[0:00] All right. Good evening, everyone. I'd like to call to order County Council's regular meeting for Wednesday, August 20, 2025. Please rise to the pledge of allegiance.

[0:14] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

[0:33] First item on the agenda today, we have county council announcement and I will to council

[0:39] membership.

[0:41] Thank you.

[0:42] Good evening everyone.

[0:44] I have won the announcement tonight.

[0:46] This past week I had the opportunity to attend the annual retreat of the Delaware County Women's Commission.

[0:53] Where I was very proud to join a room full of dedicated DCWC commissioners.

[0:58] At the retreat, I was very excited to learn that the Delaware County Women's Commission

[1:03] was recognized by the National Association of Commissions for Women with its period poverty

[1:09] award.

[1:11] The National Honor reflects the Commission's groundbreaking work to raise awareness of menstrual

[1:16] product inequity and to develop local solutions, especially for students and low-income women

[1:22] and girls.

[1:23] period poverty is about more than just access to hygiene products, it's about dignity, health,

[1:29] education, and opportunity. When students miss school or workers miss their shifts

[1:34] because they can't afford basic supplies, the impact ripples across our communities.

[1:39] That's why I would like to highlight the important legislation House Bill 432 sponsored by

[1:44] state representative Gina Curry to address period poverty here in Pennsylvania. I encourage

[1:49] all residents to contact your state representatives and state senators to voice your support,

[1:54] and to consider reaching out to your local school board and advocate for menstrual equity

[1:59] in schools.

[2:00] For those of you who may not be familiar, the Delaware County Women's Commission is a

[2:04] volunteer body that evaluates the needs of women and girls in our communities, and advises

[2:09] county council on ways to meet those needs.

[2:11] Council recently publicized three vacancies, and I'm pleased to share that the interest

[2:15] has been incredibly strong with more than 50 highly qualified applicants currently under consideration.

[2:22] And even if you didn't apply, there are still many ways for you to get involved.

[2:25] The commissions monthly meetings are open to the public, and I encourage residents to attend

[2:30] share their perspectives and volunteer.

[2:32] More information is available on the Commission's webpage, accessible through the boards

[2:36] and commission section of our website, delcopiate.gov.

[2:39] Before I close, I want to recognize an important leader who has helped shape this work

[2:45] for decades, Susan Garrison.

[2:48] Susan was recently honored with the National Association of Commissions for Women's

[2:52] Lifetime Achievement Award for her longstanding service and advocacy on behalf of women

[2:57] and girls.

[2:58] She served on the Delaware County Women's Commission from 1989 to 1992, and there she helped

[3:04] found the friends of the commission and led an issue to addressing adolescent pregnancy, child support enforcement, women's history month and more.

[3:14] She went on to serve on the Pennsylvania Commission for Women and has held numerous leadership positions on the NACW Board, including Treasurer, Secretary and Director.

[3:25] Susan's efforts have helped strengthen women's commissions across the country, supported non-profit leadership, and mentored countless emerging voices.

[3:33] We're honored to celebrate our contributions and proud that her journey began right here in Delaware County.

[3:41] Thank you, Council Member Shady, for Council Member Ruthen.

[3:48] Good evening. I have two announcements tonight.

[3:50] The first I'd like to take a moment to remind residents about our Delco Alert system.

[3:54] This is Delaware County's free emergency notification system that keeps our communities informed prepared and safe.

[4:02] Over the past couple of months, we've experienced everything from dangerous heat to flash flooding and severe thunderstorms.

[4:09] Systems like Delco Alert are critical in those moments giving residents accurate real-time information they can trust.

[4:15] Delco Alert delivers essential messages straight to your phone, email or landline, including

[4:22] code-read heat alerts, storm and flood warnings, road closures, health advisories, and

[4:28] municipal service changes.

[4:31] It's one of the most effective ways for county and local officials to communicate during

[4:35] emergencies and disruptions, and it can be done very locally right down to a neighborhood

[4:42] even.

[4:43] Participation is grown steadily more than a dozen municipalities now use the platform to issue their own community alerts, and that number continues to arise.

[4:53] The system is available at no cost to all 49 municipalities in the county, and it's already being used to share everything from weather warnings and vaccine events to street paving notices and trash delays.

[5:04] Signing up is quick and easy.

[5:07] Just visit delco.pa.gov backslash delco alert.

[5:14] You can choose what type of alerts you'd like to receive,

[5:16] how you'd like to receive them, whether by text,

[5:19] call or email.

[5:20] And you can register multiple locations such as your home,

[5:23] your workplace, or your family members address.

[5:26] This is a powerful tool and we encourage residents

[5:28] to take advantage of it.

[5:31] Second, I want to give a quick reminder and update about the Delaware County inaugural

[5:39] Delco 10-miler road race, which is happening on September 28th.

[5:44] While the registration is open, I wasn't informed that we had reached the initial cap of

[5:50] a thousand, so I have reached out to find out if they're still accepting registrations for

[5:55] runners.

[5:56] But you can still volunteer, and people who volunteer get to, we'll get a t-shirt and an opportunity to participate in the post-grace party.

[6:07] There's lots of opportunities to help with things like registration, the end of the finish line, the party itself.

[6:14] Also, we do need additional people to help as marshals on the southern part of the course.

[6:21] Councilful Floated this idea over a year ago is a way to promote health, community connection,

[6:27] and regional pride, and thanks to a visit delco partnership in enthusiasm, this idea is now a reality.

[6:33] The official website delco10myler.com is live, and that's where you can sign up to be a volunteer.

[6:40] If you have a group of people who want to volunteer together, you can create a group and a team to volunteer together even at a particular location.

[6:49] So, please take a look at that.

[6:52] It would be great to have people from all over participate.

[6:55] It's a real chance to shine a light on four Delaware County municipalities, but more

[7:03] particular and more important to me to show off a lot of the really good things going on

[7:09] in the city of Chester, widener university, which is just going to be opening, getting started

[7:15] with its school year, a lot of the residential streets

[7:19] and down to the union where we are continuing

[7:22] to the union is continuing to build out.

[7:25] It's infrastructure down there

[7:26] and anticipation of the 2026 World Cup.

[7:29] So it's going to be very exciting.

[7:31] This is an opportunity to test the course and the logistics

[7:34] and to make sure it works.

[7:36] And if it does, we're going to have a big blow out next year.

[7:39] But there's only one first time.

[7:41] So if you want to get one of those Delco 10-Miler

[7:43] in the inaugural round T-shirts,

[7:44] this is the time to do it.

[7:47] And I want to say thank you also to our municipalities who are involved, to their police departments,

[7:54] the public works departments, who are helping us out, to our park police who have really taken

[7:58] on a supervisory role.

[8:00] This is a big effort and there's a lot of people involved and it's going to be a lot of fun.

[8:05] Thank you.

[8:08] Member.

[8:09] Councilmember Matt?

[8:12] I have two announcements tonight.

[8:14] This past Tuesday, the George W. Hill Correctional Facility held its second graduation ceremony

[8:20] for the New Leashon Life Program.

[8:23] One of the counties most innovative and impactful re-entry initiatives.

[8:27] New Leashon Life is a six-month program that bears incarcerated individuals with sheltered

[8:32] dogs rescued from youth in Asia.

[8:35] In incarcerated participants complete 12 weeks of infacility workshops focused on dog training,

[8:41] career readiness, life skills, and trauma-informed care, followed by 12 weeks of individualized

[8:48] re-entry support and paid internships once they're on the outside.

[8:52] The program is grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy and animal-assisted therapy, models

[8:57] proven to reduce recidivism and support successful transitions back into the community.

[9:03] The results speak for themselves.

[9:04] Since its founding in 2011, newly shown life USA has served nearly 700 people, achieved

[9:12] a 75% graduation rate, and kept one year's citizen to just 10.5%.

[9:18] Along the way, it is also saved the lives of more than 300 dogs, giving them the training

[9:24] and socialization needed to find permanent homes.

[9:27] This most recent ceremony honored 10 graduates, as well as their canine companions, and reflects

[9:33] the power of second chances to change lives, human, and canine alike.

[9:38] The program is made possible through a partnership between the county and New Leashon

[9:42] Life USA, with a $1.9 million federal funding secured by Congresswoman Mary Gace

[9:49] Galen.

[9:50] We're grateful to Warden-Lar Williams, Reentry, and Program Administrator, Kelly Shaw, and

[9:55] partners from the Public Defenders Office, Adult Probation, the District Attorney's Office,

[10:01] and many dedicated staff members at George W. Hill for their commitment to safe, supportive, and effective rehabilitation.

[10:09] And we thank Mary and Marchaisi, Rob Rosa, and the entire newly-steam for their continued leadership in this work.

[10:17] Programs like this reflect the county's commitment to re-entry, rehabilitation, and reducing recidivism,

[10:23] while also promoting compassion, accountability, and public safety.

[10:27] To learn more, we're to support the program through volunteering, adoption, or donations, visit newleashonlife.org.

[10:36] My second announcement for tonight is that I'd like to extend a big thank you on behalf of County Council to the Delaware County Health Department and its director, Lori Seaman, Warner, for hosting the second annual back to school fair on Saturday, August 16th at the Wellness Center in Yden.

[10:53] This was a tremendous event that drew over 1,000 residents from across the county and provided students with more than 600 backpacks filled with an incredible variety of school supplies donated by county residents, county offices and employees.

[11:10] I'd like to especially recognize our county controller's office, which collected numerous boxes of supplies that ensure dozens of children had the materials they need to start the school year right.

[11:20] In addition, families benefited from free immunizations, dental exams, vision screenings,

[11:27] haircut vouchers, and more, helping students begin the school your healthy, confident and ready to succeed.

[11:33] We are especially grateful to the many sponsors and partners who help make the day possible, including a place to grow.

[11:40] Chesapean, Keystone first, Franklin Mint Credit Union, Wawa, Acme, Jefferson Health, Delaware

[11:48] County Libraries, the Foundation for Delaware County, and so many others.

[11:52] The dedication of these organizations along with the support of our Delaware County Medical

[11:56] Reserve Corps shows what's possible when a community comes together for its children.

[12:02] When students have the supplies, health services, and support they need at the start of the

[12:06] They're better able to focus on their education, build confidence and truly start the year on the right foot.

[12:13] And a special note of recognition goes to the Health Department for its creative collaboration with Marble Comics

[12:18] to unveil a one-of-a-kind Iron Man poster promoting a lead-free Delaware County.

[12:24] Thank you again to Director Warner, her entire team and all of the partners who contributed to make this years back to school fair, such a success.

[12:33] Thank you.

[12:34] Thank you, Councilor Madden.

[12:36] Vice Chairwoman.

[12:37] Thank you, Dr. Taylor.

[12:39] Good evening.

[12:40] I have one announcement tonight.

[12:42] Monday, I have the opportunity to join local leaders, partners,

[12:46] residents, and the Henderson Group in Derby Township for a

[12:50] topping off ceremony.

[12:52] Mark in the placement of the final beam on a new 54,000 square

[12:56] foot industrial facility they are constructing.

[12:59] One's completed this manifesto will become the home to multiple light industrial tenants supporting small businesses creating jobs and turning a long vacant property into an active hub of opportunity.

[13:14] Darby Tajik holds a uniquely important place in Delaware County.

[13:19] Its location just meant from airport, major highways, rail lines, the port, positions

[13:26] at a true engine for economic activity.

[13:30] This project taps into that shrimp and puts Darby Tajik in an even better position to grow

[13:36] and thrive.

[13:38] Darby Tajik has been my home for more than 50 years.

[13:41] I remember when that location was at home to a high dog stand and later a gas station for too long

[13:49] it said vacant and underutilized to now see it being transformed into a site that will maximize

[13:56] this potential bringing real jobs, real opportunities and long-term economic benefits to the community

[14:03] I call my home is especially meaningful to me this is a project being built by Union Labor

[14:11] skill workers, doing high quality work, safety, and professionally, while earning families

[14:18] sustaining wages, as someone who has long advocated for labor rights, I know how important

[14:24] these jobs are, not just for this job site today, but for the families and neighborhoods that

[14:30] benefit from stable employment going forward. The project also includes important environmental

[14:37] improvements. That location was once environmentally challenged. Thanks to Targaryen

[14:43] remediation, New Stormwater Infrastructure, the site is being returned to safe and productive

[14:50] use. Much of that progress was made possible through the efforts of the Darwin County

[14:56] be to them in authority.

[14:58] Live by the map.

[15:00] That's Sullivan, and the Dullwick County Economic Development Corporation led by Lord Goodrich

[15:05] Karen. To gather the help of security businesses in our sites, funding from the Commonwealth

[15:11] Financing Authority, and coordinated the public private partnership needed to prepare the

[15:16] site for redevelopment. Of course, not this would be possible without the Henderson

[15:21] Group, who's committed to Dullwick County's plans more than a hundred years. Their approach

[15:27] has always been focused on long-term stewardship, developing properties, holding and managing them.

[15:34] And working to ensure that they continue providing value to the tenants and the surrounding

[15:37] community.

[15:39] This project is a great example of what could be accomplished when various stakeholders

[15:44] in the private and public sector work together for the coming good.

[15:49] And I look forward to seeing this facility up and running with business operating jobs on site

[15:55] And another key piece of David Townsir Revalorization in place.

[16:00] Thank you.

[16:02] Thank you, Mr. Olman.

[16:04] And I, good evening, everyone.

[16:06] I also have one announcement tonight.

[16:08] Yesterday, Delaware County officially launched a newly redesigned version

[16:12] of our county website, DelcoPA.gov, marking the first major

[16:16] overhaul of the site in more than a decade.

