[6:01] Good morning, we will call this meeting of the Bus County Commissioners March 6, 2024 to order. Good morning, and we have a lot of social workers with yellow ribbons on today, but we will ask one of them, Desiree Mullin, to lead us in the pledge of allegiance, please.

[6:24] Thank you, and we

[6:37] will begin today with Consumer Protection Week, and Commissioner Harvey has that proclamation.

[6:45] Thank you very much.

[6:48] Whereas the effort, the federal government and social activists

[6:51] to protect American consumers from dangerous products

[6:53] and unscrupulous manufacturers stretches back

[6:56] to the beginning of the 20th century.

[6:59] And whereas in 1914, under President Woodrow Wilson,

[7:01] the Federal Trade Commission was established

[7:03] in an effort to protect consumers and in turn,

[7:07] helped the United States economy

[7:08] once smoothly, safely and fairly

[7:10] for businesses, consumers, and investors.

[7:13] And we're as consumer protection consists of laws and organizations designed to ensure the

[7:19] rights of consumers as well as fair trade competition and the free flow of truthful information

[7:24] in the marketplace.

[7:26] And we're as in keeping with the laws established that books County Consumer Protection

[7:29] Department exists to protect the rights of consumers by providing valuable information about

[7:35] the laws that govern how businesses conduct themselves.

[7:39] And we're as advocating for consumer rights and guiding them towards solutions, the difficult

[7:45] situations is the specialty of the county's consumer protection department.

[7:48] Now, therefore, do we, the Bucks County Board of Commissioners here by proclaim March 3rd

[7:53] 9th 2024 as consumer protection week throughout the county of Bucks and doing so, we commend

[7:58] the Office of Consumer Protection and Consumer Advocates everywhere for their fine work and

[8:02] maintaining a fair and honest marketplace for all.

[8:05] Thank you, and we have my fan and our director of Consumer Protection.

[8:10] Good morning everybody, thank you for having me, and thank you commissioners for the honor

[8:15] of declaring this week Consumer Protection Week in Bucks County.

[8:20] The Consumer Protection Department basically exists to help residents of Bucks County

[8:25] deal with difficult problems.

[8:27] We cover a gamut of things that affect residents on a regular basis from purchasing automobiles,

[8:34] landlord tenant complaints, all sorts of things if you're buying warranties or on refrigerators,

[8:42] all those things we can help folks with.

[8:44] We encourage residents to call us and we can help guide you through the process or figure

[8:49] out the best way to fix a problem.

[8:52] We also deal occasionally with fraudulent activity.

[8:55] The really good news here is that we've got a lot of really good businesses that operate

[9:01] on the up and up in Bux County and do great work. Unfortunately, sometimes some bed operators kind

[9:09] of get in between and take advantage of residents when it comes to things like home and

[9:13] room and contracting or car repairs. We have great booklets and information for residents to

[9:21] help avoid scrubgetting into these positions like our landlord tenant guides that we'd love to get

[9:31] and their contract in their lease.

[9:34] We have brochures on purchasing cars that we can get to folks.

[9:38] And we also have great brochures on tips and avoiding

[9:42] scams and cons in those telephone calls

[9:44] that come in in those scant text messages.

[9:48] So I'm pleased to accept the consumer protection week.

[9:52] It's an honor.

[9:54] Thank you for giving us the chance in Bucks County

[9:56] to do this job with the residents.

[9:58] I have to thank you.

[9:59] to staff, which is Sally Caughtware Sally.

[10:02] So there you go, Linda and Linda Rubino and Sally Carr

[10:06] who do fantastic work.

[10:08] They did it really the heart of the team.

[10:10] And Tom Rohrick couldn't be here today.

[10:13] Do a lot of work without them.

[10:14] We wouldn't be able to do too many things out there.

[10:17] But thank you very much for the honor.

[10:19] We do appreciate it.

[10:21] And we're going to get out here and do more good work.

[10:23] Thank you.

[10:24] Thank you.

[10:24] Thank you very much.

[10:30] Thank you.

[10:31] Special thanks, Mike, I know in my office we always say whether there's a problem we're going to call office or ban in and get you involved and I know

[10:38] We're going to do social workers next in you have one in your family, so that's how you learned.

[11:11] Next we will celebrate March which is social work a month and I am pleased as a social worker to read the proclamation to all of you

[11:19] And whereas the primary mission of social work is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic and complex needs of all people

[11:26] And whereas the social work profession for more than a century has worked to improve this

[11:30] society, with social workers playing a role in establishing a minimum wage, social security

[11:35] and Medicare, and working to ensure equal rights for women, African Americans, and people

[11:40] who are LGBTQ, and whereas social workers are in all facets of our society, including schools,

[11:47] hospitals, community organizations, the military, mental health centers, social service agencies,

[11:51] corporations and local state and federal government and whereas social workers are on the front

[11:57] lines and helping this nation solve pressing social problems including an increased demand

[12:02] for mental health services and opioid addiction crisis at economic inequality. And whereas

[12:08] the 2024 social work month theme empowering social workers embodies the need for society to support

[12:14] social workers so they can continue to do life affirming work and help address societal needs.

[12:20] So now therefore do we the Bucks County Board of Commissioners hereby proclaim March 2024 as social

[12:26] work month throughout the county of Bucks and in so doing we salute social workers for their

[12:31] commitment and dedication to individuals, families and communities everywhere and we are delighted

[12:36] to have our director of human services also with social worker Rachel Neff to speak to us.

[12:45] Good morning and thank you commissioners for having us here to recognize national social work

[12:49] And I just want to take a moment and say this is a really good room to be in this morning because I am joined by so many of our colleagues in this division

[12:57] And I'm grateful to work alongside them every day and a couple minutes. You're going to be hearing from some of them

[13:03] And we have

[13:04] Desiree Mullin from children youth

[13:07] Stacey Ann Wisdom from AAA and

[13:09] Kaley Rosenfall from our behavioral health and developmental programs department

[13:14] So Commissioner Marseille, as you just said, I am the Director of Human Services here at the county and I am a licensed social worker and I have dedicated my entire professional career to this profession.

[13:25] I am really proud to be a part of it and you read in the Proclamation that social workers strive to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic needs of all people, especially people who are vulnerable.

[13:35] So, we stand up for our communities, we advocate, we empower individuals to make change in their lives, and we value and respect all people.

[13:45] That said, I know that across this division, which happens to be over $375 staff and manages a budget of over $200 million.

[13:53] And we have so many different disciplines here in our division.

[13:57] So, we have individuals with degrees on psychology, sociology, criminal justice.

[14:02] we have licensed professional mental health counselors. And I think the common thread that

[14:07] unites us all is that we're all invested in saying we care about our communities. We want to

[14:11] show up and we want to provide services to people that need them. So I'm incredibly thankful to work for

[14:17] this team. I also want to take a moment to share how I think social workers can make really strong

[14:24] leaders. Commissioner Marseglia, when you stepped into the role of the Bucks County Commissioner

[14:29] chair role in 2020, you hit the green light for this division to move forward with really

[14:35] some amazing programs and services for this community. I think without that bold leadership,

[14:40] we would not be able to say these things today. We have the bright path crisis stabilization

[14:45] center that is moving forward. It is a multi-million dollar project that says to the community,

[14:50] we care about mental health and we care about issues around substance use disorder. Our human

[14:55] services hub opened its doors after being closed for way too long and has received

[15:00] Thousands of inquiries since opening 2021. We have moved out millions of dollars of American Rescue Plan Act funds to our non-profits and our community providers that support kids, seniors, individuals, families, and we have launched our human services co-responder program that today is embedded in 24 police departments across this county, which says that social workers can also have a role in partnering with our law enforcement providers.

