearing
[1:01:28] this USA hockey jersey not necessarily because on the world's most happy
[1:01:32] American right now because some of the stuff going on in this country right now
[1:01:35] is definitely questionable but because I really want the USA to beat Sweden
[1:01:39] today at the Olympics and I think like at the end of the day there's a lot
[1:01:43] more here that we can agree on than would separate us. I have never been
[1:01:48] more proud in my entire life to say I am from the Commonwealth. Yes, for those of you not from
[1:01:53] here, we are a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I am a proud Philadelphia sports fan. Go birds.
[1:01:59] Thank you for firing Kevin Petillo. And I just really, really, really want to stress that all
[1:02:03] of these conversations, they matter as long as they're taken in the tone that is helpful.
[1:02:09] Yelling and accusing gets us nowhere. I can quote the Constitution too. Everybody can,
[1:02:14] but no one's going to do anything with that. And then you're just going to ignore what I
[1:02:17] So in summary, please look into a commission for people with disabilities or with IDD.
[1:02:23] Please, I've been trying to call y'all's office.
[1:02:24] The website is not autistic friendly.
[1:02:26] Thank you for your time. I appreciate it.
[1:02:29] Thank you.
[1:02:33] Marguerite Chandler.
[1:02:50] Good morning.
[1:02:52] I'm Marguerite Chandler from Newtown.
[1:02:55] I understand that an announcement has been made that there will be no ICE warehouse facility in our county.
[1:03:03] I appreciate the stand that the county is taking.
[1:03:07] We do not have to speculate about what can happen when an ICE enforcement or detention
[1:03:14] facility is placed in a local community without full transparency.
[1:03:20] Whatever one's political views, the lesson is clear.
[1:03:24] Once such a facility is established, it immediately becomes the focus of lawsuits, environmental
[1:03:32] challenges, national media attention, and continued disputes over oversight and detention conditions.
[1:03:42] Local governments can't control federal policy, but thank you for insisting on due diligence
[1:03:49] before any local land use approvals or cooperation agreements move forward.
[1:03:56] The experience of other communities show that the only moment when local leadership has real influence is before approvals are granted.
[1:04:07] Thank you for using your influence to protect the stability, transparency and public voice of Vux County.
[1:04:15] Thank you.
[1:04:16] Thank you very much.
[1:04:21] That's it for public comment, just to answer a couple questions.
[1:04:25] First of all, we do have a board.
[1:04:27] We have the required behavioral health advisory board for mental health and disability programs.
[1:04:33] It's been here for years.
[1:04:36] We can have someone help you find it on the website, but we have volunteers that are
[1:04:40] on that board, and I would encourage you to fill out the application.
[1:04:44] You did.
[1:04:44] Okay, so then you found it.
[1:04:45] All right, good.
[1:04:46] So maybe we'll be eager to have you on that board then.
[1:04:50] The second thing was that PSI does all our visual and auditory challenges.
[1:04:55] The IU never had a role in that. They were just consulted occasionally.
[1:04:59] And all of the people who were being seen by IU people have been assigned to someone.
[1:05:04] Nobody's having any complaints. I think some emails went out to further clarify that.
[1:05:09] And then there was a question as well about 15A.
[1:05:16] Yes, Mr. Warren raised about $15,000. So the amendment to the agreement doesn't change
[1:05:23] the value. It's about $144,000. It's for improvements to some structures that are being used to help
[1:05:31] people who are going through substance use or recovery. What it does is it changes
[1:05:38] the work that's being done. They're adding some work being done inside the buildings.
[1:05:42] The prices stayed the same, but they just changed what the scope of the work was.
[1:05:46] That's what the amendment was.
[1:05:48] And finally, it did my heart good that sometimes people complain about Project 2024,
[1:05:54] and it's good to see people are worried about the environment, 2040,
[1:05:57] and that they are worried about the environment and join us in that concern.
[1:06:01] I appreciate that.