[16:19] Over the years, the site had become increasingly outdated, harder

[16:22] to navigate, visually cluttered.

[16:24] and falling behind modern accessibility standards.

[16:28] Thanks to feedback from residents

[16:30] and the hard work of our IT team,

[16:33] we now have a site that is faster, clearer,

[16:37] and much more user friendly.

[16:39] The new platform was built around three core goals,

[16:42] accessibility, usability, and transparency.

[16:46] And I want to quickly highlight a few of the new features.

[16:50] A new how do I tab, that's easily accessible on every page,

[16:54] that gives residents a single plain language gateway to county services.

[16:59] Everything from marriage licenses and voter registration to property sales,

[17:03] immunizations, and job listings. A government tab also easily accessible on every page

[17:09] that clearly organizes departments, bureaus, agencies, boards, and commissions for easier navigation.

[17:16] A centralized county calendar that makes it easier to find public meetings, events,

[17:21] and deadlines all in one place and improve accessibility across the board, including a new

[17:27] accessibility widget, integrated translation tools, and full mobile optimization. So the site works

[17:33] well on any device in any language for every resident. This project has been over a year in

[17:40] the making and I want to sincerely thank our Chief Information Officer John Beckt, the entire IT team,

[17:46] but especially our in-house web developers,

[17:49] Owen Douglas, and Kristen Wilford

[17:50] for their technical expertise, long hours,

[17:54] and commitment throughout this process.

[17:56] Their hard work made this redesign possible.

[17:59] This launch is just the beginning.

[18:01] Additional features will roll out in the months ahead,

[18:04] including expanded calendar items

[18:06] and more standardized forms.

[18:08] And we want to continue improving

[18:10] so we're encouraging residents to explore the new site

[18:13] and share their feedback by emailing askedelco.co.

[18:17] .dollower.pa.us.

[18:19] Again, the site is live now at delco.pa.gov.

[18:23] And we invite everyone to check it out.

[18:25] Thank you.

[18:27] All right, and that concludes our announcement

[18:29] for the day.

[18:30] agenda item 3b is actually in the wrong spot.

[18:33] We're going to move that down to later on in any agenda.

[18:35] And so now we will move on to agenda item 4a,

[18:40] where we will have an update from the Office of Judicial Support by Ms. Mary Walk.

[18:58] OJS.

[19:02] I don't want to just read to you from the PowerPoints, so I'll sort of gloss over some of the things and if you would like to stop me along the way and ask me questions of course I'll answer them.

[19:11] So OJS is the filing office for the 32nd Judicial District of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

[19:17] We have 46 dedicated employees, I include myself in that, three deputies, an IT specialist,

[19:24] a file room supervisor, two protection from abuse liaisons, four passport agents, about 15

[19:31] customer service coordinators, probably 15 support service coordinators, and then 15 court

[19:37] clerks.

[19:39] So, OJS is comprised of a civil and a criminal division.

[19:42] The director, that's me, acts as the profanitarian on the civil side and I am the clerk of court on the criminal side.

[19:52] Some financial information about us. In 2024, the total revenue for OJS was $3,3,327,370.

[20:03] That was an increase of $124,150 over our 2023 total revenue, which was $3,200,220,

[20:13] $220. I attribute that to volume. It was not attributable to a price increase of any kind.

[20:20] I just think that we have a lot of new types of filings. We have a lot of things mandated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that we do.

[20:29] And that is, I believe, the reason for the increase in money.

[20:33] Our total budget this year in 2025 was $2,475,781.

[20:42] So I'm proud to say that we bring in some money for the county and we're very proud of that.

[20:49] In civil, we had 6352 initial filings in 2024.

[20:56] I'm making that distinction about initial filings because we have a lot more filings over

[21:01] course of the year than that number. That is when someone first comes in and files a complaint

[21:06] or a petition or something like that. Following a case through there could be all kinds

[21:11] of motion practice and those types of things. So that's 606,000 number is on the conservative

[21:17] side. There's actually more than that. What types of things do we do in civil? We accept and

[21:23] dock at lawsuits by individuals and businesses as well as landlord tenant appeals from the

[21:31] from administrative agencies, appeals from arbitration.

[21:36] Notaries come in and register their signatures in OJS.

[21:39] We have mental health petitions.

[21:41] We have petitions for change of name.

[21:43] And we have thousands and thousands of leans and judgments.

[21:47] Those could be from court cases.

[21:49] Those are also filed routinely by the IRS,

[21:53] the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,

[21:55] and our own probation department when people owe money for court cost.

[22:01] Family. We had 4,391 initial filings in 2024 of those. There were 1,391 initial filings for custody,

[22:12] 902 divorce filings, and then 2,999 protection from abuse filings. I'm happy to report

[22:21] through a report that beginning on October 15th of this year, we will have the ability to accept

[22:27] Family filings electronically.

[22:30] This is something that I know.

[22:31] Council knows we have been working on this for a couple of years now.

[22:35] It is finally coming to fruition.

[22:37] It is something that we want in the office.

[22:40] It's something that the public wants.

[22:41] It's something that the Bar Association has been clamoring for.

[22:45] I am hoping and predicting that it saves us all types of money on copying and paper

[22:50] and toner and things like that.

[22:52] But the good news is people will be able to file electronically, and that will cut down on the foottrack of traffic in the office and just make it more convenient for our constituents.

[23:04] We will always have pro-safialers, pro-say is when someone is not represented by a lawyer, they will always be able to come in and bring their filings in person and file them in paper format, that's not a problem.

[23:16] PFA filings would not be part of the electronic filing because those are considered an emergency,

[23:22] and people petitioned for a protection from abuse order, they're seen the same day by a judge.

[23:30] Criminal, 5,468 total filings in 2024.

[23:37] What do we do on the criminal side, which was something I had to learn when I became the director

[23:41] because I had no experience with criminal, my experience has been civil.

[23:46] Docketing emotions and petitions, accepting bail payments and processing bail refunds, issuance

[23:52] and recision of bench warrants, private detective licenses, summary appeals from the

[23:58] Magisterial District Court's expungements from both the Court of Common Police and the

[24:03] Magisterial District Court, something that is another mandate from the Commonwealth, which

[24:08] has expanded our practice in the office exponentially with having to process expungements

[24:13] for both our own court and the lower court.

[24:17] Beginning on September 15th of this year,

[24:19] we will have the ability to accept criminal

[24:22] filings electronically.

[24:25] So we've made a lot of progress this year

[24:27] on both the criminal and the civil side

[24:29] with getting things done electronically.

[24:31] So we're looking forward to that as well.

[24:33] I know the public defender's office is looking forward

[24:36] to that so is the DA's office.

[24:38] So we're having an exciting fall in a good way.

[24:43] The court clerks are also part of the Officer Judicial Support.

[24:48] They prepare for an attend civil family and criminal court hearings and trials.

[24:53] They prepare for those things, they pull the files, they prep them, they mark and

[24:57] docket exhibits, they complete criminal sentencing orders for the judges signatures, they

[25:03] assist with the voidure of the jury and they read the verdict.

[25:11] We also do passport applications for new passports.

[25:14] people often ask me why don't you do renewals because we are not authorized by the U.S. Department of State to do renewals and you don't need us to do your renewal.

[25:23] You can send that in yourself. In 2024, OJS accepted 4,319 passport applications.

[25:32] I just want to say that number again 4,319 passport applications because I want to reiterate that I have four passport agents in OJS.

[25:41] So, that's how many people did 4,000 passports.

[25:46] The four passport agents, plus the hearts, are required to re-certify annually by passing

[25:51] a test administered by the U.S. Department of State.

[25:54] And I will tell you that this year, I also had to take it, and yes, I managed to pass, because

[25:59] that would not have been good if I had not passed, I guess, would have been hard to explain.

[26:05] Records Management, OJS maintains the official

[26:09] docket for both civil and criminal proceedings.

[26:12] Only OJS can certify or exemplify documents from the docket.

[26:17] We fulfill thousands of document requests per year, including divorce records,

[26:22] naturalization records, there's leans and judgments, criminal records,

[26:26] necessary for obtaining expungements and pardons.

[26:30] I just want to mention that a lot of our requests that we get for divorce records are for people seeking Italians citizenship.

[26:39] We spend a lot of time on that so that that is something we do and we've gotten pretty good at knowing what the people are requesting.

[26:48] We also provide all the certified records to the Pennsylvania of Helix courts for both civil and criminal appeals.

[26:54] We are the official record.

[26:57] And then the last thing I want to mention is naturalization.

[27:06] We coordinate with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Office to facilitate

[27:13] naturalization here.

[27:16] The ceremony's take place at the courthouse four times annually.

[27:20] The clerk of court, that's me, prepares the name change petitions for the judges signature.

[27:25] And I administer the oath of citizenship at the ceremony and of all the things that I've done since I've had this job.

[27:32] I have to comment as I always do that administering that oath of citizenship is like one of the most moving things to do,

[27:39] and it's an honor to be able to do that.

[27:42] So that's what I have about our office and I'm happy to answer questions.

[27:46] If anybody has any?

[27:50] Thank you for the presentation and thank you for all the work that you and the entire OGS team have been doing.

[27:56] for years but especially across this year as you are implementing a lot of new things and advancing

[28:02] the department to make it more accessible and user friendly for our residents. Any questions

[28:07] or comments?

[28:10] All right. Thank you so much. Thank you for having me.

[28:13] Good night.

[28:17] All right. Next up we have Bellmont Behavioral Health LLC by Jacqueline Bessil.

[28:29] Good evening

[28:30] chairperson Taylor and the County Council members. I'm here this evening to introduce

[28:35] BELMA behavioral health, the chosen provider through our request for proposal process for comprehensive

[28:40] crisis services. There were six viable proposals for this RFP and BELMA rose to the top providing

[28:46] a thoughtful and comprehensive information on how they would structure services to the best

[28:52] to best serve the residents of Delaware County. I'd like to seek the opportunity to thank all

[28:57] of the stakeholders, the different departments that assisted us in reviewing the proposals,

[29:00] and took the time to attend meetings.

[29:04] We had representatives not just from mental health

[29:06] and not just from Department of Human Services,

[29:09] but from our justice partners and from our MCO

[29:17] and many of our other stakeholders that were able to participate

[29:22] in some point of the process.

[29:23] And without that input, it would make it very difficult for us

[29:27] to make a decision that was in the best interest of the entire county.

[29:30] Belmont Behavioral Health has been providing behavioral services in Philadelphia for over 75 years.

[29:35] They are one of the largest mental and behavioral health care providers in Philadelphia.

[29:40] The Department of Human Services has contract with Belmont Behavioral Health for

[29:44] Inpatient Services through our behavioral health MCO Community Care Behavioral Health.

[29:49] They are very familiar with the lower county area and are excited to present you their vision for our crisis services.

[29:55] So I'd like to introduce Jacqueline Basel.

[29:57] on

[30:00] Who is a chief executive officer?

[30:05] Good evening, council. And thank you, Janet. What a wonderful introduction.

[30:09] My name is Jacqueline Basel. I am the CEO at the Ammon Behavioral Health System. I have been

[30:15] but with Balmond for 22 years. I'm a social worker by training. I think I've done every

[30:20] job at Balmond to be able to provide care to our individuals in need. I am very excited to be here

[30:29] this evening and honored as not only am I excited to be here as a provider but as a resident

[30:35] of Delaware County. I was born and raised in Delaware County, graduate of Upper Darby High

[30:41] School and currently a resident of Brumel. So my passion is not just for providing care and

[30:47] ensuring access to care to those in need but also as an individual in this county who knows how

[30:54] much. This service is needed.

[30:59] The OMOMB behavioral health system is honored to submit this

[31:01] proposal that will expand on its expertise to better address, recognized, unmet needs

[31:06] for the individuals in Delaware County. This RFP provides us with an opportunity to form

[31:12] new partnerships, create innovative care and best practice models for the care of Delaware

[31:17] County residents. We are proposing a multi-modal program for crisis assessment, intervention,

[31:23] and stabilization for individuals with behavioral, psychiatric, and substance use disorders

[31:29] designed to serve anyone anywhere any time.

[31:37] Why Balmont?

[31:38] We have proven experience, not hypothetical.

[31:42] Balmont has operated a walking crisis response center and crisis stabilization unit in the

[31:47] city of Philadelphia since 2018.

[31:50] Prior to that time, we were also very much involved in the care and the work that occurred at Albert

[31:56] Einstein's Crisis Response Center for serving children adolescents and adults over on Germantown

[32:01] Avenue.

[32:04] As the provider of these services in the surrounding area, we have an acute understanding

[32:08] of the challenges faced by the individuals we serve.

[32:11] The Crisis Service Continuum will provide brief treatments within the context of a developmental

[32:16] appropriate, family-centered, trauma-informed care environment.

[32:21] Our overarching goal is health promotion and use of the least restrictive community interventions by reducing the number of crisis experienced and the need for inpatient hospitalizations.

[32:34] We believe that providing this innovative continuum of care that serves the needs of the individuals living in Delaware County that we will reduce our emergency medical and mental health visits.

[32:45] We aim to build a county-wide collaboration of participants who maximize the combined resources.

[32:51] These organizations to respond to the individuals in crisis with every available option prior to hospitalization.

[32:58] So as we mentioned, we have a continuum in place.

[33:04] We have a crisis service line.

[33:05] We have stabilization units.

[33:07] So what we're proposing is not something that is guesswork.

[33:11] it's something that we are doing and we have seen to prove effective.

[33:16] It will be inclusive of a crisis response center

[33:19] and crisis stabilization unit in addition to other services.

[33:23] We also have collaborative relationships with mobile crisis teams in Philadelphia.