[15:28] There are too many more initiatives to name, but again, I think that this is incredibly important that your background is a social worker and you being a leadership role has helped move these issues forward.

[15:39] Commissioner Harvey, when you stepped into that role as chair, you continue to support the priorities in the division and we recognize that and appreciate it.

[15:46] I think in Bucks County, one of the things that we know is that our community, like so many other communities across Pennsylvania struggle, was substance use disorder, and Commissioner DeGerolimo, at every turn you are backing up our Bucks County Dragon Alcohol Commission, you're standing up for the work that they do.

[16:04] And finally, Margie McCabett, we are blessed to have you leading as our Chief Operating Officer in this county.

[16:12] I cannot thank you for all of the support that you provide us throughout the year.

[16:17] So we're greatly appreciative for you.

[16:20] I just want to read a quote about a social worker who inspires me, Renee Brown.

[16:25] She says leadership is a choice, and it's not about being in charge.

[16:29] It's about taking care of those in our charge.

[16:31] Leadership is not about being the boss. It's about creating safety for everyone to show up.

[16:36] Do their best work and develop their full potential.

[16:40] And it matters for the staff here and for our community providers to show up and do their best work because that means

[16:45] Box County residents, kids, older adults, individuals, they get the services they need.

[16:52] So there is a team here, and I just mentioned some major initiatives that have moved forward,

[16:57] But there is a leadership team here who I work alongside on a regular basis and I'm incredibly thankful.

[17:04] They are smart, talented, competent, decades of experience.

[17:09] And I am going to ask some of them to stay on because I think we need to recognize them.

[17:14] So the first one is Kathy Bennett from our area agency on aging, the director.

[17:20] We have Diane Rosati, from our who's the executive director of our drug and alcohol commission.

[17:25] We have a Vaughan Kovalski who leads our human services co-responder program and our hub.

[17:33] We have Matt Allen who was our director of Veterans Affairs and in the room today.

[17:38] I'm not sure if we have Cindy Greesak who leads our managed care organization.

[17:43] Not with us today because they are at statewide conferences for children and youth and behavioral health.

[17:49] Donna Duffy Bell is a tremendous leader and Rob Yokem who is our new director at Children New

[17:56] do amazing work. So these folks are incredible and I'd just like to get more of these.

[18:09] So you'll be hearing next from Desirem Allen and Children New and she'll be followed by

[18:14] St. C. N. Wisdom and then Kelly Rosenfall in Behavioral Health and Developmental Programs.

[18:18] Again, thank you for taking the time to recognize what we do.

[18:27] Thank you so much for having me today

[18:29] to recognize the social workers at Bucks County Children New.

[18:33] Child welfare social workers don't always share the same public image as other branches of social work. Child welfare work can have a stigma to it.

[18:43] Think about any of the movies you've seen where a child welfare social worker shows up.

[18:49] Always in their bed, polyester pant suit, and then they proceed to be mean to everyone, especially children.

[18:56] So I'm delighted to be able to shine the light on the social work being done at Bucks County Children in Youth.

[19:04] Stepping into a family's ecosystem is a sacred thing that we hold very dear to ourselves

[19:11] at Box County Children and Youth.

[19:14] There's a cliche in social work that says we meet our clients where they're at.

[19:19] For child welfare workers, that's a literal statement.

[19:22] We cross the thresholds of families homes and no matter how humble those homes are, that's

[19:29] the place that they've carved out for themselves in this world.

[19:32] And sometimes we don't get to cross over thresholds.

[19:35] We knock on corridors, we open the flaps of tents.

[19:39] Our work is not glamorous.

[19:41] We face poverty and addiction head-on.

[19:45] And that's not a pretty picture that I can paint for you.

[19:50] I had a professor in grad school that said,

[19:52] the most basic thing a social worker can do

[19:55] is hold someone's pain for a little while.

[19:58] And I agree with that statement.

[20:00] before a child welfare, social worker, that also, they do that while in any given day, there

[20:06] are a therapist, a taxi driver, a mediator, a witness, a court, a home reorganizer, an

[20:15] investigator, a toxicology report interpreter, a grocery delivery person, and that can all

[20:22] happen within the span of a few hours. I couldn't be proud of this rag tag

[20:30] family of social workers at children in youth.

[20:33] My hope is that, at least today, you understand a little bit better

[20:37] of what the juggling act child welfare is,

[20:41] and you celebrate the men and women who day in and day out

[20:46] 24 hours a day, seven days a week,

[20:50] diligently, protect the most vulnerable children

[20:52] of families in our community.

[20:55] Thank you again for this time, appreciate it.

[20:57] Thank you.

[20:58] I

[21:05] will just add that Desiree stepped out last week when there was a family in great distress and you were as your boss said a rock star and thank you for doing it.

[21:16] to everyone here, commissioners,

[21:18] degree terries, officers in their respective places.

[21:23] My name is Stacey and Wisdom,

[21:27] and at 13 years old, my wellness

[21:30] and Navity and Freedom was halted

[21:34] when my great-grandmother at the age of 86 years old

[21:40] was faced with a declining health.

[21:43] And I saw firsthand how my mom stepped in the gap and became a caregiver, stepped in the gap and became resilient and advocated for her human dignity to receive the care that she needed.

[21:59] She was my vehicle that propelled me into social work practice.

[22:05] And so as I moved in my scholastic journey, I attained a master's degree at Kutstown University.

[22:14] And I searched long and hard because I wanted to find a group, an organization that would be able to help me grow as a social worker and empower older adults.

[22:29] and I found that in aging.

[22:33] Bucks County, ERA agency, on aging, is a bridge.

[22:38] Bucks County, ERA agency on aging, is a bridge

[22:42] that creates pathways, foster pathways,

[22:47] and connect older adults to resources to support,

[22:52] to education, to safety.

[22:55] So today, I am standing on a plateau, a bridge that sometimes, from the outside, looks

[23:04] tattered, looks torn, looks empty because it needs repair.

[23:10] If you see all the bridges in Bugs County, which one is your favorite, is it the shiny

[23:16] one?

[23:17] Or is it the one that is covered and only one car can pass at a time?

[23:23] Buckstowning, air agency on aging bridge to me is a shiny bridge, a bridge that echoes the volume that older adults can live autonomously in the community which services.

[23:39] but scouting error agency on aging is an interconnected bridge access to my director, access to my deputy director, access to my supervisors, where we can be able to help a grandparent who's caring for a dependent spouse and a grandchild through the caregiver's program.

[24:04] where we have a team who goes out and assess seniors to see if they're nurse nursing facility

[24:12] clinically eligible or in eligible or someone who just brings a food box to a senior who has a nutrition deficit.

[24:23] So when I hear about Backscownie, I am so humble and graceful to be a part of this organization.

[24:34] And I thank you that under the hospice of the Backscownie that we are able to empower older adults.