[1:06:02] Moving on to the agenda, is there a motion to approve the minutes of the February 4th, 2026 meeting,
[1:06:09] as well as items one through 19B.
[1:06:14] So moved.
[1:06:15] There's second.
[1:06:16] Second.
[1:06:17] All in favor?
[1:06:17] Aye.
[1:06:18] Aye.
[1:06:19] Opposed?
[1:06:21] No.
[1:06:25] We are moving on to number 20,
[1:06:28] which is to approve a resolution
[1:06:30] opposing the ICE detainee processing
[1:06:33] or detention facilities.
[1:06:34] And I'll turn this to our solicitor.
[1:06:37] Thank you, Madam Chair.
[1:06:38] where I will read the resolution, a resolution of the County of Bucks Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
[1:06:44] opposing United States immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency establishing ICE detainee
[1:06:49] facilities in Bucks County warehouses. Whereas, the County of Bucks follows all state and
[1:06:55] federal laws regarding cooperation with law enforcement, including with United States Immigration
[1:07:00] and Customs Enforcement ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, DHS. Whereas, on
[1:07:06] On January 20, 2025, the White House announced a policy to detain and deport fast numbers
[1:07:12] of illegal aliens residing in the United States and directed DHS to allocate all legally
[1:07:16] available resources or establish contracts to construct, operate, control, or use facilities
[1:07:22] to detain removable aliens.
[1:07:25] Whereas recent reports from human rights organizations reveal alarming conditions
[1:07:30] of confinement and repeated instances of coercion, physical force, and threats against immigration
[1:07:35] facing third country deportations in violation of agency policies and standards, as well as statutory and constitutional protections within ICE detention facilities.
[1:07:46] Whereas the federal government, when presented with bipartisan concerns about DHS immigration operations, including the conditions inside ICE detention facilities,
[1:07:56] agencies has demonstrated an unwillingness to rein in or acknowledge rampant, flagrant
[1:08:01] disregard for public safety and constitutional guarantees of due process, severely affecting
[1:08:07] the government's credibility. Whereas the ICE nationwide efforts to lease or purchase
[1:08:13] industrial warehouses for the purpose of obtaining additional facilities to process
[1:08:17] and detain individuals in the agency's custody have included multiple warehouses
[1:08:22] in Bucks County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
[1:08:26] Whereas the county of Bucks, as represented by the elected board of commissioners,
[1:08:30] opposes the use of warehouses or similar industrial facilities not intended for human occupancy
[1:08:36] as facilities to hold jail, detain, house, or otherwise store human beings.
[1:08:42] Whereas in addition to humanitarian concerns arising from the reported poor treatment
[1:08:47] of individuals in ICE detention, conversion of industrial warehouses
[1:08:51] to detention facilities implicates local land use ordinances, whereas such facilities being
[1:08:58] hastily erected in areas and structures not intended for human occupation would place
[1:09:03] unanticipated demands upon water and sewer systems, creating hazards to public health,
[1:09:09] as well as heaping new strain upon public safety services. Whereas under the Federal
[1:09:18] Clean Water Act, federal agencies must comply with all federal, state, and local requirements
[1:09:23] governing the control and abatement of water pollution, and no facilities can be connected
[1:09:28] to a municipal sewage system and no building can be occupied without first obtaining a
[1:09:33] permit indicating that the site is in compliance with the provisions of the Sewage Facilities Act.
[1:09:40] Whereas Governor Shapiro identified and communicated similar concerns regarding
[1:09:45] ice warehouses being converted to Secretary Kristi Noem, DHS, in a letter dated February
[1:09:52] 12, 2026, whereas echoing the Governor, it is a primary objective of the county to ensure
[1:10:00] that public safety and welfare of its residents, business community, and visitors. Whereas
[1:10:07] the conversion of industrial warehouses into mass detention facilities does not align
[1:10:13] with the goals or shared values of equity, sustainability, resilience, and health and
[1:10:20] well-being of the people of the County of Bucks.