[33:28] So the mobile crisis aspect of this proposal is also very well known to us as we're currently

[33:33] partnering with our provider L1 in Philadelphia.

[33:38] We have long-standing relationships with the behavioral health community and recovery systems, including CCBH.

[33:47] We also have direct service access to those individuals who may need a higher level of care.

[33:53] So we are able to provide acute care. We're able to provide outpatient services, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient,

[34:00] but also at the same time collaborating with the community stakeholders, who also have exceptional services and we are currently partnering with the Delaware County.

[34:11] We plan to do this in a trauma informed, developmentally appropriate and family center approach.

[34:18] I would like to introduce my colleague who's going to speak to the framework on and design.

[34:28] Thank you, Jackie. Good evening.

[34:32] I am a adult and child psychiatrist.

[34:38] I have 20 plus years of experience with crisis work.

[34:44] I trained that temple where we also have experience with a crisis response center.

[34:51] And I was also the medical director of the Einstein crisis response center.

[34:59] before the Belmont obtained was awarded the Crisis Response Center that we currently operate.

[35:12] So, thank you for the opportunity to speak about the proposal,

[35:16] and I would like to emphasize that we operate,

[35:21] we have been operating very successfully.

[35:22] the crisis response center crisis stabilization unit since 2018.

[35:30] And we have proven that we can

[35:35] provide tangible benefits.

[35:42] The crisis response center, I'm a little blind. The crisis response

[35:49] center that we are proposing will be a 24 hours a day, seven days, a week, 365, a year,

[35:59] a year, walking a center that will provide services with no barriers to access to all

[36:08] children, adolescents and adults in the county.

[36:13] We work in a multi-disciplinary team, interdisciplinary team composed of nurses, social workers,

[36:24] psychiatrists and other mental health professionals.

[36:28] And we are also partnering with low enforcement, the Office of Mental Health and other

[36:37] community stakeholders.

[36:38] We are also proposing a 23-hour observation service, which will help in a

[36:50] wording on necessary hospitalizations for individuals in crisis, whose

[36:56] crisis can be resolved by observing and treating and de-escalating in a 23-hour period.

[37:06] Additionally, we're also proposing the creation of a crisis stabilization unit, which is a similar model to the one that we currently operate.

[37:18] where we have a family-centered approach and individual

[37:28] usually present for stabilization of a crisis.

[37:32] They can be resolved within a brief period of time from

[37:36] 24 hours to usually 5 to 7 days.

[37:41] Again, a wording unnecessary hospitalizations.

[37:44] and we have been very successful in returning patients back to their communities within

[37:51] that period of time without utilizing more acute inpatient levels of care.

[38:03] Additionally, to the Crisis Response Center and Stabilization Unit, we are also proposing

[38:11] the operation of a mobile crisis team, which will provide services to residents in their

[38:22] community settings.

[38:25] We will deploy mental health workers to the communities to the schools

[38:41] crisis resolution, and the escalation and hopefully a bird, again, hospitalizations, link

[38:50] residents to the community services, and avoid unnecessary use of law enforcement and emergency

[38:58] rooms.

[39:03] Again, we will be serving children, other lessons and adults of all ages with no barriers

[39:09] to access.

[39:18] We are committed to resolution focused outcomes where no one will be turned away.

[39:27] We will build durable infrastructure and care pathways, drawing from existing operational

[39:34] success. Again, the focus is on resolution of crisis to reduce emergency room visits

[39:43] and inpatient states while it's strengthening wellness and recovery for all the residents.

[39:51] So we look forward to partnering with you to make this vision a reality for the

[39:57] residents of Delaware County. And I will introduce our chief medical officer now.

[40:20] Good evening, everyone. My name is Dr. Chiama Inhegra. I am the chief medical officer at

[40:26] on Behavioral Hospital. I, too, am a Delaware County resident. I currently live and reside

[40:31] in media. So I do also see the benefit of having these services provided in the county.

[40:39] One of the strengths that we have at Thelman is that we have a long-standing relationship and

[40:45] partnership with organizations, facilities, hospitals that participate in academic training. That

[40:51] an invaluable resource because that allows us to continue to craft like home the craft of those

[40:58] who are providing services in the region and typically when you know the patients and the

[41:02] populations that you serve, you continue to give back. And so that is one of our significant

[41:08] strengths that we have as an academic organization. So we partner with Children's Hospital, Philadelphia,

[41:14] we continue to train their adolescent residents. They partner with us in doing some of our physical

[41:19] examinations. Additionally, we partner with area medical schools to provide medical education

[41:25] from a psychiatry lens, so they are getting a lot of their training in that aspect as well.

[41:32] Most of the area child psychiatry programs as well as the general psychiatry programs

[41:37] train with us in the region. So we are currently working with the past

[41:43] closure residents that have now been taken under the wing at Mainline Health. They are actively

[41:48] rotating with us and enjoying their experience at Balmont, we continue to train the Jefferson

[41:53] and Einstein residents and provide them with a wealth of opportunities and experiences

[41:58] to help those in the communities that which they serve and many of them actually live in as

[42:02] well. So we can remain committed to being an academic institution and partnering with this

[42:11] venture to continue to educate and provide services within the region. Thank you.

[42:16] I will introduce, yes.

[42:25] Good evening, Chief Taylor, Chair Taylor, Vice Chair Womacking Members of Council.

[42:30] Thank you for the opportunity to address you tonight.

[42:32] My name is Colleen Drake, and I represent Belmont Behavioral Health System as the Regional Director of Business Development.

[42:39] I too am a lifelong resident of Delaware County.

[42:41] I grew up in Brumwell, Pennsylvania, and then I also raising my family right now in Springfield.

[42:46] Our work is rooted in one belief, and no single system can meet the needs of our community alone.

[42:53] Collaboration isn't just a part of what we do, it's the foundation of how we move forward together.

[42:59] Our first responders, we stand alongside our police, our EMS, and our fire departments.

[43:04] Often, they are the very first-pointed contact in a moment of crisis.

[43:08] Participation and events like the National Night Out give us the chance to build those relationships with first responders

[43:14] and strengthen the bridge between safety and care.

[43:18] Our health care providers.

[43:20] Our partnerships with hospitals, urgent

[43:22] care, and private providers help

[43:24] create a seamless system of care.

[43:26] When services are coordinated and information is shared,

[43:29] patients don't fall through the cracks.

[43:32] They move toward recovery.

[43:34] Our schools and our youth sports supports.

[43:36] We are equally committed to our schools

[43:38] through participation in the Delaware County

[43:40] truncy program meetings and the student assistance program

[43:44] sat through Holcomb.

[43:45] We're working directly with teachers and administrators

[43:48] who are seeing the early warning signs every day.

[43:52] These partnerships help us intervene sooner

[43:53] and support healthier futures for our young people.

[43:57] Community agencies and our county committees.

[44:00] We align ourselves with the Delaware County

[44:02] Community Support Program,

[44:04] Delaware's the Delaware County System of Care,

[44:07] Nami Mainline, Voices for Children,

[44:09] And one that's near and dear to me, which is the Delaware County area resource network, more effectively known as Darn than anybody's familiar.

[44:18] This group gives us a shared table to align resources, breakdown barriers, and ensure that our work reflects the real needs of the Delaware County residents.

[44:28] As an active task force member of the Delaware County suicide prevention task force, I've seen firsthand how collaboration across agencies has saved lives and strengthened families.

[44:40] At the center of all of this is crisis diversion, preventing individuals and families from

[44:46] cycling through emergency rooms or justice systems when more compassionate, effective solutions

[44:52] are available.

[44:54] This is where collaboration proves its greatest value.

[44:58] Our path forward.

[45:00] This is one of unity, shared responsibility, and lasting impact. Together, as first responders, health care providers, schools, community, agencies, and county leaders, we can build a system that not only responds to crisis, but prevents it,

[45:16] It transforms it into recovery and hope.

[45:20] This is our commitment and this is the path forward together.

[45:23] Thank you for your time.

[45:27] So as my team is mentioned, we are committed to the county.

[45:31] We're committed to providing care and we are excited to partner with all the key stakeholders

[45:35] in ensuring access.

[45:38] With any proposal, we're very well aware that there's financial considerations.

[45:42] These financial considerations, we look forward to having these conversations with all of you

[45:47] with all the key stakeholders with our hope that we're able to move forward with this project

[45:52] and this proposal. It'll be hand in hand collaboration, open and transparent conversations.

[45:59] Our next steps in our path forward will include site planning, community integration, stakeholder

[46:06] engagement, which will be active and ongoing throughout the process, and program launch aligned

[46:11] with state and county timelines.

[46:15] Thank you for your time and if you have any questions

[46:17] for myself or my colleagues.

[46:22] Well, thank you for your presentation today.

[46:25] And thank you to our team for the process and the thorough

[46:29] process that we went through to be able to have six viable

[46:35] providers, which is great.

[46:37] And then to put together the team of stakeholders,

[46:40] There's the first responders of anyone who might intersect with this provider to be able to really

[46:45] vet who is coming in to provide this service.

[46:48] So thank you all for that and thank you for your presentation now and throughout the process.

[46:53] As you all know, we have a lack of these services in our county and we lost due to prospect

[47:01] and closure of our inpatient beds in our crisis center and we see the need and we see how our

[47:08] current two hospitals are the trying to do as best as they can to provide services for this,

[47:14] but we really need to get this up and rolling quickly.

[47:17] And so I thank you for partnering with us in this process.

[47:21] And for you all to be at a step into space and help us provide services for our residents.

[47:26] And even in fact, there were, we will be able to expand what we have more than what we had before.

[47:32] And even the aspect of adding in more pediatric services and pediatric and patient beds.

[47:36] and all of those parts of it are going to help us better serve our residents.

[47:40] So, thank you.

[47:41] We look forward to partnering with you.

[47:43] Thank you.

[47:44] Yeah.

[47:44] I want to thank you.

[47:46] Your whole team.

[47:46] The team coming here.

[47:48] The squad coming tonight.

[47:50] That's great.

[47:52] When I read through the proposal, or I guess your response to the RFP, I was with a great

[48:00] sense of relief because we're in a pretty desperate situation here with the loss of the

[48:06] as a closure, and I really hope that we can achieve the things that are in that proposal

[48:14] expeditiously, because the need is great.

[48:17] The strain on our law enforcement right now and on our emergency rooms is really untenable.

[48:25] And it's, you know, we hear from the residents from the law enforcement, it's really different here.

[48:32] Yes, that's what we did with them every day. It's devastating.

[48:36] Yeah, so, you know, let's get going and get this right away, the site, and it's a lot of work,

[48:46] but honestly, we've needed to address these services for a long time, but this situation

[48:51] has just driven it to crisis proportions. I did have one little question. And that is,

[48:58] You know, yesterday I asked the question about, you know, is this really replacing what we have in place the mobile, the mobile part of it?

[49:07] And then after I thought about it a little bit, you know, that was very limited to you graphically that program.

[49:13] So is the program that's coming in going to be county-wide and how is that going to work to have, you know, kind of at the moment accessibility to crisis intervention all over our county.

[49:25] Sure. That's a great question. And yes, it is a big county. The goal would be for the service to be countywide and it would also be our goal and our intent to partner with current providers of this service.

[49:39] As they also carry a great deal of expertise, including working with some other staff too. So that is definitely a piece that we're going to have to take a deeper dive and close look at in full transparency.

[49:52] because it would be our goal to be able to provide that level of support and access to every

[49:57] part of the county and not just have to pick and choose who's eligible for that service.

[50:02] You know, it just is unethical in so many ways.

[50:06] Right. And then part of that would entail education for our law enforcement.

[50:10] Absolutely. Don't have this available to them. Most of them don't have this available to them now.

[50:15] Yes. So currently with the City of Philadelphia and we work with the 19th district.

[50:19] we actually are partners with them, we meet with them quite regularly, we have provided mental

[50:25] health education to them, we've had them on-site working with us, so that would also be

[50:30] a part of this process too and having the teams come on-site, see the location, no where

[50:35] to come when they arrive, and then how can we work hand in hand, because someone who's in

[50:41] a mental health crisis is overwhelming, and if you don't have the skills in training, you're

[50:46] unsure, and it's unsettling on what to do.

[50:48] So yes, that would also be a part of this and that's why our pride in our teaching affiliations.

[50:53] We're a teaching facility.

[50:54] We love to teach.

[50:56] So it would be our intention to teach those, serving the community on how to handle

[51:00] and mental health crisis.

[51:02] Well, thank you.

[51:03] And I really, really look forward to this partnership.

[51:05] Great.

[51:05] Thank you.

[51:06] I guess one question I have since I know we're working on site development.

[51:11] So in addition to just being able to ensure initially backstop some of the crisis services

[51:17] is that we already have what is the estimate like what's your time what's I didn't get a

[51:23] chance review the entire proposal and apologize but I think it would be helpful to get

[51:28] it to set expectations just to get an understanding of how long you're anticipating it's

[51:34] going to take to complete that process and have a you know sort of a Belmont site sure absolutely

[51:43] that is a great question. It is a difficult question to answer and give you clear timelines.

[51:49] It would be unfair to me to do that because through this proposal process, our ability to engage

[51:56] in that part of the conversation has been limited. We have been strategically brainstorming

[52:02] on how we would like to execute this in developing a budget based on our current. We have some ideas

[52:09] on some sites that we could possibly explore through our corporate real estate team.

[52:16] So it's our desire to start moving quickly, but we would definitely have to have more in-depth

[52:21] conversation around budget timelines and things of that nature.

[52:26] But in the meantime to assure all of you, since even before the closing of closure, we

[52:33] partner with Mainline Health, Riddle.