[24:42] We are able to keep them safe, safe from being victimized, safe from being abused.

[24:50] And so when this happens, which life will happen, call ageing, 2, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 0, 5, 7, 0, 0, thank you.

[25:14] Good morning.

[25:15] I got my dream job working for the county as a mental health delegate within the behavioral

[25:20] health department in 2017.

[25:23] It was nine years after completing my master's degree in social work.

[25:27] I remember actually being in this very building when it was a courthouse.

[25:34] I was a child in a victim of a crime.

[25:37] I remember having a social worker with me through Nova,

[25:41] which is the network of victim assistance.

[25:44] A company me through the court process.

[25:47] I think this is when I first understood the true value of what social workers do.

[25:54] and all that they can encompass, and so began my process of wanting to give back in a

[26:02] way, where I personally found value which is in the human connection. Wow. I can actually

[26:10] get paid for doing what I love the most, which is helping others. I think however that

[26:16] the term helping others or helping people is rather an oversimplification of what social workers

[26:23] in campus. The easiest way of explaining my job to others is simply being able to listen to

[26:31] somebody's story, bring empathy, and hold that empathy in the relationship you develop with them,

[26:40] and try to guide the individual towards the unmet needs and resources that may be available

[26:45] within their scope of need. My job for the county has taken many passions and has driven forward

[26:52] like compassion of connecting with others.

[26:57] On any given day, I may be called upon

[27:00] to provide debriefing services to an affected neighborhood

[27:03] or school after a traumatic incident.

[27:08] Working with the Special Response Team

[27:10] as a mental health negotiator, engaging in community

[27:14] suicide prevention efforts, monitoring our 24-7 crisis

[27:19] services or simply speaking with a mother over the phone, regarding her child who has experienced

[27:28] a mental health crisis for the very first time and holding space with her.

[27:34] I absolutely feel honored to work as a social worker.

[27:39] In particular, working for Bux County has been a true full circle moment in my life as

[27:44] stand here today in the very building where I read my victim impact statement and under the

[27:51] exceptional leadership demonstrated by our county commissioners and the entire administration

[27:57] of the human services department. I'm able to serve my community and feel supported to take

[28:04] creative approaches to help address the unmet needs within the vulnerable populations that we serve

[28:10] here in Bugs County. Thank you.

[28:22] Thank you. I got through that without crying.

[28:24] So that was that was good.

[28:26] We'd love to take a picture with everybody.

[28:27] I didn't know if Commissioner Harvey or D.D.

[28:29] Dr. Almo had any final comments before we did that.

[28:32] Thank you for all your good work.

[28:33] Thank you, but everybody can come up.

[28:35] We'll take a group picture.

[28:53] We're so sure you're sitting up like

[29:03] that.

[29:03] Good job.

[29:25] It's a good idea, it's a good idea, it's a good idea, it's a good idea.

[30:48] We will move on to public comment, and our first.

[30:52] We got this. Oh, my goodness. And there you all are waiting for me, too. I'm really sorry.

[30:59] And finally, we have United for Alice, and we have PJ O'Brien, and United Way here, and Commissioner

[31:04] D. Dr. Alamo has a proclamation today.

[31:07] Thank you. Good morning, everyone. Welcome. I have a proclamation. I'm going to read it. We're

[31:12] As approximately 27% of Bucks County households earn above the federal poverty level, but are still one expected bill away from financial crisis.

[31:26] The United Way describes such circumstances with the acronym Alice, which stands for asset-limited income constrained employed.

[31:37] And the rising cost of living leaves no room for emergency expenses in the budget of Alice households,

[31:45] which earn too much to qualify for public assistance and many other programs.

[31:52] Our Alice population often hold key jobs that are important to the well-being of our countries,

[31:59] such as child care providers, frontline health staff, human service workers,

[32:04] and those who keep our grocery stores and restaurants open.

[32:10] You're not a way of Bucks County is committed to uplifting

[32:13] Alice through community programs and advocacy to ensure that

[32:17] working families can access all the help that they need.

[32:22] Now, therefore, the Weed of Bucks County Board of Commissioners,

[32:25] hereby proclaim March 20, 24 as Alice Awareness Month throughout the

[32:31] a box. In so doing we command you not in a way a box county for the work they do to improve the

[32:38] well-being of members of our community. We hope this recognition encourages community engagement,

[32:45] offer support to community initiatives, and inspires collaborative efforts to address the needs

[32:51] of Alice family. Thank you. Thank you. I know there's a many of you here so we're probably

[32:58] You're going to need to help me with some names, although Nikki, I didn't know you were

[33:00] speaking first, so this is Nikki Farrier, if you'd like to begin.

[33:04] Thank you for your permission.

[33:04] Thank you for that.

[33:05] Good morning, everyone.

[33:07] My name is Nikki Farrier, and I have the honor and privilege of serving as the social worker

[33:13] at United Way of Bucks County in the Director of Alice Programs.

[33:18] I am joined today, as you heard by my colleagues, PJ O'Brien, Director of Financial

[33:23] the ability impact our president and CEO, Marissa Christie, and our partners from pink community

[33:30] bank, people security bank, university and Q&B. Next slide.

[33:39] So as Commissioner DeGerola Moge

[33:40] stated, Alice is an acronym that stands for asset limited income constrained employed. Over 36 million

[33:50] American working families are classified as Alice.

[33:56] They are employed, though their incomes struggle to keep up with the rising cost of goods and services in our country.

[34:05] And though they are employed, as stated, they earn above the federal poverty income guideline,

[34:10] which deans them unqualified to access many anti-poverty agency programs that are desperately needed.

[34:23] They earn above, they can't access health, but they need our help.

[34:30] These families are one unexpected bill away from financial crisis. Next slide.

[34:38] So what you see before you is what we consider the eight essentials of a household budget.

[34:45] You see housing, child care costs, transportation, food, healthcare, miscellaneous,

[34:54] and we live in America, Texas.

[34:58] These are the things that we cannot avoid if we work in this country.

[35:02] Yet Alice family struggle with these budget choices every day, they have to make impossible decisions and risky trade-offs to adhere to this budget.

[35:16] Choices like, do I buy groceries or do I pay for that unexpected car repair that just happened?

[35:24] Do I pay my rent or do I pay my child care provider?

[35:29] Very difficult choices, and they make them every day.

[35:34] Next slide.

[35:38] So who is Alice?

[35:40] Commissioner D. Drolimo gave you an example,

[35:42] but this list is certainly not exhaustive,

[35:44] but it gives you a good sense of who we're talking about.

[35:49] Alice is our child care providers.

[35:53] If they can't get to work,

[35:54] We often can't get to work.

[35:58] Alice is our office clerks.

[36:01] They are the ones that keep our calendars and keep our offices organized.

[36:06] Keep us all where we need to be.

[36:09] Alice is our cafeteria workers.

[36:13] They are the ones that make sure our children are fed daily at school.

[36:19] Alice is the workforce behind the workforce.

[36:23] And their financial vulnerability will have a rippling effect throughout our community.

[36:35] Thanks Nikki.

[36:36] Next slide please.

[36:38] So as Nikki proved to us, Alice can be found in just about every sector of our economy.

[36:45] But Alice also does not discriminate with over one and three white families or households in this country,

[36:51] living below the Alice threshold and struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living.