[1:10:24] Now therefore, be it resolved, the Board of Commissioners is opposed to a conversion
[1:10:30] of industrial warehouses into facilities for the processing and or detention of ICE detainees
[1:10:37] for the reasons previously set forth.
[1:10:40] adopted as a resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the County of Box this
[1:10:44] 18th day of February, 2026.
[1:10:57] Thank you. Are there any questions or comments from
[1:11:00] Commissioners? Commissioner DiGiorno? Yeah, thank you Madam Chair. I think this
[1:11:05] is an important an important resolution and I'm going to support this and vote
[1:11:09] yes on the resolution and just leaving just reading now therefore bear it
[1:11:17] resolved that the Board of Commissioners are opposed to the conversion of industrial warehouses
[1:11:23] into facilities for the processing and or detention of ICE detainees.
[1:11:30] And that means all throughout Bucks County, no matter where anybody lives.
[1:11:37] Now, I know there has been some talk and conversation, and I don't want to say rumors
[1:11:42] because they seem pretty credible about possibly one being put or just talking
[1:11:51] about being put in Ben Salem and another one in Middletown and I don't care
[1:11:58] where anyone lives in Bucks County whether it be the lower part of the
[1:12:02] county the upper part of the county. Bucks County is not a county that needs
[1:12:08] needs or wants a detention facility. It is not appropriate for our county, not at all.
[1:12:18] And I'm going to support, I'm supporting the resolution and I was very happy to see yesterday
[1:12:26] our congressman, Congressman Fitzpatrick yesterday put out a statement that also opposed any
[1:12:36] detention facilities here in Bucks County as well. And as part of that statement he said
[1:12:43] he had talked to ICE and they had assured him that they are not looking in Bucks County
[1:12:50] for a detention facility. Well I've been in government for 33, 32, 33 years and I know
[1:12:58] what might be true one day might not be true a day for now, a week for now, a month
[1:13:04] for now. So, I wanted to be perfectly clear whether it's right now or a month, a year
[1:13:10] for now, we do not want and the commissioners are opposed to a detention facility for ICE
[1:13:17] here in Bucks County. Thank you.
[1:13:19] Thank you.
[1:13:24] Thank you. I appreciate Commissioner DeGiorno's words. You know, we know from just over
[1:13:33] less than the week in the past week that there was an effort in the Lanconia section apparently
[1:13:39] have been sailing to look at a property for a potential ace warehouse. We know that that attention
[1:13:48] was rebuffed by the owner of that property. He was not interested in partnering and selling
[1:13:56] release in that property. We know that the eyes then turned to Middletown and a couple of
[1:14:02] facilities that are built on the former, what used to be the Redmond Toll property,
[1:14:07] you know, where there are warehouses now. And we know from a prominent land development
[1:14:12] attorney in this county who's been doing business for probably 30 years that he has communicated,
[1:14:19] that he has, you know, clients who are, I think he used the word besieged by phone
[1:14:27] calls from people looking to purchase warehouses because they know they can sell them to the
[1:14:34] federal government because the federal government has allocated about $38 billion for this particular
[1:14:40] kind of endeavor.
[1:14:45] I totally agree, obviously. In fact, it was my recommendation that this
[1:14:49] resolution be written. I appreciate the work by our staff in putting it together.
[1:14:54] I agree obviously with Commissioner DeGirolamo this county is no place for
[1:15:00] These kinds of facilities, but I'll expand that. This country is no place for these kind
[1:15:04] of facilities. We have been down this road before with Japanese Americans during World
[1:15:13] War II. We have been down this road before. Most people don't realize that there were
[1:15:19] Italian Americans detained during World War II in similar circumstances because they were
[1:15:25] seen as untrustworthy and segregated and discriminated against.
[1:15:32] At some point, we have to think back to who we are as a country and stand up for what's
[1:15:38] right.
[1:15:39] This is doing that.
[1:15:42] We do believe that there will be more attempts.