[52:36] Our teams are out in the community, engaging with referral sources, even the community-based

[52:40] providers on how to access care quickly.

[52:44] So in the meantime, and in the development of this, obviously, Thalmont if the need is for

[52:48] inpatient beds, outpatient program, partial hospitalization.

[52:52] We will be ensuring that access is immediate for those folks until we can get this service

[52:58] online.

[52:58] Great.

[52:59] Thank you.

[53:02] Any additional questions or comments from council?

[53:06] All right.

[53:06] Hearing none.

[53:07] I look forward to working with you all.

[53:09] Thank you.

[53:10] Thank

[53:14] you.

[53:14] The next item on the agenda.

[53:16] We have a public comment.

[53:18] For those of you who are unfamiliar with public comment.

[53:20] There is a sign of sheet in the back of the room,

[53:22] which we will go through the names on a sign of sheet first.

[53:25] If you did not get a chance to sign up.

[53:27] No worries.

[53:27] We will open it up to anyone.

[53:29] After we call on the individuals who are able to sign up first.

[53:32] When it's your turn, please step up to the mic,

[53:37] stage your name and your municipality,

[53:39] and you have a three minute limit,

[53:42] which will be on the screen in front of you.

[53:44] We do hold strictly to that time limit

[53:46] to give to a lot of everyone

[53:47] to the opportunity to speak who would like to.

[53:50] With that, I will look to our executive director,

[53:52] Bart Romalee, the start calling names.

[53:55] Kim Brown, followed by John Hagueis.

[54:30] Timberley Brown, first thing, first of all,

[54:32] I think if a big shout out to public defender, teller,

[54:36] done, then I appreciate you.

[54:38] I love your work.

[54:39] I appreciate you being the same player at every day.

[54:44] It's a lovely day at George that be healed.

[54:47] Armageddon Day is scheduled for September 5th.

[54:50] Ms. Laura Williams will be the part from Duckel,

[54:52] but there's remain additional work to be done.

[54:54] Who was some of the roleful internal warden?

[54:57] Please do not suggest deputy warden of security will be blind.

[55:00] He can trip you nothing, he just sits in his office all day, just collecting the paycheck.

[55:05] Please don't even think about deputy Warren Filey.

[55:08] He doesn't can't tell his left from his right foot.

[55:12] Last but not least, please do not consider deputy Warren,

[55:18] Mr. Odie of operations as her operations seem to resolve around misuse and text

[55:22] for her own benefit in her friends as well.

[55:27] She's also a little keeper, with a little keeper for G.O.

[55:32] If you look at the packet that I just gave you guys

[55:34] is a memo about the employee for our program, the bonus.

[55:38] Number one, where it says employee bonus program,

[55:41] number two, it says current employees, new correctional officers

[55:45] will be paid a $2,000 employee bonus.

[55:49] Number three, the advocate must declare on the initial application that they would refer from a employee.

[55:57] Number four, human resource employees, higher managers, and contractors are in eligible to receive payments.

[56:06] If you look at the second page, you'll see one of the bonus lists.

[56:09] you see Lisa Mastrody on the air.

[56:11] She paid herself $5,000, $9,920, 22,

[56:15] another $5,012, 16, 2022.

[56:20] All my rights and no ass would have list of employees she

[56:22] refer, there's no employees.

[56:26] Sarah Bowles, she's a compliance coordinator.

[56:27] If you look at the second page for the opponents,

[56:32] she received $5,000.

[56:34] All those $ech dollars needed to return back.

[56:37] You see, you must show the pace of, I gave you another

[56:41] feather pace of Brian Hell, he is the I.T. director.

[56:48] He had this 64 hours of vacation time when that first

[56:53] pace of, when the second one he used 48.

[56:56] On the third pace of, is show that he

[56:59] retro, he paid itself out the occasion where's the

[57:02] hours. On his last pace of, is showed,

[57:06] 3,000, because he made salary, that's least the majority buddy, where's the money?

[57:13] I even test his time sheets, there's a lot of time sheets and a lot of extra input three times

[57:18] on the same day, the money needs to be returned, the majority needs to go, thank you.

[57:24] John Higgis, that followed by Jen Higgis.

[57:31] John Higgis, Darby Pemslinga, and what if I could ask you to sort of pass him and everyone

[57:38] I'm here obviously about Woodburn and here not merely as concerned citizen, but as an advocate for our collective future in the time of great fiscal environmental, social culture, cultural and political challenges, these are very tough times.

[57:59] Tell you Roosevelt was once asked by a subordinate.

[58:03] What do I do now, is that's what you can, what you have, where you are.

[58:09] One of the things we have is wood burn mansion, which is in terrible condition, the entire

[58:15] inside has collapsed.

[58:16] But, put on in stone walls, from buyers steel, I've been praying and holding up a intact

[58:26] roof structure.

[58:28] You know, Trumpur was said to build not only to impress but to endure, and resilience

[58:33] these days is important, it's also important to teach people how to work on older buildings

[58:40] because it's a different skill set.

[58:44] Jan and I a few years ago went to Williamson College of the Trade,

[58:47] which is like the MIT of trade schools.

[58:50] And one of the things that makes it unique

[58:52] is that the students for the first year cannot use power tools.

[58:57] They have to use hand tools, working with their hands,

[59:00] which I think is a very human thing.

[59:04] Williamson, there's no women's at Williamson at this point,

[59:07] But I think there should be, Jan asks one of students

[59:10] who you liked it there, and you said, yeah, I love it.

[59:13] Why is that?

[59:14] Well, it takes nothing really, really messed up,

[59:16] and you make it good.

[59:18] And the next we feel good.

[59:20] You know, I think, like the program,

[59:24] at least a new leash on life, having something to care about,

[59:30] is very important, very human thing.

[59:34] The preservation and renewal environment future these buildings

[59:37] existing buildings, so it's not just woodburn, I'm thrilled that you all are hiring

[59:41] excellent saltant to do and I'm here as a plea to receive our help. We would continue

[59:50] to like permission to clean inside the fence at Woodburn to clean some of the brush and

[59:55] and make it look less abandoned.

[1:00:00] And adaptive reuses, repurposing, finding new life among the ruins.

[1:00:08] I can go on and often do, but I see I have 25 seconds, so I will yield and thank you very much.

[1:00:15] Jan Hages and Chris Welch.

[1:00:21] I'm shorter than most people who views this mic.

[1:00:24] My name is Jan Haigas, I live in Darby Barrow,

[1:00:30] and I am going to be here just for a few seconds, actually, because what I want to say is, in 1982,

[1:00:40] John and I met, in 1984, we married. In 1985, we started friends of the Bluebell.

[1:00:47] And we went on with a group of neighborhood people to actually save that building and

[1:00:55] restore it to use by the neighborhood.

[1:00:57] Unfortunately, very recently, a trolley kind of interrupted its revival, but that's being

[1:01:04] taken care of thanks to Seth Dice.

[1:01:07] In 1987, we actually started to be a part of the Darby Creek Valley Association, and at that

[1:01:16] I'm the Derby Creek Valley Association met

[1:01:18] in an old house on the Woodburn Plateau property.

[1:01:23] And so we became surrounded by the beauty of the old buildings

[1:01:31] and the beautiful natural setting of that area.

[1:01:37] And what it can do, interestingly enough,

[1:01:40] A lot of talk has been just today in about the health.

[1:01:49] One of the best things we can do for our health is get some exercise and get out into a place that's peaceful.

[1:01:55] And that place is very peaceful.

[1:01:57] And so we started doing things with other kinds of buildings,

[1:02:02] but we have always tried to encourage people to remember that those old buildings

[1:02:09] are still standing. A lot of new ones have gone by the wayside. And when you do decide to take

[1:02:17] it all down, boy does it take a lot of effort because we have one going down right next

[1:02:22] to the house that we live in in Darby, and it survived and survived and it's taken them

[1:02:27] a long time to take it apart. So I encourage us all, we have talked a lot of people who are

[1:02:38] something to reuse this site and use all the parts of it, not just that one building, but all

[1:02:46] the other side could help community people to work together and make us an even better place

[1:02:54] to live.

[1:02:55] Thank you.

[1:02:56] I'd like to note that tonight item 10AB is approval of a contract for improvements of that

[1:03:03] site to add some security features and one of the security, one of the actions that we'll

[1:03:08] taken is clearing the vegetation on the fence to make it more visible.

[1:03:15] It's Welsh followed by Scott Thomas.

[1:03:18] Good evening members of Council members of the Delaware County community.

[1:03:21] My name is Chris Welsh.

[1:03:22] I'm a resident of Habertown.

[1:03:23] I'm also the Chief Public Defender here in Delaware County.

[1:03:27] I am here with my colleagues, Taylor Dunn, Emily Robb, and Mary Beth Welch, three of the

[1:03:31] managers in the office of the Public Defenders office to fully endorse and support your appointment

[1:03:38] of Lee Aubrey as the county's next solicitor. I met Lee and she really does not want me to do this

[1:03:45] also. I met Lee five years ago when she applied to work as the chief of appeals in the public

[1:03:51] defender's office. She had been working as the chief of appeals for a short time in Montgomery County

[1:03:57] and she heard about changes that were foot here in Delaware County and she wanted to to come home

[1:04:03] work to serve the residents of the county where she was living and to be part of the change that

[1:04:09] she hoped would be coming to our office. She applied for the Chief of Appeals position, but when

[1:04:15] I asked her to come in for an interview after looking at her resume, Lee again only had two years

[1:04:22] of experience at a public defender's office, but she had gone to a top law school. She had worked

[1:04:27] that a large law firm on the West Coast for a period of time,

[1:04:31] she was lead counsel for Greenpeace,

[1:04:33] she had worked at the Public Interest Law Center.

[1:04:36] So her legal background was varied

[1:04:38] and she had a variety of experience

[1:04:39] that I thought would be helpful

[1:04:41] in a upper-level management position.

[1:04:43] I reached out to one of her references

[1:04:46] at the Montgomery County Public Defender's office,

[1:04:49] and he told me that Lee was in a very trying situation

[1:04:55] was the calm in the storm could in making really difficult decisions that she would be someone that

[1:05:01] I could rely upon and always give me good counsel. And then just meeting with Lee, she's just

[1:05:08] is a lovely person and is very disarming. So rather than giving her the chief of appeals job,

[1:05:15] I asked her to be the number two in our office, the first assistant, and it was the best decision

[1:05:19] that I have made in the five years

[1:05:22] that I've been working in the office.

[1:05:24] So why do I say it's the best decision?

[1:05:26] Because Lee is incredibly smart.

[1:05:29] She is a great lawyer.

[1:05:30] She can analyze complex legal issues.

[1:05:33] But she's also great at just analyzing

[1:05:35] all of the variables of the problems that present themselves

[1:05:38] and giving you, and I know she did to me

[1:05:42] what she will do to you, which is give you the best option

[1:05:44] and let you make the best decision

[1:05:46] for this county going forward.

[1:05:48] Second, she's passionate about her work, and she shares the values of this council.

[1:05:52] She believes the government can help solve problems, help people in need, and serve our community.

[1:05:57] And lastly, and I would say probably most importantly, is that she's someone who has integrity,

[1:06:02] and has the courage to act when she knows what the right thing to do is.

[1:06:07] So myself and the members of my staff came here because we're going to miss her.

[1:06:11] More than I can tell you, but we, but the county's in good hands with her as the chief legal officer.

[1:06:19] Thomas and Scott Mates.

[1:06:35] Scott Thomas from Marble Township coming to you under the mantle of our lady of the

[1:06:40] Macaly conception of which the month of August is dedicated to her. Today I would like to return to the topic of

[1:06:48] election paper ballots and counting and I want to address some objections that councilman Ruther has made over the

[1:06:59] years over here at these meetings and also in some correspondence through emails of which one

[1:07:05] I found floating around on Facebook. So one of her objections is for why not to do paper

[1:07:14] ballot hand in counting is that quote we will not go to hand counting of our paper ballots

[1:07:20] to tabulate winners because it is impractical widely inaccurate and would delay reporting a result.

[1:07:26] I would respond that, well, with today's developed hand-counting process, yes, human counters

[1:07:33] make mistakes, but are called and corrected, it's a built-in self-ordered.

[1:07:40] Another objection that was stated was that hand-counting also represents a fundamental breach

[1:07:46] of chain of custody.

[1:07:48] I respond that hand-counting would follow the same chain of custody there is now out of the

[1:07:55] Another objection is our experience with recounts have included hand recounts and numerous peer-reviewed studies show hand counts are far more prone to error than machine counts.

[1:08:07] I counter that. Well, I've always heard that the few hand counts that the county has done have always been accurate.

[1:08:15] And I recall Mr. Martin, who was sit right there, would brag about how the hand counts are always accurate.

[1:08:23] Also, Hank counts would also take four more time and cost far much more.

[1:08:29] I respond that, well, we would have a new poll worker team come in at 8 p.m. when the

[1:08:36] precincts close and for every 250 ballots you have a four team four.

[1:08:41] You don't want to have that team count more than 250 ballots and they would be counted in

[1:08:46] is a 50 and you could get 14 races counted and signed off by Midnight at the latest.

[1:08:55] We cannot justify asking the taxpayers to support that kind of process.

[1:09:00] Even assuming we could hire enough people for a long enough period to count all the ballots in a presidential election.

[1:09:07] Well, we have a 4.5 million budget that we can handle that.

[1:09:13] So I want to end with let's go back to our citizens counting our election results instead of

[1:09:21] having the government do it.

[1:09:22] Thank you.

[1:09:24] Scott Mates and Charis Coker.

[1:09:34] Hello.