[36:55] and over half of Hispanic and Black families

[36:58] also are struggling to do the same.

[37:01] Seniors and House Head of Households under 25 years old,

[37:05] so our young adults, our young parents,

[37:08] who are trying to strike out on their own

[37:10] without the assistance of their parents,

[37:12] also struggle the hardest under the Alice threshold,

[37:15] with over half of seniors and nearly seven at a 10

[37:18] of our under 25 head of households struggling every day.

[37:23] Those who get it, the worse are our single parents, of course, our single fathers, over

[37:28] 56% fall below the Alice threshold, and unfortunately, our single mothers, three out

[37:35] of every four who are heads of the household, struggle every day in our one unexpected

[37:40] bill away from financial crisis.

[37:42] Next slide, please.

[37:46] Just as Alice does not discriminate, it does not limit itself to municipal borders.

[37:50] All municipalities within Bux County have an Alice population of at least 12 percent, with 17 of the municipalities, at least 4 out of 10 households living below the Alice threshold, and at least 5 who over 50 percent of their households struggling every day.

[38:09] Often data doesn't always tell the true story, and I think that's true within Bugs County.

[38:14] Regularly Bugs County is referred to as one of the more affluent counties across the state,

[38:19] which makes sense.

[38:20] If you look at the data, we have a higher median household income in the state average,

[38:24] a higher labor force participation rate, nearly half the poverty rate,

[38:29] as across the state.

[38:30] However, our Alice population equals the state average, which goes to show that Alice

[38:35] also often struggles in the dark, and that's why we're trying to recognize them this month.

[38:41] Next slide, please.

[38:43] And this just shows that with the latest data after the latest census that we saw a downturn

[38:49] in Al's population prior to the pandemic, but of course the unexpected difficulties that came

[38:55] from the pandemic brought that Al's population up and we anticipate those numbers to continue

[39:00] to rise with the inflation of the past couple of years and the continuing rise in the cost of

[39:06] living, not just in Bugs County but across the country. Next slide, please. And with that,

[39:11] I would like to pass along to our President and CEO, Risa Christie.

[39:18] Thank you, PJ, and thank you so much to the commissioners for allowing us to speak today.

[39:24] Of course, data tells us some of the story, but data will never tell us all of the story.

[39:32] So over the next few weeks, what we are going to be doing is sharing some videos, specifically

[39:39] from Alice folks who live in our community.

[39:43] The series will be in the form of video testimonials,

[39:46] explaining firsthand what some of the struggles and challenges are,

[39:51] and what some of the solutions are.

[39:53] In the center there, you see Erica.

[39:56] Erica is a single mom. She lives in Lower Bucks County.

[40:00] She appears in one of the videos.

[40:02] Erica works full-time in emergency communications.

[40:05] She also works part-time in hospitality to make ends meet, but last year she had a challenge.

[40:16] It caused her to be at work for a short term on an unpaid leave and she fell behind on her bills.

[40:22] Now she got cleared to come back as soon as she could, but she couldn't catch up in time.

[40:28] She was struggling and now her income was above the threshold to receive help from most services.

[40:35] That's when her pastor recommended that she contacted Nighted Way, Niki assisted her through a program called United for Alice, and I'm not going to tell you all of the details of her story because it's her story to share.

[40:50] Instead, I hope that you will tune in with us throughout the month of March to hear directly from some of our Alice consumers and highlight the way folks can help.

[41:00] Next slide, I mentioned United for Alice, but there are a number of programs that we work on collaboratively with partners in Bucks County specifically to ensure access to support for Alice households.

[41:13] Our Help Center provides essential goods, bulk distribution and resource navigation to help folks in need.

[41:19] Fresh Connect, a free mobile farmer's market, run along with our partners, provides weekly produce

[41:26] to folks who are Alice.

[41:29] Lift United, which is a collaboration with County of Bucks, Penn Community Bank, and

[41:33] Credit Counseling Center ensures that folks can have access to transportation and a low-interest

[41:38] car loan.

[41:39] Very a signature events, provide assistance when it's needed throughout the year.

[41:43] Pre-K accounts and private pre-K scholarship serve about 450 students, countywide, so that kids

[41:49] can enter our K-12 systems ready to learn and parents can get to work.

[41:53] And of course, United for Alice, which provides emergency one-time financial assistance

[41:57] specifically for folks who may not have any other help.

[42:01] Next slide.

[42:03] So what can folks do to help Alice, there's a few things, of course, giving is always

[42:07] deeply appreciated, whether that's monetary gifts or essentials to our help center, things

[42:12] like hygiene items, diapers, you name it, between 30% and 50% of the folks we serve

[42:17] every single week are Alice and would struggle to get assistance elsewhere.

[42:22] Advocate programs are being proposed at both the state and federal levels that cast a

[42:26] lifeline for Alice, statewide earned income tax credits, enhanced child tax credits, paid

[42:32] family and medical leave.

[42:34] And of course there's always the opportunity to volunteer, directly at our help center, or

[42:38] with fresh connect, be an ally and spread the word about Alice and, again, reach out to

[42:43] those elected officials because there are programs that can help.

[42:47] Next slide, please.

[42:49] So what we're asking this month in addition

[42:51] to this acknowledgment, which we deeply appreciate,

[42:54] is for folks to stay connected.

[42:56] If you go to uwbux.org,

[42:58] backslashallus month, there is information

[43:00] and we'll continue to update that throughout the month.

[43:02] You can also sign up to receive updates.

[43:05] Next slide.

[43:07] Before we conclude today,

[43:08] I want to make sure to take a moment

[43:10] to acknowledge the community banks that are here with us today.

[43:14] What we found is that our community banks truly stand with Alice.

[43:21] They understand, they invest, they put together solutions that can really support this community.

[43:27] And with that, I want to make sure that I acknowledge the partners in the room with us.

[43:31] Gene Fedoni, President and CEO of Penn Community Bank, who I will footnote and say that the

[43:38] second we started talking about Alice understood exactly what we were talking about and the need.

[43:46] Bernard Times, Executive Vice President, Chief Experience and Impact Officer from Penn Community Bank.

[43:53] Rick Miller, SVP, People Security Bank, Randy Beamon, Vice President and Relationship Manager,

[43:59] commercial banking at Univest and Jeffel Hockey, EVP and Chief Financial Officer at Q&B.

[44:07] I'll note that these partners have taken an extra step this month.

[44:10] Each of their organizations has committed extra support in this month to support our Alice

[44:16] consumers in Bugs County because if Alice is not stable, we do not have a safe, healthy

[44:23] and prosperous community for everyone.

[44:25] And with that, I want to thank you for your time today, commissioners.

[44:31] Thank you.

[44:40] Come on up.

[44:45] Sorry about my little lift there.

[45:11] Now,

[45:26] we can move on to public comment. I apologize for that before, and we'll begin with Ed Machouse.

[45:40] Thank you. Ed Machouse former teacher, scientist, engineer. I'd like to commend you for the presentations here.

[45:49] Got how well you're doing with social work and to try and help people. I'd like you to explain.

[45:57] There's a lot of expenditures here.

[46:00] You can maybe go and explain how many people

[46:03] are helped by each of these expenditures.

[46:05] At least approximately how many homeless and stuff.