[1:15:45] I certainly do not trust this administration at all.
[1:15:50] There's no reason to.
[1:15:50] to. I certainly don't trust the Secretary of Homeland Security. There's no reason to.
[1:15:59] And certainly the, you know, behaviors of a lot of the people underneath her, you know,
[1:16:07] lead to a lack of trust. And we heard that from some of our speakers today, some of
[1:16:20] People who are being detained from where we don't know where, we don't know who they are,
[1:16:27] stored in buildings that are not meant for human habitation.
[1:16:31] And certainly any effort by the government to say that they would retrofit it appropriately,
[1:16:37] we have to be serious.
[1:16:39] Did we really trust that that would happen in a way that any of us would accept?
[1:16:45] So,
[1:16:48] you know, I certainly, you know, I also want to be very honest with the people who
[1:16:53] are here and who are watching and who are going to hear about this,
[1:16:58] the $38 billion,
[1:17:00] which could be spent in a lot of ways to benefit the people of this country, is a lot
[1:17:04] of money to retrofit warehouses.
[1:17:06] And so although we're focused on the infrastructure improvements and we're focused on the public
[1:17:11] safety, I do not put it past this government to spend that money in a way that would allow
[1:17:19] them to do something like this. The federal government does not have to follow zoning laws.
[1:17:25] And so if you think that where something is zoned, a warehouse can't have the zoning
[1:17:30] change without going through the normal procedures that everybody else has to go through, going
[1:17:34] to a zoning board, having a hearing, notifying residents and neighbors and letting them
[1:17:38] say their piece that does not have to happen here or anywhere in this country.
[1:17:44] And so we're going to do our best, especially working with local municipalities.
[1:17:49] We're going to continue to keep our ears open and hope that we have the cooperation of
[1:17:56] property owners in this county and residents in this county who don't want this in our
[1:18:02] county and share my view that we don't want this in our country. We have to be veterans
[1:18:08] in the nation. And I think this is a small step that I hope this county is taking to
[1:18:14] lead the way in that regard.
[1:18:17] Thank you and I
[1:18:22] appreciate your leadership on passing this resolution and Mr. Greaser
[1:18:26] for all the work you did on it and Ms. McKevitt for following up with all of us. I have
[1:18:30] to tell you there was some frenetic texting and emailing over the weekend between township
[1:18:35] supervisors and commissioners and attorneys to make sure we are where we are today.
[1:18:40] So I proudly ask for a motion on number 20.
[1:18:43] So moved.
[1:18:44] Is there a second?
[1:18:45] Second.
[1:18:45] All in favor?
[1:18:46] Aye.
[1:18:46] Aye.
[1:18:48] Now we're on ordinance 175 and
[1:18:54] turn this over to the solicitor.
[1:18:57] Yes.
[1:18:57] Thank you, Madam Chair.
[1:18:59] Next on the agenda is ordinance 175.
[1:19:01] This is an ordinance that amends, ordinance number 172 pertaining to the Bucks County
[1:19:08] active volunteer tax rebate ordinance.
[1:19:12] The new ordinance amends the old ordinance by providing simpler criteria for our emergency
[1:19:20] service volunteers and application process.
[1:19:24] It also standardizes the processing on our end of the county so that we can get
[1:19:30] with these worthy volunteers, their funds quicker and process easier. Is there any other discussion
[1:19:38] about this ordinance?
[1:19:40] Any questions?
[1:19:42] No. I mean, obviously we know that this is something we started in a thank emergency
[1:19:47] services and I know it's this is quite the undertaking for the fifth floor in terms
[1:19:53] of controllers and finance to make this happen. But this is something we are allowed
[1:19:58] do by the state program we started to try and you know reward those people who
[1:20:03] wanted to volunteer for our for our companies to give them some kind of
[1:20:07] an abatement. We've had different ideas but had to do more but unfortunately the
[1:20:11] state doesn't allow us to do a whole lot more than this so it is not a perfect
[1:20:15] system but it is something we're trying to do to thank those members of our
[1:20:19] communities who volunteer and give them some kind of tangible thank you
[1:20:25] So instead of just me standing here and saying thank you.