[1:09:35] I'm Scott Mates formally helped sprinkle Delaware County for generations of my family there, including

[1:09:43] my son, who's now was the youngest commissioner in the city of Philadelphia's history where

[1:09:48] I also live.

[1:09:49] I've been working with Darby Historians, yes, no I'm not, that's too bad, I'm just urging to.

[1:10:07] Carous Coker followed by Laura Lewis,

[1:10:19] good evening.

[1:10:20] Carous Coker, Concertown Ship.

[1:10:22] I'm here to express my concerns about the selection for the new county solicitor.

[1:10:29] And looking over the resume of Lee Aubrey, I see she's quite aligned with the discounts

[1:10:38] of agenda, which she stated yesterday at the personnel meeting that she would be that

[1:10:43] she was supported.

[1:10:45] And following her graduation from UC Berkeley, I look at her previous employment, goes from

[1:10:51] Bernie Sanders to Greenpeace to Montgomery County, which is a best in, you know, of lifetime

[1:10:57] liberalism.

[1:10:59] leftist liberalism. It would appear that she is in agreement with the views that have

[1:11:06] been stated by every member of this council, particularly at a recent meeting.

[1:11:11] When Delaware County residents objected to the ordinance and goes, guns, every one of you

[1:11:15] in turn, voice, der opinion, that it was absurd and insane even those were your words,

[1:11:20] that the idea that we might be bound to have any obligation to abide by the Constitution, the framework of government that was set in place over 250 years ago, surely updated by now.

[1:11:35] Kevin Madden most pointedly said that some people speak of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights as though it's Moses coming down off the Mount with the tablets.

[1:11:45] Well, our bill of rights is the civil embodiment of those 10 commandments, right to life,

[1:11:52] not shut up, kill, and so forth.

[1:11:58] What exactly did you have in mind when you took your oath of office to support and defend

[1:12:04] the Constitution?

[1:12:07] This you have not done, you have not openly supported it quite openly, you have done the

[1:12:11] opposite especially and publicly undermining the second amendment, which other of

[1:12:15] those Bill of Rights, do you consider to be outdated?

[1:12:21] What exactly are you celebrating in your American 250 promotions?

[1:12:25] Surely not the foundations of our legacy of liberty.

[1:12:30] Where do you stand on the Constitution?

[1:12:32] Where do you stand on the Bill of Rights?

[1:12:34] Your own comments and actions have raised concerns.

[1:12:38] The oath of allegiance for naturalization of every new citizen,

[1:12:41] which was referenced this evening by Ms. Walk,

[1:12:45] with this naturalization ceremony that goes on is that they will support and defend.

[1:12:50] Do you support and defend the Constitution as it is?

[1:12:54] There is an a process or amendment, but you to sweep it aside, I'm proceed willy-nilly.

[1:13:01] What about the continued appointment of Scott Alberts to the Board of Elections?

[1:13:07] A nationally known member of the Democratic Socialist of America whose agenda is entirely

[1:13:11] contrary to our constitution and the principles of our free government.

[1:13:17] I affirm my support.

[1:13:21] Laura Lewis and David Cleary.

[1:13:37] Laura Lewis, Radner Township.

[1:13:39] Today I'd like to respond to objections that were raised after I last spoke about Clinton

[1:13:44] Curtis's testimony on election system vulnerabilities.

[1:13:49] First, the county implied that the sworn testimony of Curtis before the U.S.

[1:13:53] House Judiciary Committee is no longer relevant because it occurred in December of 2004.

[1:14:00] Curtis, the NASA and Exxon Programmer, testified for the Democrats under oath that he was

[1:14:06] asked to write software that could flip election results invisibly and undetectably.

[1:14:12] He confirmed that such software could be placed in central tabulation systems and activated

[1:14:18] by a simple flag.

[1:14:19] When asked if this misnipulation would be visible to election officials, his answer was clear,

[1:14:26] quote, they never see it, unquote. Curtis's warning wasn't about a specific version of software,

[1:14:33] although representative Maxine Waters specifically asked him about die-a-bolt,

[1:14:37] which was widely used in Florida at the time.

[1:14:40] The warning was about an architectural vulnerability, the ability to hide manipulation and code.

[1:14:47] that vulnerability remains entirely relevant today.

[1:14:53] Second, in the last meeting, I was told that our county does not use the same software

[1:14:57] discussed in Curtis's test.

[1:15:00] First morning, making Curtis's concerns in a applicable. In 2009, ESNAS acquired premier election systems, formerly

[1:15:08] debault assessment, scrutinized in 2004. ESNAS then sold those assets, including software rights

[1:15:16] to dominion voting systems in 2010. That exchange transferred core components of voting system code

[1:15:23] between companies. Well, ES and S and Dominion are now competitors with each other, and the

[1:15:30] heart-interceptive system in place in Delco. Their system shares similar adjudication functions.

[1:15:36] The very type of back-and-logic, a critic described as a vector for hidden manipulation.

[1:15:43] There is, in fact, in 2014, electronic floating system pattern that allows election workers

[1:15:50] to digitally alter or generate valid image records,

[1:15:54] quote without rescanning, unquote,

[1:15:56] allowing votes to be added or changed with no physical trace.

[1:16:01] This shows that the course software behavior described

[1:16:03] by Curtis remains possible and even more sophisticated today.

[1:16:09] Perhaps this is why the current administration

[1:16:11] like democratically elected officials in the past

[1:16:16] feels in need to get rid of melon ballots and voting machines.

[1:16:19] We need paper ballots in hand counting.

[1:16:22] Thank you.

[1:16:23] David Cleary and Rael, LePenta.

[1:16:32] The materials.

[1:16:37] David Cleary, Conqueror, Township.

[1:16:39] They have some paperwork going to pass up.

[1:16:42] The first one will be this piece of paper.

[1:16:44] It's a copy from the State of Pennsylvania's

[1:16:48] mail-in ballot application website.

[1:16:51] This obviously started last fall.

[1:16:53] The county election page, right at the top of the page,

[1:16:56] the link for information for military voters was broken and unavailable and nobody caught it.

[1:17:03] And as I did more research into the opportunities for folks to mail in ballot, what happened

[1:17:10] when they created this web portal at the state level to allow people to apply for mail

[1:17:14] in ballots is they decided to exclude military folks for using it.

[1:17:19] I presented this topic before I've talked to Mr. Allen quite a bit and folks, I think it

[1:17:24] Miss Amale mentioned the public forum that I was trying to create a different system. I'm not and I'm asking the

[1:17:30] County to say hey, this would make our job easier if you allow the military folks to use the online web portal

[1:17:36] because then we don't have to manually enter the data on the forms that they're making them send in paper wise now and it's

[1:17:44] particularly kind of frustrating if you'll see on the bottom here it says which is available to all voters and they ask you

[1:17:52] Well, if you click, yes, it doesn't allow you to proceed.

[1:17:56] I even went into the veterans office here,

[1:17:58] and there was two young staffers working,

[1:18:01] and I asked them, go try this.

[1:18:03] And they walked through it,

[1:18:04] and one of the young staffers turned it me

[1:18:05] after she realized that the continued button's not available.

[1:18:09] If you select it, you serve in the military.

[1:18:11] She said, that's discrimination.

[1:18:14] I get it, you guys don't make the state web page.

[1:18:17] I'd appreciate, I heard one person say,

[1:18:19] I'm trying to create a different system

[1:18:20] that works that's sitting in this room.

[1:18:23] I'm not.

[1:18:24] I'm asking that you step up and say let's include

[1:18:26] the military folks.

[1:18:28] And I've tried to get in contact with the election board,

[1:18:31] their email doesn't work for some reason.

[1:18:34] It got kicked back.

[1:18:35] And I've talked to Mr. Allen quite a bit,

[1:18:37] and he's tried to convince me that it's not discrimination

[1:18:40] or whatever you want to call it.

[1:18:42] I, that's the effort to walk through it.

[1:18:44] Absolutely.

[1:18:45] If you go try the web portal,

[1:18:47] it's not there for the military voters.

[1:18:49] So I'd like your support, or you to stand up and say,

[1:18:53] we got to do this better for them.

[1:18:55] The other two things there, I have this sheet.

[1:18:57] It says, no kings on it in the middle of it.

[1:18:59] I'm going problem.

[1:19:01] 12 years ago, I came to council and asked

[1:19:03] that the capellies have to pay their taxes.

[1:19:05] They're the royal, the out and conquered down ship.

[1:19:09] And mysteriously, I got prosecuted

[1:19:10] for criminal Sunday morning jogging.

[1:19:12] 12 years ago, today I got email informing me

[1:19:14] that at some point a criminal charge will come up against me

[1:19:17] that even know what it was yet.

[1:19:19] we got to stop that. And I have a right to know request that's submitted because there's

[1:19:26] another, yet another compelling taxing problem out in Concord Township and the county

[1:19:31] can straighten out. The other thing I have is a right to know request I would like to

[1:19:35] see the finances for the last five years for the euros.

[1:19:39] It's $1. It's $1.4 million. Thank you very much.

[1:19:44] Rayal Lupenta and Rosalind Spiegel.

[1:19:59] Good evening, Council members.

[1:20:01] How many times in your life have you been called,

[1:20:06] the worst word a woman could be called?

[1:20:09] Maybe one, two, probably never.

[1:20:12] This week alone, I've been called that 24 times in text messages.

[1:20:18] This is something that has been happening for years.

[1:20:22] No one in the county will help me.

[1:20:25] This is absolutely abuse.

[1:20:29] This is not an isolated incident.

[1:20:32] I've been repeatedly denied help by police, PFA's and DEP.

[1:20:37] It's abuse, it's harassment, and it continues because the agencies in this county are failing.

[1:20:43] I'm not standing here because it's just one bad day.

[1:20:46] I'm standing here because the system that you oversee is broken.

[1:20:50] And people like me are left to suffer.

[1:20:54] On February 19th, when we spoke last time, Council Ruther wrote to me directly acknowledging

[1:21:00] that judges in attorneys find this is a big issue with the misuse of PFA's, making false

[1:21:05] allegations here in Delco is a big issue that ruins lives.

[1:21:10] Attorneys are saying that judges are saying that we have the numbers and nothing has

[1:21:15] been done.

[1:21:15] No one answers my emails back, you know, there's no follow-up with then talking to attorneys.

[1:21:25] I've done everything that's the S of me.

[1:21:28] I followed the procedures, I brought the evidence, I proposed the solutions.

[1:21:32] You were staff, judges, attorneys are acknowledging this longstanding problem.

[1:21:37] And while you sit in silence, the abuse gets worse.

[1:21:40] Victims don't come forward because they know that nothing will happen.

[1:21:44] Nothing or worse retaliation.

[1:21:45] Family court victims, CVS victims, survivors of this misuse of PFA's, we are silence, not only by our abusers, but by the very institutions meant to protect us.

[1:21:56] I'm exhausted from being polite. I'm exhausted from being told there's nothing that anyone can do.

[1:22:02] Because if this was your child and your family or your friend, I guarantee there's something you could do in that individual case.

[1:22:10] Council, you cannot keep protecting each other and making excuses and worrying about an image.

[1:22:15] Delco doesn't need more silence, it needs courage, we need leaders that are willing

[1:22:20] to confront the bullies and power to protect families instead of abandoning them.

[1:22:26] This is your responsibility and this is your community.

[1:22:29] I've asked for acknowledgement through an international awareness day.

[1:22:33] You know everybody's getting involved in the run and the park and the trails, this is a

[1:22:37] significant issue and I can't understand why there's crickets when I've asked for that

[1:22:42] proclamation.

[1:22:43] We've asked several times, I just, I don't understand the ignorance of this, but, you

[1:22:54] know, you have to start acting like the caring of the well-being of these citizens, you

[1:22:58] support a serve of matters.

[1:23:01] Rosalind Spiegel, an Albert Johnson.

[1:23:14] Good evening.

[1:23:15] I'm very happy to be here and for this opportunity to make this comment.

[1:23:19] My name is Roslyn Spiegel, I am a resident of Haverford Township, and I am rising in support

[1:23:28] 100% support for your consideration of the Human Relations Commission ordinance.

[1:23:33] I am the chair of the Haverford Township Human Relations Commission, and our mission is to

[1:23:41] recognize the inherent dignity of and worth of all people through education, mediation,

[1:23:48] and community outreach our Human Relations Commission strives to ensure that all members of

[1:23:53] have a free township community enjoy equality and equal protection under the law.

[1:24:00] Our ordinance ensures this protection in the areas of public accommodation, education,

[1:24:05] and housing, and it gives people a process for filing a complaint if they think their rights

[1:24:11] have been violated. This is an important moment for the county to express its commitment

[1:24:18] to kindness, fairness, and justice.

[1:24:21] I fully support the counties adoption of this ordinance.

[1:24:25] Thank you so much.

[1:24:28] Albert Johnson, and if there's anyone who did not sign up,

[1:24:31] would like to speak, please approach the front of the room.

[1:24:38] Good evening, County Council, and everyone

[1:24:40] that is allowing me to have this moment to speak.

[1:24:43] Blessings to you.

[1:24:44] I am an officer at the Delaware County Prison,

[1:24:47] County Citizen as well, I live in Morton, Pennsylvania.

[1:24:50] I have not been to meeting as a recent,

[1:24:52] we have been trying to come to some resolve at the facility as far as the officer's safety.

[1:25:00] Usually when I come in here, that is what I speak on and it is very important.

[1:25:05] I don't know if you have been informed or have been transparent with the current leadership there,

[1:25:11] but it is not safe there. Inmates are able to go to any door at any time, go into another cell

[1:25:18] and commit criminal things against each other.

[1:25:22] The $25 that you are giving these inmates

[1:25:25] to help them is hurting them.