[46:08] I got reports from the least a couple of weeks

[46:11] that there were bust loads of illegal immigrants coming in here.

[46:16] I know in New York there's spent a billion dollars

[46:20] for illegal immigrants.

[46:21] And we don't need more illegal immigrants coming in here

[46:27] and trying to jump on trucks and stuff.

[46:30] As a scientist,

[46:33] I'd like to compliment that you

[46:34] one like the Gene Deetcher of IMO,

[46:39] the last meeting spoke about not legalizing

[46:44] pot, drugs are not the answer to everything.

[46:48] And Commissioner Harvey, you spoke about the prosecution for the movie 2,000 Mules.

[46:57] The first amendment says, we have the right to speak even if we're wrong.

[47:03] We can't make every one right.

[47:05] So they're prosecuting people in the movie 2,000 Mules.

[47:08] 2,000 Mules, there's 1,000 Mules in there that drop illegal ballots and fill it up in my government.

[47:16] Montgomery County. Montgomery County now secures their ballots, their drop boxes like

[47:22] Box County. But Philadelphia in the last election I checked there, they had these drop boxes

[47:27] out on the street where murals can still drop box 24 hours a day, no one's supervising

[47:33] the box in the middle thing. So 2000 murals move the pictures and the people can complain

[47:41] and it wasn't perfect, but the thing is not to prosecute and persecute people, but one on

[47:47] its elections, the thing is to make the elections more secure to people have faith in it.

[47:54] And also, what's happened in the last three years, previously the President Trump made

[48:00] us energy independent, so we were bringing in money to the country.

[48:04] Money was America was getting wealthier.

[48:06] Now we're getting poorer, we have $30 trillion in debt, and we're spending a trillion dollars

[48:14] in debt, trillion dollars on just interest on money we're borrowing.

[48:17] A great country makes money, produces wealth, and so we can distribute the wealth of the people.

[48:23] We're getting poorer and poorer, the prices of gasoline doubled, people have to spend

[48:29] a thousand dollars more on the interest buying houses.

[48:32] So, business is going down because of inflation policies of the last three years of helping everyone

[48:38] better Americans.

[48:40] Thank you.

[48:42] Renee Fagan.

[48:53] Hello everybody.

[48:54] My name is Renee Fagan and I'm a resident of Bucks County.

[48:57] I come here today and hopes you will take into consideration a proactive step in securing

[49:01] our elections, which have not only helped Governor Shapiro's election task force and the

[49:06] National Guard Cyber Unit.

[49:08] It will save Bucks County in its taxpayers' time energy and money.

[49:11] I propose the Board of Elections at a check box section to our ballots that would indicate that the ballot is to be hand counted only and not recorded by the tabulation machines.

[49:23] Just as the Pennsylvania Supreme Court concluded that voters have the right to choose the method of casting a vote, we have the same right to choose the method of recording a vote.

[49:33] When COVID hit during 2020, voters could choose to cast their vote by mail.

[49:38] The voters were doing their part to mitigate a threat of the COVID virus.

[49:44] 2024 is providing to is proving to present the same threat although a different type of

[49:49] virus.

[49:50] DHS, SISA, FBI, and our sheriffs have been warned of elevated threats of terrorism to our

[49:56] communities.

[49:57] The threat of attacks aimed at our local elections is so serious the Governor Shapiro is

[50:02] taken preemptive measures to attempt to keep our elections safe.

[50:05] Unfortunately, just as PA and Bucks County were recently

[50:09] the victims of cyber attacks still have the very entities

[50:12] that have been recruited to protect our elections.

[50:15] Malins reuse as a method to keep voter safe from a viral threat,

[50:18] the same justification applies to voters who choose to have their vote

[50:21] hand counted to keep their votes safe from a cyber threat.

[50:25] Hand counting of paper ballots is already legal method of recording.

[50:31] The judge of elections is to open all ballot boxes and count them one by one and record and a record is to be made of the total.

[50:39] Then the judge shall read aloud the names of the candidates marked in the majority inspector and clerks.

[50:44] Carefully enter each vote as red and keep the count of the same in ink in triplicate tally papers.

[50:51] As you can see, the method of recording a paper ballot is already applied law and required by Acts 77.

[50:57] adding a check box to about to indicate hand-count challenges, new laws of our elections, and all election laws remain uniform.

[51:05] The PA Supreme Court concluded all voters were entitled to the same method of casting a vote as absentee in our military.

[51:12] The same justification must be applied to mail-ins, absentee, and military voters who want their ballot recorded as X774's in-person voters.

[51:21] It would be derelict of your duty if you should have prepared for four-born threats to our

[51:26] election system, as well as measures to eliminate the issues that stem from previous

[51:30] elections that resulted in anger and division in our community, a distress of the election

[51:34] system and costly litigation.

[51:38] Adding a line on a ballot box that reads ballot to be recorded by hand count with the checkbox

[51:42] is the most effective and impactful measure you can take to secure our upcoming elections

[51:47] and bring our community together.

[51:48] For those watching online, we want to have the option to have this vote to have your vote.

[51:56] Thank you.

[52:00] Beth Kersio?

[52:02] Beth Kersio here.

[52:16] Beth Kersio, warm Mr. Pennsylvania.

[52:19] You say the pledge allegiance every meeting.

[52:21] Yet you are part of the biggest Marxist gain plan to destroy the Republic.

[52:25] Vision 2040.

[52:26] We all know all selected are not elected, not elected.

[52:31] We know the poll pads and the machines are connected to the internet.

[52:35] We know the Democrats in the public establishment are all selected if that weren't true,

[52:40] everyone would want paper ballots, but the uniparty couldn't get selected that way.

[52:44] The money that you could be saved for the taxpayers would be amazing.

[52:48] Maybe you could fix our deteriorating roads.

[52:50] As Americans, we see our country deteriorating, our schools turn out children that are taught

[52:55] garbage.

[52:56] Some are so full of stress and anxiety they identify animals and whatever triggers them.

[53:00] Our crime rights are soaring, we all see how, you guess, like, good citizens who are trying to warn the public, because total tyranny is around the corner.

[53:09] You refuse the people you are supposed to represent any town halls you are cowards.

[53:17] Citizens start looking around your county, more and more surveillance cameras, no one's just installed a few months ago, one's street needs to road.

[53:24] Are the citizens asked if this is where they want their tax dollar spent?

[53:29] When the illegal lockdowns took place,

[53:33] who gave permission to put up all these 5G towers up

[53:36] that are throwing off poisonous radiation to the good people of

[53:39] Bugs County, especially our children?

[53:42] Last week you did a hit job on 2,000 yields.

[53:44] That was made up by the propaganda news, which is the method

[53:47] that the far left uses.

[53:49] Nancy Pelosi was recorded telling her people,

[53:52] you make a lie and you keep telling that lie over and over again and then the media will run

[53:57] with it.

[53:58] Commissioners, you have committed crimes against humanity.

[54:00] You threaten all your employees to take a bioweapon injection without informed consent.

[54:06] Did you tell them what was in it?

[54:07] Do you realize it's a many years since Anthony Fauci confessed the COVID vaccine could never

[54:11] have worked and is still being ignored?