[1:20:28] Thank you very much.
[1:20:29] Is there a motion?
[1:20:30] So moved.
[1:20:31] Is there a second?
[1:20:32] This is a roll call.
[1:20:33] This is a roll call.
[1:20:35] Commissioner Alice Marceglia.
[1:20:37] Aye.
[1:20:38] Commissioner Harvey.
[1:20:39] Aye.
[1:20:39] Commissioner DeGiorgio Alamo.
[1:20:41] Aye.
[1:20:42] The motion passes.
[1:20:43] Terrific.
[1:20:45] Moving on to 30 through 44, budget adjustments.
[1:20:49] Thank you, commissioners.
[1:20:50] For your consideration today, we have 14 budget adjustments
[1:20:53] to allow for final expenditures to post against the 2025 budget.
[1:20:57] These adjustments are being balanced by recognizing additional revenue
[1:21:01] as well as reallocating available budget.
[1:21:04] So there's no impact to the general fund balance.
[1:21:06] Thank you.
[1:21:07] Any questions?
[1:21:09] Is there a motion to approve budget adjustments?
[1:21:11] Move.
[1:21:12] Thank you.
[1:21:13] Is there a second?
[1:21:14] Second.
[1:21:15] All in favor?
[1:21:15] Aye.
[1:21:16] Opposed?
[1:21:18] Is there a motion to approve the personnel actions for today?
[1:21:24] So moved.
[1:21:25] Second.
[1:21:26] All in favor?
[1:21:26] Aye.
[1:21:27] Opposed?
[1:21:28] Mr. Harvey, do you want to do the board appointments?
[1:21:30] Sure.
[1:21:30] We have some appointments and reappointments.
[1:21:34] For our buckskinning agricultural land preservation board, these are three-year terms.
[1:21:38] Reappointments.
[1:21:39] Mr. Kenneth Goldenberg, Mr. Bartley Millett, Mr. David Wolfinger, all terms ending 229.
[1:21:46] to the Bucks County Drug and Alcohol Commission, a three-year term, Mr. Marlon Williams re-appointing
[1:21:51] his term will end 12-1, 2028.
[1:21:54] And the Bucks County Workforce Development Board, a three-year term, Mr. Michael Taylor
[1:21:58] is being reclassified.
[1:22:00] This is a board whereby state ordinance, we have to appoint people who represent certain
[1:22:04] industries and certain fields.
[1:22:06] Mr. Taylor is going to be reclassified to be part of a youth-serving business.
[1:22:13] So I'll make a motion for those five reappointments and reappointments.
[1:22:19] Okay.
[1:22:20] All in favor?
[1:22:21] Aye.
[1:22:22] And under other civics, we have animal lifeline for 2,000, rolling harvest food rescue for 2,500, score for 3,500, and shared wellness for 2,000.
[1:22:32] Is there a motion to approve those?
[1:22:34] So moved.
[1:22:35] Second.
[1:22:35] All in favor?
[1:22:36] Aye.
[1:22:37] Our Chief Operating Officers report.
[1:22:38] I will be quick.
[1:22:39] Thank you, Commissioner.
[1:22:41] I just wanted to, I know Bernard is not here, but I wanted to thank him for all his hard
[1:22:45] work on the African American Museum of Bucks County.
[1:22:48] It's been on a long venture, but he did a great job, and we're looking forward to it
[1:22:52] opening soon.
[1:22:54] And I encourage everyone to visit it, it is beautiful, beautiful building.
[1:22:59] And then second, I know it doesn't look like it outside, but the House with Hazardous
[1:23:04] Waste Program is starting again in April, April 4th.
[1:23:06] It'll be at Lower Bucks County Community College.