[1:25:28] They are being extorted as well.

[1:25:32] It is not just safe for us either.

[1:25:36] And at some point in the future,

[1:25:40] the union, which I represent the Delaware County Prison

[1:25:42] Employee Independent Union,

[1:25:44] want to work with the next person

[1:25:47] that you choose to be in that facility.

[1:25:51] We want to work with you, to sergeage you and it want to work with that individual to find

[1:25:56] out what their true, true goal is in that place.

[1:26:00] And we can support that, but if there's no communication and no ability to talk with leadership

[1:26:08] to have things done safely in there, we'll never get ahead in there.

[1:26:12] We cannot retain officers.

[1:26:14] You see pictures and slides of new classes coming out, maybe one, maybe two will stay.

[1:26:19] Please remember that every time you see those slides, none of them are staying.

[1:26:24] The morale is at a all time low, whoever is coming in there next.

[1:26:30] You think the building was a burden to pick up when the county took over.

[1:26:33] You have so much contention in that place right now.

[1:26:37] Officers that have been injured in the course of duty are put on light duty in our man-dated

[1:26:44] for another eight hours. We have been

[1:26:48] Potitioning and Potitioning through negotiation through you guys

[1:26:53] Give us our split shifts back. So at least

[1:26:58] We can be physically able to do the job. We don't get relieved until a half hour, 45 minutes after the shift

[1:27:06] officers are getting two to three hours sleep in between each shift. We're not even physically

[1:27:13] able to do the job because we're not getting rest. I'm asking that you step in, making

[1:27:19] an executive decision to protect us, get the doors fixed. However, we can get them fixed.

[1:27:25] The air conditioners we appreciate the renovation, but more importantly than that, if we're

[1:27:31] not alive and safe to be in there. What's the point? Thank you.

[1:27:37] Next speaker, please.

[1:27:49] Jofino Brumon, Pennsylvania.

[1:27:52] I find myself silly, disarmed by a couple of the comments by Councilperson Madden and

[1:28:00] Mohmack, which I'm actually encouraging to tell you the truth.

[1:28:04] But since I only have three minutes, I'm just going to rush through this.

[1:28:08] I find it incredulous with all the problems in this world and all the controversial issues

[1:28:13] in this country that the Council can focus on some social issues.

[1:28:19] Why?

[1:28:19] Because it's easier to cater to the theater and the headlights crowd that continues to

[1:28:23] come here and sing Council's praises on some issues.

[1:28:27] We have a woman back here in fact this gentleman just spoke Kim Brown who works at George

[1:28:31] Joe who was first in knowledge of the problems there and pleats for help but every meeting.

[1:28:35] Then we have the issue of Don Guinella.

[1:28:39] More than once I have suggested a line with a developer, not to develop the property commercially,

[1:28:45] but in accordance with some other issues we could do, possibly turn it into an entertainment

[1:28:51] facility for the county and give that developer a piece of the action and exchange for

[1:28:56] the work that would alleviate the financial issues there.

[1:29:00] These are only two subjects along with many other things.

[1:29:03] But the Council is concerned about providing, in effect, sanctuary status to illegal aliens.

[1:29:09] There is no undocumented.

[1:29:11] You are here legally in this country or you are not.

[1:29:14] The Council has a series of venue machines to provide free condoms amongst other things.

[1:29:19] I keep thinking and I'll keep this clean.

[1:29:21] Someone from let's say have referred.

[1:29:23] At 3 a.m. when it's snowy night in the middle of the cold January,

[1:29:27] needs a condom.

[1:29:28] And even Amazon can't deliver that fast.

[1:29:30] So they rush out to meet you, go around the corner here, and the snow to get that I've

[1:29:35] done in the machine.

[1:29:37] Now we have the issue of a proposal of a human relations commission.

[1:29:42] What kind of message is all of this sending to the young people in this county?

[1:29:47] As Kevin Madden said in a way, and certainly Mr. Womack, creating more jobs and wealth

[1:29:53] and it's county is more important than who's sex is on the bathroom door.

[1:30:00] Or men playing in women's boards are getting a free condom at 3 a.m. in the morning. Even I, who is just one person and semi retired, has two scholarships, more properly stipends because they are not full scholarships at a local educational institution to help two young people get an education. You need to get off the social issues and get back to just the financial ones. Thank you.

[1:30:24] next speaker please.

[1:30:34] Hello, my name is Tevin Dix. I'm a trucks low. So I want to address the issue because I

[1:30:40] almost talk about voting and I'm trying to fix with our elections. I do strongly believe we need to get rid

[1:30:46] of mail-in voting. When I'm okay with early early voting and in person voting, mail-in voting people think it's

[1:30:54] good and everything but I've seen a lot of fraud happen. I've seen where we witnessed it and I've witnessed

[1:31:00] in 2020, and from, you know, who's coming, like, you know, these ballots are that they go to abandoned homes.

[1:31:07] There's people have been dead for over 10 to 100 years.

[1:31:10] You've got people who can sign in someone's, like, you have a family or that's been dead.

[1:31:13] And you can easily just vote for, had them vote for somebody.

[1:31:17] I've seen where, you know, like, they come in like days after the election.

[1:31:20] And that's a serious issue. That could just cause so many delays.

[1:31:25] I've just, I've seen this happen multiple times.

[1:31:27] And that's something that we need to get rid of.

[1:31:31] Thank you.

[1:31:32] Next speaker, please.

[1:31:40] I apologize.

[1:31:41] My back's to you.

[1:31:42] I'm Peggy Malone.

[1:31:43] I am a former behavioral health nurse, a

[1:31:45] Crozier, a medical center,

[1:31:47] representing the 2700 employees that

[1:31:49] lost their jobs for months ago.

[1:31:51] We are relieved that there are

[1:31:53] behavioral health services returning to our

[1:31:55] community.

[1:31:56] Our community is suffering greatly.

[1:31:58] And so this quick or we can get that up and

[1:32:00] It's most important.

[1:32:03] I hear you talk about a crisis stabilization unit.

[1:32:06] Is that similar to inpatient?

[1:32:07] We had a pretty robust inpatient unit.

[1:32:10] It is short term care.

[1:32:13] So three to five day length.

[1:32:14] Stay tuned.

[1:32:16] So no plan for inpatient in the panel.

[1:32:20] Is that okay?

[1:32:23] Okay.

[1:32:24] And I think what I want to say most important is that

[1:32:27] we're hoping to get a commitment that they will prioritize hiring some of the 2700 people

[1:32:34] who have lost their jobs as they start to hire for these new positions because there are

[1:32:39] still so many people out of work who formally worked at Crozier who are unable to find

[1:32:44] positions. And again, our behavioral health was a pretty large department and many people would

[1:32:49] benefit from being able to get jobs.

[1:32:54] Next speaker, please.

[1:33:01] Good evening. My name is Jamie. I live in

[1:33:04] I'm with an organization called Put People First P.A. I can move that up.

[1:33:10] We're a member-led, staff-free organization statewide fighting for a health care as a human right.

[1:33:16] And here in Southeast P.A., we've been doing a lot of work talking to community members around the health care crisis that we're in right now, around the closure closures.

[1:33:26] One name that's statewide, we've had 26 hospitals close in the past five years and four

[1:33:33] of those hospitals have been in Delaware County.

[1:33:37] And I think that driving by Crozier Chester earlier today and just seeing it go further

[1:33:44] and did this repair as it sits vacant is just a crime and I think we all know that.

[1:33:51] I think there's a feeling of or there's a narrative of sort of false scarcity, where we're really in the midst of abundance.

[1:34:01] And I ask why in our poor and low-income neighborhood, especially we're losing access to healthcare services.

[1:34:09] So I just want to urge that we need really urgent and we need comprehensive solutions.

[1:34:14] We don't need little micro hospitals, we don't need, I heard from someone else like maybe there's a plan for a super urgent care.

[1:34:22] We need hospitals that meet our communities needs.

[1:34:25] We need robust behavioral health services.

[1:34:30] We believe that health care cannot be based on profit.

[1:34:35] It cannot be, right, it has to be based on if you have a body, then you deserve care.

[1:34:41] It has to be based on people's needs.

[1:34:44] So as far as the proposal for Belmont specifically, I do have questions as to whether they

[1:34:51] are for profit entity, also about the location, and about the workers.

[1:34:58] So I want to also stand with Peggy and almost 3,000 workers who lost their jobs at the end

[1:35:04] of April beginning of May, and also urge that those healthcare workers be prioritized in

[1:35:10] this hiring.

[1:35:11] Thank you.

[1:35:13] Next speaker, please.

[1:35:23] Hello, my name is Linda Embry and I live in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, and I was, I'm very nervous.

[1:35:30] I was not going to speak tonight, but I feel called to do so.

[1:35:35] I want to support the Commission.

[1:35:40] I'm the mother, proud mother of a transgender daughter, who is a grown-up and who transition

[1:35:46] four years ago, I celebrate her and her incredible journey every day. She is a really remarkable woman.

[1:35:57] I'm part of a group called the transparent support group. I meet with other parents of transgender

[1:36:03] children and the fear that is in the heart, particularly my daughter is an adult, but particularly

[1:36:10] the parents of young children. It's really terrifying. This is about life or

[1:36:18] death for our children. They need to be who they are. Each of us needs to be

[1:36:24] who we are. My daughter has a great deal of courage and these children have a

[1:36:32] Great deal of courage.

[1:36:34] Nobody would choose such a difficult lifestyle.

[1:36:40] My daughter walked down the streets as an attractive white man and went.

[1:36:49] Flu under the radar.

[1:36:51] Nobody noticed her.

[1:36:54] And now, as she walks through the streets as a transgender woman,

[1:36:57] The amount of oppression that she has to absorb is painful.

[1:37:05] So I just want to support the commission.

[1:37:08] I want to support it is painful that so many of our healthcare systems

[1:37:13] in the Pennsylvania area have stopped providing gender-forming care,

[1:37:18] particularly to people 19 and under,

[1:37:21] and the 19-year-old is an adult and 18-year-old is adult.

[1:37:24] Thank you very much for hearing what I have to say.

[1:37:29] Next speaker, please.

[1:37:38] Michael Strahd, media borough.

[1:37:40] Hello, Delaware County Council.

[1:37:43] I wasn't necessarily planning on speaking tonight,

[1:37:47] but after reviewing the meeting from yesterday,

[1:37:52] I actually wanted to thank Councilwoman Neshafer for her

[1:37:58] comments and concerns regarding the analysis of the proposed Human Relations Commission.

[1:38:06] As an openly gay man, I am in support of having a non-discrimination ordinance, and I'm

[1:38:13] supported non-discrimination ordinances for some time publicly, and in the Commonwealth, the United

[1:38:21] states. So I'm complete supportive having one in Delaware County. However, I am glad to see

[1:38:30] that there is some concern as it relates to the financial burden that this commission

[1:38:36] could place on taxpayers at this current moment. As it was mentioned yesterday, Councilwoman

[1:38:43] you did bring up that there could possibly be training that would need to be required for some

[1:38:48] individuals that would be put on this commission, and that there could be additional costs

[1:38:55] when it comes to programs, when it comes to the studies that are mentioned in this commission

[1:39:02] could commission. And so I just want to thank you and thank anybody else that's thinking about

[1:39:11] that. And I pondered this because there's a possibility that there could be a cost analysis

[1:39:18] regarding this and I pondered whether it's possible if the non-discrimination portion of the

[1:39:25] ordinance could possibly be severed and that could be considered on its own versus being

[1:39:33] together with the Human Relations Commission and that itself could have a cost analysis for

[1:39:39] the county and the future. That's all I had to ask about. I do support the non-discrimination

[1:39:45] ordinance as as itself, the Human Relations Commission at the moment. I'm pretty if you

[1:39:51] are because as we've seen with what we've been dealing with with the budget challenges for

[1:39:57] the county, it's an expense at the moment that I don't know if we can necessarily afford.

[1:40:03] So thank you. Next speaker, please.

[1:40:12] Hi, good evening. My name is Joanne Holston. I live in

[1:40:20] support the amendment, the ordinance that you're putting forward, and very proud of the fact

[1:40:27] that the steps that you're taking to protect people who are vulnerable, the protected class.

[1:40:34] And I find it interesting when a gentleman speaks of social issues as if they aren't human beings,

[1:40:42] As if they are something abstract, we can do social issues, we can walk and shoot them at the same time.

[1:40:51] We can work on social issues along with anything else that we have to work on to improve our township or county.

[1:41:01] Linda spoke so eloquently about her child.

[1:41:05] I ask people to get to know someone that is in the queer community.

[1:41:11] These are human beings that are only looking for the same rights that everybody else has

[1:41:17] not looking for money, they're not looking for, they just want to live.

[1:41:21] In a society where they can have love, that is who they are.

[1:41:28] You're only reiterating there are some protections at the state level, but the way they

[1:41:34] The fine sex is different, doesn't include sexual orientation, and I think that, again, I just want to say thank you.

[1:41:46] I think that looking at this holistically as the human beings that deserve human rights disabled people, they have a place to go if they have to report discrimination.

[1:42:00] and these are all human beings that just need support.

[1:42:05] So thank you very much.

[1:42:06] And Linda, thank you for your story.

[1:42:10] Next speaker, please.

[1:42:19] Good evening, Council Paul Rammley, Springfield.

[1:42:22] I'm reading from a recent article by Wally Non-Broadened Liberty.

[1:42:28] County Council and its infinite wisdom has decided that what Delaware County really

[1:42:33] need is yet another layer of bureaucracy.

[1:42:36] Enter the shiny new human relations commission.