[54:15] Millions of people have left their lives, health, babies have died in utero, turbo cancer,

[54:20] infertility, the young athletes dropping dead, and this is supposed to be normal, people are

[54:24] dying younger and younger. Mr. Harvey, when you gaslight me today, please don't use

[54:29] different disinformation and especially conspiracy theory. They are made up by the CIA. I prefer

[54:34] tinfoil hat. You prove what cowards you really are. May God have mercy on all your souls.

[54:42] Beth Roth.

[54:52] Good morning. Beth Roth, Bedminster Township. I want to thank you,

[54:58] Madam Chairman, for give me the opportunity at our last meeting to email you and address our sources for our information and I thought about that and I thought

[55:11] You know what it doesn't really matter what our sources are we've got the he said she said stuff going on

[55:18] That's in the past and we can't change that all we can do is keep working towards moving forward

[55:26] So you mentioned Act 77, and you mentioned that it was the law, you said that it was a bipartisan product that was signed by the governor and it is now the law, and I thought, you know what I don't know what Act 77 sets, so I read it, and I came across this section that I just want to bring to your attention, and it goes, it's Section 1308.

[55:56] Candacing of official absentee ballots and mailboxes, male and balance, sorry.

[56:05] Article 13D, the Board of Elections shall safely keep the ballots sealed or let me back up.

[56:14] These are the ballots that are coming into Central Town.

[56:20] They should keep the same ballots in a sealed or locked container until they distribute the same to the appropriate

[56:25] local election districts, and a matter prescribed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

[56:33] Each has provided in session 1302 that count the county board of elections shall then distribute.

[56:40] The absentee balance unopened to the absentee voters' respective election district concurrent

[56:46] with the distribution of other elections supplies. Absentee ballots shall be

[56:52] immediately and continuously, without interruption until completed, after the close of the polls

[56:58] on the day of the election in each election district. The results of the canvas of the absentee

[57:04] ballots shall then be included in and returned to the county board with the returns of the scammed

[57:12] ballots. Part B, watchers shall be permitted to be present when the embellips, when the declaration

[57:19] envelopes containing the official absentee ballots and mail-in ballots are opened and one such

[57:25] ballots are counted and recorded. In all election districts in which electronic voting systems

[57:32] I'm going to stop right there. I just I'm kind of reading you the highlights but I'm sure that

[57:39] there is somewhere some statute or article or section somewhere where in a books county has decided

[57:46] that they're not going to return those mail-in and absentee ballots to the local precincts

[57:51] for counting, I just don't, I can't find it, I don't know where it is, please tell me.

[57:57] Thank you.

[58:00] Thank you.

[58:01] One.

[58:09] One.

[58:12] Three points.

[58:13] First, on the agenda, five C and D, five C is a contract with Haven Adoption Family Services,

[58:27] Ambulance, Spain, $210,000, and it explains a proof contract to right-force the care

[58:35] of services to children. It goes from February 1st, 2024 to June 30, 2025. Included in that span,

[58:48] obviously, would be February and March of 2024. And the item B, D, again, with haven adoptions,

[59:02] incorporated Amler, 190,000 says exactly the same thing as above, but this one goes from

[59:11] July 1st, 23 to March 31st of 24, included in that span, is February and March of 24.

[59:23] For the second time, to provide what appears to be the same service, are we being double

[59:30] build by these two contracts.

[59:36] If someone could explain that, it'd be helpful.

[59:39] Secondly,

[59:41] the other day I was watching television

[59:42] and of course, the news conference,

[59:45] they talked about sanctuary cities throughout the United States.

[59:49] And they listed sanctuary cities by state.

[59:54] You can imagine, well, maybe you can't imagine.

[59:56] You, I will shot when under

[1:00:00] Pennsylvania, the 3rd or 4th listed sanctuary city, is book's county, Pennsylvania. My question

[1:00:09] to you, are we a sanctuary city, would why would that national television network advertise us

[1:00:19] along with a list of 100? Sanctuary cities, if we are not one, could someone please explain that.

[1:00:26] And finally, Sunday's inquire, we have pirates at home to use this bottom of the cage.

[1:00:37] It's good for that.

[1:00:38] There's an article here about Montgomery County.

[1:00:41] We do a lot of work with Montgomery County.

[1:00:45] This one talks about how their board of election commissioner is going around chasing down with county employees.

[1:00:54] Please, in correct balance, please do not join that wacko idea and approach how wacko it is

[1:01:05] of all the states that he congened, talks about.

[1:01:12] Thank you.

[1:01:15] A brief commissioner.

[1:01:27] Good morning and keeping with the whole theme of social work.

[1:01:32] I have questions about 10 A and 16 A. I also have questions about 4 A. And I'm going to start with that. That's not about social work, but it comes first in the agenda items.

[1:01:56] So, for A is to approve a contract for election night reporting, we had people express some concerns about elections.

[1:02:05] Is there a place where we can find that contract to read it?

[1:02:11] And then going back to the others that I mentioned, 10 A, Bristol Burrow, to approve the contract extension and install ADA compliant ramps.

[1:02:25] I've got personal experience with depending on those ramps.

[1:02:30] For a year, I was a caretaker for my husband, who had a brain tumor,

[1:02:35] and I wield him around in wheelchair, and I appreciate the curves,

[1:02:42] but it is a so frustrating.

[1:02:46] To get across the street, using an IDA ramp, go up an IDA ramp,

[1:02:52] and then have no place to go.

[1:02:55] It makes no sense.

[1:02:57] It's a waste of money to put an ADA from

[1:02:59] where there's no sidewalk adjoining it.

[1:03:02] Or more sneaky is a sidewalk.

[1:03:06] The ghosts start around and then ends in nowhere.

[1:03:10] Absolutely nowhere.

[1:03:13] My husband was in the wheelchair.

[1:03:15] I pushed him.

[1:03:16] So I could walk over to the button to change the light.

[1:03:21] If he had been in a motorized wheelchair, or able to operate a wheelchair by himself, there's no way in so many of these locations, and I believe the one there at Bristol and Dion Square is one of these that's in violation.

[1:03:35] You're in the wheelchair, you just came up the ramp, you cross street, come up the ramp, and the life button is way over there on the grass.

[1:03:43] How do you get to it? Get down! Why do we do this?

[1:03:48] Okay, same kind of concern with 16A, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.

[1:03:59] Now, I know there's talk about changing things in Washington, crossing with the bridge.

[1:04:07] And I'm hoping that whatever the final outcome is, I don't know if this planning commission has anything to do.

[1:04:12] But whatever they do, they make it so that from either side of the bridge, a person can get from their house, eh?

[1:04:20] And ADA get up onto the bridge, whatever they do with it.

[1:04:24] Thank you.

[1:04:25] Thank you.

[1:04:27] Vanessa Fiori.

[1:04:35] Good afternoon, or good morning still, I guess.

[1:04:38] Thank you for having me.

[1:04:39] Just for the record, I do strongly support paper ballots going back to the precincts to be hand counted by the election officers and the precincts.

[1:04:47] I think that makes it a lot safer.

[1:04:49] I know most precincts my husband was a judge of elections

[1:04:52] and we would gladly do that.

[1:04:55] But I am actually here to question

[1:04:58] Bucks County status as a sanctuary city.

[1:05:04] Every summer, I walked my dog at Tyler State Park

[1:05:08] at the Boat House where the dam is,

[1:05:11] I was in Shnamony Creek.