[1:23:11] And the information is on the website
[1:23:13] on what is acceptable to bring.
[1:23:15] So you got a month and a half to get ready to drop it off.
[1:23:18] And that concludes my report.
[1:23:19] Thank you.
[1:23:20] Thank you on our solicitors report.
[1:23:22] Thank you, Madam Chair.
[1:23:24] One quick comment on the ringing rocks facilities question.
[1:23:30] I think it's Mr. Warren who raised it earlier.
[1:23:33] This is up in Bridgeston Township.
[1:23:35] We've been working with the township to get permits issued.
[1:23:39] That's really been the delay here.
[1:23:41] This week they did approve the O&M maintenance agreement for that project, so we expect it
[1:23:47] to move forward here very quickly now.
[1:23:50] Second, we did have an executive session yesterday.
[1:23:53] We discussed litigation, and the commissioners received confidential legal advice.
[1:23:58] That concludes my report.
[1:24:00] Thank you.
[1:24:01] Commissioner Comments, Commissioner DiGiorno.
[1:24:03] The comments today, Madam Chair.
[1:24:04] Yes, just a couple, I want to acknowledge the fact that the county received a letter
[1:24:12] from Chester County, which was dated January 28th, and a citation, which recognizes the
[1:24:21] Board of Commissioners, but more specifically recognizes some of our Board of Elections
[1:24:27] employees. Last November it was well publicized that Chester County had some serious issues
[1:24:37] with their processing of election materials and poll books on election day. They were
[1:24:45] really scrambling for help and we had some of our employees from our board of elections
[1:24:50] go to Chester County and help them and so they were incredibly thankful for the
[1:24:56] work that our people did and so I wanted to just acknowledge the fact that this
[1:25:01] letter was sent by their Chief Executive Officer and that their
[1:25:06] commissioners did send the citation thanking the county for helping Chester
[1:25:11] County. We have a great relationship with our Collier County neighbors and I
[1:25:16] think this is just a great example not just of that partnership and all of
[1:25:20] us kind of recognizing how important it is to work together, but also the professionalism
[1:25:24] of our staff, that we were conducting our own election, and yet they were committed
[1:25:30] enough and determined enough and capable enough to also help another county.
[1:25:36] Yeah, I will, I will, no, this is my next thing.
[1:25:43] So the sort of sad part of this is because of statements and actions, especially by this
[1:25:51] federal administration that have over the last several many years demonized election
[1:25:57] of workers, the workers here at our county who were helpful and who were mentioned in
[1:26:04] this have asked for their names not to be read because they don't want that publicity.
[1:26:11] So it is a shame that we live in that kind of environment that we can't totally recognize
[1:26:16] them because of the statements of people who care more about getting reelected than
[1:26:24] actually building for the next generation.
[1:26:28] I also want to acknowledge just, you know,
[1:26:32] going back to my teacher days,
[1:26:34] you know, today marks a beginning of a religious holiday,
[1:26:40] a period of reflection, of fasting,
[1:26:44] a period where religious observers,
[1:26:48] you know, in this faith, you know,
[1:26:52] kind of refocus themselves on their energies, think back upon the foundation of their religion
[1:26:59] and think about how they can move forward.
[1:27:01] And I'm talking about two different religions, actually, because today is Ash Wednesday for
[1:27:07] Catholics and today is also the first day of Ramadan.
[1:27:11] And I think it's important to consider something I always just tell my students that religions
[1:27:16] that we sometimes, by some people, are told are so different.
[1:27:19] But actually have a lot in common, more in common than they have different.
[1:27:25] And so for Catholics, myself and others, and for Muslim, you know, neighbors and friends
[1:27:33] here in this county, you know, I wish you a beginning of Lent is today, ending of course
[1:27:41] with Easter and April, and a blessed Ramadan to all those Muslim, our Muslim friends
[1:27:47] and neighbors.
[1:27:47] So that's how I'll end. Thank you. Thank you and is there a motion to adjourn some of second all in favor