[1:42:41] This body will consist of 7 to 13 volunteers, hand-picked by the county executive and

[1:42:48] rubber stamped by council.

[1:42:51] These unelected appointees will wield the power to investigate, conciliate, adjudicate,

[1:42:57] and find citizens who somehow stumble over the 18 pages of protected classes and prohibitions.

[1:43:04] The ordinance defines an encyclopedia of protected categories, race, ethnicity, religion,

[1:43:12] creed, national origin, sex, pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation,

[1:43:21] genetic information, GED over high school diploma, disability, source of income, age, height, weight,

[1:43:30] Veteran status, guide animals, and even domestic or sexual violence victims status.

[1:43:38] Curiously, the ordinance leads out one form of discrimination, financial discrimination

[1:43:44] against working class taxpayers. How much will taxpayers shell out to staff these volunteers?

[1:43:53] How many millions more will be tacked onto the $4.5 million in annual legal bills

[1:43:59] county racks up now. Why do we need a county run commission when the state human relations

[1:44:06] commission already exists? Just like we already had a state health department before the

[1:44:12] council decided they needed their own toy, a county health department to the tune of 20 million

[1:44:18] dollars a year. Progressives claimed to be forward thinking, but with every new bureaucracy, tax,

[1:44:25] and ordinance, the policies become more regressive. Delaware County families burdened by

[1:44:33] soaring costs are already footing the bill for the Council's latest 30% tax increase.

[1:44:40] Knowledgeable sources indicate another 20% increase will be necessary to cover all the new spending.

[1:44:48] How many more duplicate programs can doco residents afford? Does this ever end? Thank you.

[1:45:03] Thank you.

[1:45:09] I'd like to make the motion for the approval of the minutes of the regular meeting held on July 16, 2025.

[1:45:18] Motion and second. Any questions or comments on the minutes? Hearing none, all those in favour, signify by saying aye. Any opposed? The aye.

[1:45:28] Also, I like to make the motion for the appointment of Lee Orgley as county solicitor.

[1:45:36] Motion in a second, any questions or comments?

[1:45:40] Hearing none, all those of you are signified by saying aye.

[1:45:43] Any opposed?

[1:45:44] And the guys have it.

[1:45:47] Next item on the agenda, seven A calls for the first reading, public hearing,

[1:45:51] consideration of Warden's 2025-5 authorizing and erecting the issuance of general obligation

[1:45:57] debt by the county as permitted by and pursuant to the local government unit debt act

[1:46:04] and setting for a related approvals and other matters.

[1:46:08] And we have Ms. Morgan-Haus here from Bower's Smart to present.

[1:46:15] Good evening.

[1:46:15] I will just do a brief overview of the ordinance that's in front of you and then I will open

[1:46:19] it up for any questions that you may have.

[1:46:21] The ordinance in front of you would allow the county to issue the

[1:46:25] incurrence of general obligation debt in a maximum aggregate principle amount of 115 million.

[1:46:33] The bonds would be used to finance various capital projects of the county's capital improvement plan.

[1:46:39] The bonds would be sold pursuant to a private negotiated sale with RBC capital markets as the representatives of the underwriter.

[1:46:46] As I mentioned, the bonds would be tax exempt general obligation bonds,

[1:46:51] Which means as a general obligation, you'll be plugging the full safe credit and taxing power of the county, which means that you would agree to budget and your fiscal year for each year of the bonds route standing to pay the debt service on the bonds.

[1:47:04] The ordinance in front of you sets forth various parameters that will need to be achieved in order to move forward with the issuance of the bonds, such as the maximum aggregate principle amount, as well as maximum interest rate and other parameters set forth in the ordinance as well as on schedule A.

[1:47:24] By adopting the ordinance since they are taxes and bonds, you are agreeing to use the bonds in a matter that complies with the internal revenue code and not to do anything that would cause the bonds to lose their tax exempt status.

[1:47:38] You would also be approving the appointment of dollars.

[1:47:41] As far as your bond accounts, the PFM is your financial advisor, as well as RBC as the purchaser, which would allow us to move forward in helping the county and filing various matters in connection with the bonds as well as filing with the Department of Community and Economic Development.

[1:47:54] which is required under state law.

[1:48:00] Lastly, you would be authorizing various officers,

[1:48:03] including the chair and the vice chair,

[1:48:06] to authorize and execute various documents,

[1:48:08] and connection with the bonds.

[1:48:10] That is just kind of a high brief overview

[1:48:12] of the various things that are contained within this ordinance,

[1:48:16] but I want to open up any questions you may have.

[1:48:19] Thank you. Any questions or comments?

[1:48:23] Here you may.

[1:48:25] Thank you.

[1:48:25] Thank you very much.

[1:48:27] Next item seven B is the first reading public hearing and consideration of ordinance 2025.

[1:48:33] That's 06 authorized in the creation of Delaware County Human Rights Relations Commission.

[1:48:38] And we have Mr. Jacklark and here to present.

[1:48:40] Good evening.

[1:48:42] As the board knows the ordinance that is being proposed with two different things.

[1:48:46] The first is we create a human relations commission which would be empowered to hear alleged violations of the specific provisions of the ordinance itself.

[1:48:54] That board would have the authority to mediate and conciliate disputes.

[1:48:58] It would have the authority to hold public hearings at which it would hear those disputes.

[1:49:03] It could then resolve the disputes by either finding that it was likely to violate a violation

[1:49:07] had occurred or it could determine that no violation had occurred.

[1:49:11] And the event that it found a violation, it could issue an order directing that the violation

[1:49:15] cease, directing that the violation be abated by the payment of money and in the most

[1:49:21] string cases issue at a ward of $500 in fines that would be added to whenever the monetary

[1:49:27] damage is were originally.

[1:49:30] If the order was not complied with, then it could go to the Court of Common Police, filing

[1:49:34] a petition and asking for further relief from the Court of Common Police, which would ultimately

[1:49:38] result in a contempt order if it were pursued to a logical conclusion.

[1:49:42] The other thing that it does is it sets forth the list of areas that discrimination

[1:49:47] from the longer people permitted.

[1:49:50] Those include the protected classes of perceived race, ethnicity, color, religion,

[1:49:54] creed, national origin, or citizenship status, ancestry, sex, including pregnancy, childbirth,

[1:50:00] related medical conditions, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic

[1:50:05] information, marital status, familial status, GED, rather than high school diploma, physical

[1:50:10] or mental disability, relationship or association with a disabled person, source of income,

[1:50:16] The age, height, weight, veteran status, use of guide or support animals, and or mechanical

[1:50:20] aids, or domestic or sexual violence victims status, and the areas in which discrimination

[1:50:26] would be prohibited are the areas of housing, employment, medical care, and education.

[1:50:33] I'm happy to answer your questions to the board.

[1:50:37] I had a question really to address something in the speaker brought up, but my understanding

[1:50:44] is that absent the Human Relations Commission,

[1:50:50] we do not really have a means here at the county

[1:50:53] of enforcing. We can have an anti-discrimination ordinance, but we don't have a means

[1:50:58] of enforcing it without the Human Relations Commission as that. I mean, that's the understanding

[1:51:04] that I'm working under as I think about putting this into effect.

[1:51:08] Yeah, I'm not aware of any local ordinances that don't include an enforcement mechanism that

[1:51:15] have any enforcement.

[1:51:17] And the only enforcement mechanism that I've seen as Human Relations Commission, the police

[1:51:21] do not go out and arrest people for discrimination violations and they're not self-executing,

[1:51:27] so you need to have a mechanism that's built into the ordinance.

[1:51:29] And we really don't have, I mean, I'm unaware of any ordinances like this that create like

[1:51:37] private right of action that somebody who's discriminated against could go to the court of

[1:51:43] common police. I mean we're not the state we can't create that so I think my understanding

[1:51:48] is that the human relations commission is what creates a way to have issues explored to

[1:51:58] determine if there's been a violation of the ordinance. I mean at that point maybe somebody

[1:52:02] could appeal it and could sue, but that's what I understood the reason why they're going

[1:52:10] together.

[1:52:11] And I do agree with the points that Schaefer raised, I think, we need to understand what

[1:52:19] we think the likely utilization is going to be and what sort of staffing, if any, this

[1:52:24] is going to need and what it's going to cost, I think one thing that we have heard from another

[1:52:30] jurisdiction that a county jurisdiction that has a human relations commission is, because

[1:52:37] there is a state human relations commission because most of what we have in this ordinance

[1:52:44] would mirror what can be done already at the state level, that the human relations commission

[1:52:52] that we're talking about creating here would not take jurisdiction of those things that

[1:52:58] could be referred to the state, or where there's a federal redress.

[1:53:02] It wouldn't be taking jurisdiction as that urine.

[1:53:04] I mean, that's how it was presented to me, and that we would be taking jurisdiction

[1:53:11] in those cases where our law differs and where we're covering something that isn't covered

[1:53:17] under the state ordinance.

[1:53:20] So, a couple of different things in there.

[1:53:22] First off, you're absolutely right in terms of the private right of action.

[1:53:25] there is a private right of action that is created in most of the human relations ordinances

[1:53:32] that are out there, Lehigh is one and this proposed draft is another but only after you

[1:53:38] have gone through the human relations commission process. If we did not do that, if we just said,

[1:53:43] we're going to give you a private right of action, you can be your own private attorney general

[1:53:47] and you don't need to go through the HRC process. I can tell you that every single person in

[1:53:53] Delaware County would file all of the discrimination lawsuits under this ordinance because

[1:53:57] the damages that you can recover are very similar to the damages that you would get in front

[1:54:03] of the EEOC and the PHRC, but you wouldn't have to wait the 90, 180 days that you're waiting

[1:54:09] around for those organizations. You go right to court. In every single one of the plaintiffs would

[1:54:15] abandon their federal and state claims and they would just pursue this ordinance because they don't

[1:54:19] care whether they're getting relief under the federal statute or not, they just know

[1:54:24] they're getting their legal fees paid and they're getting their damages and that's

[1:54:27] all they ultimately care about.

[1:54:29] So it's very important to go through the commission process first, otherwise there will be

[1:54:35] a gold rush to Delaware County.

[1:54:37] Also I think that this value to having a body that can conciliate and mediate, that's

[1:54:41] why we have the POC, that's why we have the PA HRC and that's why we would have the

[1:54:45] the Delco HRC. With respect specifically to the question of whether jurisdiction is limited

[1:54:52] here to the issues that cannot be raised at the state level. No, that's not my understanding

[1:55:00] of the local ordinances. Nor is that how this one is drafted. Nor do I see that as how the

[1:55:05] Lee Lee High Ordnance was drafted. In fact, there's a couple of decisions out of the Commonwealth

[1:55:09] court that say that we're not permitted to expand on the rights that are granted by the

[1:55:16] PAHRC.

[1:55:17] So to the extent that there's a cross-roth between the two, we might end up finding ourselves

[1:55:22] in some hot water.

[1:55:23] I say might because that decision by the Commonwealth Court ultimately ended up getting

[1:55:28] overturned by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

[1:55:30] It was on other procedural grounds, so the validity of that determination is very questionable,

[1:55:35] but there is that decision that's out there that I can imagine a brief that says,

[1:55:39] sites to that case, and then just includes, you know, overturned another grounds in a parathetical afterward.

[1:55:46] We can't however change the ordinance to do that.

[1:55:51] Well, I think, you know, this, I think procedurally it's important for people to understand that

[1:55:58] recognizing, you know, what some of our speakers said today and what's obvious in the news

[1:56:06] There are people who have differences in the way they live their lives and how they're

[1:56:16] seen that need to be addressed because they are facing challenges that most people

[1:56:29] cisgender people don't face, I think that's a reality, and the people who say, why are we dealing with social issues?

[1:56:39] I don't know if they realize that half of our budget, half of the money, this county spends more than half every year,

[1:56:46] goes to dealing with social issues, it goes to dealing with mental illness, it goes to dealing with child abuse,

[1:56:51] it goes to dealing with elder care.

[1:56:53] It goes to dealing with the trauma resulting from bullying

[1:56:59] and crime victims and that they experience.

[1:57:03] You know, that is more than 50% of what the employees

[1:57:07] of this county deal with.

[1:57:09] So to say, let's just go back to dealing with fiscal issues

[1:57:12] and Mr. Finio left, because you know,

[1:57:14] he's really only interested in coming up here

[1:57:16] and saying, what he has to say and not actually hearing

[1:57:19] about the government that he's criticizing, but that's what we deal with, and this is a means

[1:57:27] of trying to address some of those issues, not through a process that we run, but hopefully

[1:57:34] through a cost-effective process that can be run by volunteers, but we do have work to do to work

[1:57:40] through it. And this policy, this process that we're starting with the first reading is to get

[1:57:45] is going. And to also have people who have experiences, lived experiences, or maybe who

[1:57:52] worked through with human relation commissions and other jurisdictions come and share those

[1:57:57] experiences with us and help us improve this ordinance, if that's what it needs. So I'm

[1:58:05] very supportive of this process. I'm not saying I wouldn't support some changes to the

[1:58:15] been raised by other council members or valid, but I also feel like there's a real need.

[1:58:21] We have to spend some of our time doing this because we spend more than 50% of our employee

[1:58:26] time and more than 50% of the dollars that gets spent by this county dealing with social

[1:58:32] issues.

[1:58:36] I'm not going to repeat the comments I made yesterday, I voiced some concerns which I'm confident

[1:58:42] that we will look into all of those concerns

[1:58:44] as we contemplate introducing a second reading.

[1:58:49] But I want to reiterate that this isn't coming out of thin air.

[1:58:54] This is coming in front of us because we have residents

[1:58:58] who feel under siege and who've come to us and asked for help.