[1:05:13] And there are no swimming signs all over the place.

[1:05:17] danger, no swimming, the water is packed, absolutely packed with Spanish-peaky people.

[1:05:24] Now, before you call me a racist, I'm an immigrant from South America, and my family went

[1:05:29] through the process of a legal immigration, so I know what that looks like, and it is safeguard

[1:05:35] for our country to make sure that the people who come in are going to be good contributing

[1:05:40] citizens. I do understand that back in shortly after 9-11, public safety commissioner in Ben

[1:05:48] Salem, Mr. Fred Haran, had established a special relationship with Department of Homeland

[1:05:56] Security to check to see if people who were stopped for even small violations were in the

[1:06:06] degree legally. A police officer would just quickly check the immigration status of the person

[1:06:13] who had done the violation and then if indeed he was an illegal then the police officer

[1:06:23] would just hand over that record to DHS and let them handle it. This is not an additional

[1:06:29] expense to our police forces. It's just an additional check that they have to check and I don't think

[1:06:37] it costs any more money. It seemed to have worked at the time. It made a buck's county safe.

[1:06:44] I'm reading more and more articles of Spanish names, people, fresh off the boat that are

[1:06:51] robbing stores, performing cock fights in upper bucks county and we just see more and more

[1:07:01] articles of crime being committed by these people and I'm just wondering if the

[1:07:07] type of program that Mr. Haran had an effectuated in Ben Salem County can't also be

[1:07:18] It's not an additional expense and it was it worked and I think we should consider putting it back in place so that we are a law abiding county and not a sanctuary for illegals.

[1:07:31] Thank you.

[1:07:32] Thank you.

[1:07:36] Okay, I think we will take on this whole sanctuary city issue first and we have several people that I'd like to speak on that and that includes our attorney.

[1:07:44] They've crats and most important are district attorney who will be able to address this.

[1:07:49] I also want to say that I was on the Board of Commissioners with Charlie Martin and Rob Lockrieg in 2014 when we were declared a sanctuary city.

[1:07:57] That was a Republican board that was news to all of us, none of us knew that happened.

[1:08:02] So it took a while to look into it.

[1:08:04] But there is a very conservative group out there called the Center for Immigration Studies.

[1:08:08] It's a self-started group.

[1:08:10] The Southern Poverty Law Center calls them a hate group.

[1:08:13] So they started this thing back in 2013, 2014, deciding that they were going to come up with

[1:08:19] this term sanctuary cities. There is no such thing. We are not one. We didn't know about it.

[1:08:25] And I will quote Commissioner Martin from when that happened. He said,

[1:08:29] it's not considered one by us. They're trying to make us look bad.

[1:08:34] The fact is we have adopted a policy that we don't keep people indefinitely.

[1:08:38] We will explain that in a minute what Commissioner Martin was talking to is that we, by law and

[1:08:44] Mr. Hrain, also by law, was no longer allowed to keep that rule that you are talking about.

[1:08:50] There was a case in Li County that came down and said you cannot just hold somebody who did not commit a crime

[1:08:55] and who is not in trouble with the I, you can't do it anymore.

[1:09:00] So we all had to stop. So we can't do that.

[1:09:03] Start from this scratch and I think the best thing would be for our Congress to get together and put something in place.

[1:09:10] I am going to now spread share this around and I don't know if the district attorney wants to go first because you have to protect us from crime and there seems to be some fear in the county.

[1:09:19] So go ahead.

[1:09:31] I'm just echoing what you said commissioner we're not a sanctuary city, I can assure the community in the public should an individual commit a crime and they are not here legally in this country they would be subject to an iced attainer.

[1:09:45] The mechanism for that is that they would then be detained and forthwith would go to a detention facility specifically as it relates to individuals who are here illegally.

[1:09:55] that has been the case. We will continue to prosecute all crimes. And obviously, if someone

[1:10:01] commits a crime, that's not here in this country legally, they will face the punitive measures

[1:10:07] for the crime they committed here, but also subject to deportation, if it otherwise is determined

[1:10:12] to be qualified pursuantize.

[1:10:15] Thank you. And I'd like to turn this over to Dave Crats, who is the director of our

[1:10:20] direction facility where anybody who would be brought in before and now, subject to ice

[1:10:26] and you can explain kind of everything from fingerprints to the whole thing.

[1:10:30] Thank you, Commissioner.

[1:10:31] So, a lot of the salient points were touched on prior to the lawsuit with Lehigh County

[1:10:39] Collars of Versus Lezac, we share of her and too was in charge of Benzell at the time.

[1:10:47] We were able to handle things with the detainer from immigration homeland security. We were

[1:10:52] able to hold folks on those things. They were able to make a rest on detainers.

[1:11:00] This could take 20 minutes to explain, but the long and short of it is Lehigh County got sued.

[1:11:05] The police department made the arrest, paid out $20,000, the county correctional facility

[1:11:13] stayed in the lawsuit.

[1:11:15] At the third circuit's hearings, Homeland Security refused to acknowledge that their

[1:11:22] detainers were actually detainers.

[1:11:25] They said that they were requests, so they were requesting that the county, in this case,

[1:11:31] it was Lehigh and every other county in the country, hold them.

[1:11:35] So there was no full force in binding to hold a person on these detainers, quote, unquote,

[1:11:41] detainers requested a tain.

[1:11:43] There was no judges signature on these.

[1:11:45] These were all done by field officers and Lehigh County lost close to six figures on

[1:11:50] that.

[1:11:51] So that changed the landscape for jails.

[1:11:54] If we were to hold people on these things, we would certainly be subject to multiple

[1:11:58] lawsuits and financial penalties.

[1:12:00] So the shortcoming, you know, two sides to this, wherever you line up on, homeland security

[1:12:06] basically said these are not detainers, these are requests.

[1:12:09] Now, as our district attorney said, you know, we're prosecuting the criminal act that brings

[1:12:14] them to jail, the Department of Corrections fully cooperates with homeland security and

[1:12:20] vice, we provide access to people that they want to interview, we provide fingerprint

[1:12:26] We provide social data that we gather and we communicate directly with, with ICE, we have a very good partnership with them.

[1:12:34] They commended the facility regularly, interview folks.

[1:12:39] And at times, we do get actually warrant to detain and deport that side by a federal magistrate.

[1:12:44] And those are honored.

[1:12:47] That's something that has held up in the courts, and we're able to honor them.

[1:12:51] We do let Homeland Security know when there's a planned release if they have an interest in someone.

[1:12:55] And so if they choose to come out and make an arrest, that's up to them.

[1:13:00] You're a fingerprinting that's done when people come into our facility, everybody gets

[1:13:05] fingerprinted for identification purposes.

[1:13:08] Homeland Security has the ability to monitor fingerprints from pretty much every place in

[1:13:13] the country.

[1:13:15] If they're looking at somebody as a person of interest, they'll know that person's been

[1:13:18] incarcerated or arrested depending on where the fingerprints were done.

[1:13:21] And again, we fully cooperate with Homeland Security in that sense.

[1:13:26] So that's kind of the 50 cent version on that.

[1:13:29] You do a little research.

[1:13:31] There's a couple articles out there about the Lehigh County lawsuit.

[1:13:33] But that's really the crux of it.