[1:59:03] And our job is to protect our residents

[1:59:06] from discrimination when it is happening.

[1:59:08] And this isn't an attempt to address that.

[1:59:14] It's not perfect.

[1:59:15] We have things to change in my opinion.

[1:59:18] We have things to change in this ordinance.

[1:59:21] But for me, the notion of setting up a low-cost mechanism that will focus on mediation and conciliation has great value.

[1:59:32] and could serve to really recognize instances of discrimination and expeditiously deal with them.

[1:59:43] And I see value in that.

[1:59:44] So I hope that we can find a way to make this work and that we can we can draft an ordinance get to a place where we're not

[1:59:51] straining our finances and we can set up a mechanism that works.

[2:00:00] Any additional questions or comment? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank

[2:00:16] you. All right. I make a motion for the approval of a grant agreement to do our accounting historical society at the amount of $50,000 to provide support for the preservation and access to DC-8S-collective services approval.

[2:00:36] Motion and the second. Any questions or comments?

[2:00:40] I hear none all of the favour signify by saying aye.

[2:00:43] I'm getting opposed.

[2:00:45] I'd just like to note that I'm abstaining as I'm on the board.

[2:00:53] Item 9A.

[2:00:55] I make the motion for the approval to renew contract number M8.

[2:00:59] 13 slash 25 with child guidance resource centers of fiscal year 2025 and 2026.

[2:01:07] 72 solicitors approval.

[2:01:09] Second.

[2:01:11] Motion.

[2:01:12] Second any questions or comments?

[2:01:13] Just that as a member of the Board of Child Guides and I have to recuse myself.

[2:01:21] Thank you.

[2:01:23] Any additional questions or comments?

[2:01:25] Hearing none all those of the favors, if I was saying aye.

[2:01:28] Any opposed?

[2:01:30] Yes, have it.

[2:01:34] We go to like the Senate agenda.

[2:01:36] I just want to let the public know that all of our items on the consent agenda was reviewed

[2:01:40] that are pre-agenda meeting on Tuesday and discussed in full details.

[2:01:46] Any member of Council has the right to have anything removed from the consent agenda, or they can elaborate on any other issues that they choose to do so.

[2:01:57] If there is no one that wants to make a motion having anything removed, I'd like to make the motion to approve consent agenda items today through 10 A.S.

[2:02:06] has this graph and we know it's a nice agenda subject to solicitor approval.

[2:02:15] Motion and the second are there any questions or comments on the consent agenda?

[2:02:20] Hearing none all those of the favour, signify by saying aye.

[2:02:23] Any opposed?

[2:02:25] May I have

[2:02:33] any agenda?

[2:02:34] Calls for communications from our executive director.

[2:02:38] Thank you.

[2:02:38] I wanted to share some information on some important budget-related issues that the county is facing.

[2:02:44] As you may know, Pennsylvania has not yet passed a new budget.

[2:02:49] The state fiscal year begins on July 1.

[2:02:52] We've received a letter from the Governor's Office on July 29th,

[2:02:56] and in that letter, the state informed us that,

[2:02:59] quote, information regarding some of the payments from the Department of Aging,

[2:03:03] drug and alcohol programs, health and human services,

[2:03:06] that will be delayed over the next six months in the absence of a completed budget

[2:03:10] are as follows and quote, you can see listed on the screen the varies payments that will not be made.

[2:03:19] This represents over a half a billion dollars across the state.

[2:03:23] These payments support critical service in all counties within the state.

[2:03:28] Critical services for residents such as the investigation of child abuse and neglect.

[2:03:34] Support for mental health programs, drug and alcohol treatment,

[2:03:37] funding for our senior programs for food safety initiatives and maternal and child health services and more.

[2:03:46] Our health and social services staff are working hard to evaluate the financial impact of this freeze.

[2:03:53] This is a funding freeze, not a cut, which means the council will eventually receive the funding.

[2:03:58] However, we must implement how long we can continue these services without receiving the funding from the state to pay providers or staff and others.

[2:04:10] Again, this freeze is effective immediately and affects payments for July and August that we typically receive.

[2:04:18] We have, unfortunately, been through a state funding freeze before, so we do have a model for evaluating what services must continue and how we can work with providers to weather a budget freeze.

[2:04:27] It is not easy as calls for services continue to grow and our providers are dependent on funding to keep their organizations running.

[2:04:35] In prior years when there was a state freeze, Delaware County unlike some other state counties was able to continue services.

[2:04:43] We are hopeful that the state funding freeze is lifted soon and we can continue to be providers and deliver needed services to residents.

[2:04:49] Our Health Department is supported by various grants, including direct federal funding and

[2:04:55] arpid dollars on hand, so they are positioned to continue services for some time if the

[2:04:59] sprees were to continue.

[2:05:02] Social services, however, are funded primarily by the state and passed through funding from

[2:05:06] the federal government, and therefore any delays in payments are more impactful.

[2:05:11] Our overall unfunded monthly value of social services is $12.1 million.

[2:05:17] What that means is this freeze will cost the county $12.1 million every month, so as noted we are delayed already for July and August.

[2:05:28] This includes funding for our county staff and need to conduct eligibility assessments, pride and take them referral information, conduct investigations, and more as well as provider payments that deliver various direct and indirect services.

[2:05:41] This amount represents the combination of state and federal funding, and to maintain the current

[2:05:48] level of service, the county, again, would be required to contribute $12.1 million a month

[2:05:53] of its own general fund balance. We are working internally on various options. These include

[2:05:59] requesting approval to temporarily access dedicated funding sources, which would be restored when

[2:06:04] the impact is over. We are also, unfortunately, looking at curtailing services to reduce the

[2:06:10] to a manageable amount.

[2:06:13] We want to maintain services and appreciate the partnership with providers

[2:06:16] to work with us to get through this impasse.

[2:06:19] While we have not taken any immediate steps,

[2:06:21] we must act quickly as we have not received funding since July.

[2:06:26] There are some social services that are not impacted

[2:06:29] or will be minimally impacted.

[2:06:31] Libraries are not going to be getting their district state aid,

[2:06:35] which assists with funding salaries for county staff

[2:06:37] and support for member libraries.

[2:06:39] Our veterans office is fully funded with county general funds so we'll not be impacted.

[2:06:44] Our workforce development department has sufficient funds on hand and receives direct federal funds,

[2:06:50] so they would likely not be impacted unless this impasse goes into 2026.

[2:06:55] Our office of housing and community development is predominantly federally funded, which is not impacted.

[2:07:01] While the county has increased its fund balance to over eight times its 2020 value,

[2:07:06] The cost of social services provided by the county is large, and we will have to make difficult

[2:07:11] decisions soon if a budget is not passed or if some funds are not released in order to

[2:07:17] make sure we can meet the mandated services.

[2:07:20] Yes, everyone to encourage their legislators to work together to get a state budget passed.

[2:07:24] It is critical to the thousands of our most vulnerable neighbors that rely on these services.

[2:07:31] Another of our challenges relates to the state budget and the funding for public transit.

[2:07:36] We know that our entire region and particularly our county residents rely heavily on

[2:07:41] septum for transportation.

[2:07:43] The county is required to provide septum with 13 million, 466,000 dollars subsidy each year.

[2:07:51] We pay 2,466,000 in a capital subsidy which comes from our capital budget.

[2:07:57] This figure is based on projects septum has within Delaware County.

[2:08:01] We pay nearly $11 million a year in an annual operating subsidy, which is built into our operating budget and comes from our general fund.

[2:08:10] This figure has increased over the years.

[2:08:13] In 2020, the operating subsidy was a little over $9 million for representing a 20% increase in the substance subsidy in five years.

[2:08:23] There has been discussion of increasing the regional contribution for both operating and capital at the state level,

[2:08:28] which will be challenging for their our county to absorb.

[2:08:31] Again, we are counting on our state government to resolve the state budget issues and fully

[2:08:35] funds sector to maintain the needed level of service and to prepare for the tremendous

[2:08:40] transportation needs.

[2:08:41] The region will see in 2026, including the America 250 celebration World Cup Games, PGA Tournament

[2:08:48] at Aronamank and the Major League Baseball 2026 all star game, all of which we hope will bring

[2:08:55] visitors and economic benefits to our county and region.

[2:08:59] We need SEP to be fully operational to manage this volume of visitors.

[2:09:04] We understand the SEP to serve only one region of the state.

[2:09:07] However, that region comprises 32% of the state's population and is a large contributor

[2:09:12] to the state's economy and overall financial well-being.

[2:09:16] We recognize that the transportation needs and infrastructure improvements of roads and bridges

[2:09:20] across the entire state should be addressed.

[2:09:23] cuts to septa and public transit impacts not only those riders but also puts more cards on the road

[2:09:29] adding to commuting time and increasing the wear and tear on roadways that are already underfunded.

[2:09:36] This is not an either or situation with regard to public transit and roadway infrastructure.

[2:09:41] Pennsylvania residents need both safe roadways and access to public transit.

[2:09:45] We are relying on our leaders to understand the impacts of the proposed sets of cuts to our region

[2:09:49] And how those changes may impact the entire state to reach a solution quickly.

[2:09:54] We appreciate the support and advocacy of our local Delaware County delegation and a way to positive resolution to this critical issue.

[2:10:02] We will have more further update from our planning department at our next meeting on set up root changes and the impact on our region and Delaware County residents.

[2:10:11] Thank you.

[2:10:16] Thank you.

[2:10:18] Any questions or comments for our executive director?

[2:10:21] All right, moving on to our solicitors report.

[2:10:24] Mr. Chair.

[2:10:26] Yes, Council. Before you this evening, for approval, are four

[2:10:30] adoptions and 15 petitions for determination of parental rights with the

[2:10:34] Orphan score.

[2:10:36] So moved.

[2:10:38] Any questions or comments?

[2:10:41] Hearing none all those of you received by saying aye.

[2:10:44] Any opposed?

[2:10:46] The ice habit.

[2:10:49] All right, next anything else, Mr. Chair?

[2:10:51] Nothing else, thank you.

[2:10:55] Next slide I want to agenda council remarks council member Schafer council member Luther

[2:11:02] I just want to remind people that we have folks who can come up here and say things

[2:11:10] that without necessarily having evidence to support it or that take facts out of context

[2:11:16] I think there are people who have certain experiences that I certainly wouldn't contradict

[2:11:20] there's other people who believe certain things and they get up and they say it and they

[2:11:26] contradict me but they don't have studies or evidence or information to back it up. But this is

[2:11:35] we are the highest level of government in Pennsylvania that's required to allow public comment

[2:11:40] at our meetings. And so we do. We could be more restrictive than we are today. People saw one

[2:11:46] restriction that is clear that you have to be in some means present in the county in order

[2:11:53] to be able to speak. We could be more restricted than that. We could leave it to matters

[2:11:58] that are before the council meeting only. That's what our ordinances permit and that's been

[2:12:04] upheld by courts. Instead, we do allow people to speak and many of the things they speak on,

[2:12:12] It's important to understand don't necessarily come back to things that we can handle here.

[2:12:19] Folks, speaking about voting issues, ultimately what we do have paper ballots, how we

[2:12:26] count them is really determined by state law.

[2:12:29] We don't get to make a choice, we follow the law.

[2:12:32] Well, there's a problem that has been identified, a legitimate issue that's been identified

[2:12:38] by a member of the public regarding how overseas deployed military people vote.

[2:12:44] There's a federal statute that governs that.

[2:12:48] And there's a state website that implements it.

[2:12:51] None of that is something we control.

[2:12:55] And I just feel like people need to understand

[2:12:58] that while we listen to a lot of things here,

[2:13:01] which is part of our job.

[2:13:02] It's why we're here.

[2:13:03] You know,

[2:13:07] we don't necessarily have control over everything that people put in front of us.

[2:13:14] So I appreciate that there is a forum here.

[2:13:17] I sometimes wish late at night, it weren't quite as long.

[2:13:20] But I just wanted to get that on the record.

[2:13:25] Thank you.

[2:13:29] Can you tell me where I'm at?

[2:13:30] Thank you, Dr. Taylor.

[2:13:31] As I wasn't here yesterday, I wanted to take the opportunity to speak to Miss Aubrey.

[2:13:39] I've had a chance over the last, however many years, if you've now been here, to work with you on a number of issues, and, you know, everything that Chris said, I can't endorse more, we are so incredibly lucky that you decided to bring your career to Delaware County.

[2:14:00] You are a tremendous public servant, you have just an enormous heart that you put toward what you do as a public servant.

[2:14:11] I'm only sad to only have a few months to be working with you as you take the reins as our solicitor.

[2:14:19] But thank you so much.

[2:14:20] Thank you for everything you've done.

[2:14:22] I know the Governor's Office is going to miss you a lot, but your abundant abilities are going

[2:14:31] to be put to great use.

[2:14:32] So thank you.

[2:14:38] Thank you.

[2:14:39] Mr. Walnut?

[2:14:40] And that to see you then.

[2:14:41] Thank you.

[2:14:42] All right, and I would like to welcome, of course, please been here, but looking forward to

[2:14:48] work with you in the new role, and thank Mr. McGregor for stepping in as our interim solicitor.

[2:14:53] I know we may be a little bit of a challenge at times, but we really do.

[2:15:00] We appreciate you in your time that you have spent here in the county. So thank you.

[2:15:06] All right.

[2:15:06] With that, I will entertain a motion to adjourn.

[2:15:08] So move.

[2:15:10] Motion and second, all those in favor, signify by saying aye.

[2:15:12] Aye.

[2:15:13] Any opposed?

[2:15:15] On the eyes of it.

[2:15:16] Thank you everyone.

County Council

Agenda

Transcript