[1:13:35] The program that was spoken about was the 287G program where police departments can voluntarily engage in a contract with immigration as a customs enforcement.

[1:13:46] And I can't speak to each municipality if they choose to do that.

[1:13:50] even if that program still in existence, but for the most part, you're detaining these folks

[1:13:56] and as the district attorney said, there are federal facilities that the Homeland Security

[1:14:00] folks can take these people to and how is them why they go through a process. It's just not

[1:14:05] pertinent to doing a county facility, you know, we're looking out for the taxpayers at Bucks County,

[1:14:10] you know, a couple of $100,000 lawsuits because, you know, again, these detainers are not

[1:14:15] and that that was what Homeland Security determined at the time.

[1:14:21] So I hope that helps.

[1:14:23] Thank you.

[1:14:24] And whoops.

[1:14:26] Sorry.

[1:14:26] And thanks.

[1:14:27] I asked our solicitor, Wayne, and cover anything that we've missed so far.

[1:14:30] Sure.

[1:14:31] I think I'd just like to wrap it up to say unequivocally.

[1:14:35] Bucks County is not a sanctuary county.

[1:14:37] Both this administration and the prior administration fully cooperate with all federal immigration authorities.

[1:14:42] and that includes both a judge ordered detainer in which case we would hold somebody until they were picked up by federal authorities.

[1:14:50] But then also, when there is a request for a detainer as director cracks indicated,

[1:14:56] then those folks are held temporarily until somebody can come and...

[1:15:01] So those requests for detain or are really about communicating with federal agencies, which the county does.

[1:15:08] Of course, the county doesn't have control over what third parties label the county as.

[1:15:12] And so that recent news program was in response to a website that has not only bucks county, but many counties listed as sanctuary counties.

[1:15:21] Unfortunately, we don't have control over that, but that doesn't change the facts here,

[1:15:25] which is the current policy of this administration, the prior policies of the prior administration,

[1:15:31] that received the same label, have never changed, that we are not a sanctuary county.

[1:15:37] Thank you.

[1:15:41] I think the last

[1:15:46] thing I'll say on that is that it got on to one television network.

[1:15:51] That's always a concern. If it's not on multiple, it may not be true.

[1:15:55] obviously here, it is again not true. Just onto some of the questions. There was questions about the election.

[1:16:04] I'm going to ask Ms.

[1:16:06] Yeah, look, there's anything that you wanted to add before I say anything.

[1:16:10] I guess we should say that Act 77 can you clarify? It does not say that we should be sending back all the ballots,

[1:16:17] absentee ballots to or the male imbalance back to the precincts. If we did, it could be in this

[1:16:22] year upwards of 100,000 that we would truck from here. Yeah, 170,000 we would dangerously

[1:16:30] put back into trucks and send somewhere for people to count. Am I accurate on that? Anything else

[1:16:36] that you would add on that? Anything to this list? I would like to weigh in just briefly on that,

[1:16:43] just to add some information, which is you may or may not be aware that there's currently a loss

[1:16:48] to a Zimmerman and Drap, perhaps that's against all the counties in the Commonwealth, seeking

[1:16:55] that exact issue of whether or not these ballots can be returned to the precincts.

[1:17:00] And although Act 77 is new, the issue was not.

[1:17:03] The Pennsylvania Supreme Court actually addressed the issue in 1968.

[1:17:08] The case is in-ray Canvas of absentee ballots of 1967 general election, and the site for

[1:17:14] that is 245A to second, 258, if that's helpful.

[1:17:22] Thank you.

[1:17:23] What quickly on children in youth,

[1:17:25] and I don't know if Mr. Bus Goldick can help it all,

[1:17:28] but this is a name change.

[1:17:29] Okay, you can, this is a name change,

[1:17:31] as well as, you know, back contracts

[1:17:33] when this state pays a slate, would you know about?

[1:17:38] It's a rage, it's here, okay.

[1:17:40] I don't think you need a microphone.

[1:17:48] Yes. It's pretty straightforward. Haven adoptions is transitioning from a corporation to a 501c3 non-profit and while they're taking their time to transition over we want to make sure

[1:17:58] and that we leave their prior contract in place as they move through licensing and administrative work.

[1:18:05] So right now you are correct. We do have two contracts.

[1:18:09] One with a corporation starting 7123 with an end date of 33134 and then one to the 501c3 which is the new one starting.

[1:18:17] that's going through June 30th of 2025.

[1:18:20] And the provider will not be doubled billing for this.

[1:18:24] Thank you.

[1:18:25] I'm going to ask Commissioner Harvey to respond to on anything

[1:18:28] he wants to say about DVRPC and bridges or anything.

[1:18:32] But I will add that the ADA improvements in Bristolboro,

[1:18:36] the person who spoke mentioned a sidewalk

[1:18:38] that is not in Bristolboro.

[1:18:40] But this was approved for Bristolboro through CDBG funding.

[1:18:44] Anything about DVRPC?

[1:18:46] I don't just pay back on that.

[1:18:49] So, committee development block grant money is being used by different municipalities for things like building ADA ramps.

[1:18:56] You know, Bristol Barrow is much more urbanized areas, so you don't really have sidewalks in nowhere.

[1:19:03] You have sidewalks that go places.

[1:19:06] And, you know, this is a simple issue of the firm.

[1:19:09] Whether reasons and other reasons the contractors just couldn't,

[1:19:12] isn't getting the project done as quickly as they were supposed to.

[1:19:15] It will be done quickly or relatively soon, so just extending the time period for first of

[1:19:19] part of finishing those improvements.

[1:19:24] With the discussion I know the Delaware Valley Regional Joint Tolbridge Commission is made

[1:19:33] some news.

[1:19:34] They said they are studying the Bridget Washington Trusting.

[1:19:37] They are the Independent Commission.

[1:19:39] It's not connected to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission to the Best of

[1:19:44] knowledge they may reach out to the DVR PC for advice but essentially the bridge commission

[1:19:48] has control over what they want to do in that bridge. The Delaware Valley Regional Planning

[1:19:52] Commission does work with our planning commission on variety of projects throughout the region.

[1:19:59] Obviously things like trails, highway improvements, rail improvements, things of that nature.

[1:20:05] So this is part of us working with DVR PC so that we can make sure that any projects

[1:20:11] and moving forward meet what the county wants to see happen, and also regionally wants what we want to see happen.

[1:20:20] And ten, ten, ten, ten of us, Mr. Burrow.

[1:20:24] Thank you.

[1:20:25] Okay.

[1:20:26] There's no other questions from the commissioners.

[1:20:28] I would entertain a motion from the consent agenda to approve the minutes of the February 2021-2024 meeting, as well as items 1 through 17.

[1:20:37] So I'm a second on favor I looking to the regular agenda

[1:20:44] We are approving a county sponsorship policy to govern the acceptance of funds for county programs events and capital improvement projects from third parties

[1:20:52] This McEvid did you want to speak on this just a couple things if I could so from time to time the county departments

[1:20:58] Or either a pro stir seeking spot or are seeking sponsors that

[1:21:03] Opportunities from third party entities it could be for the golf outing

[1:21:07] that benefits the county residents in the nursing home or the veterans community.

[1:21:13] It could also be for playground equipment, benches, and the parks system,

[1:21:17] which is how we got to developing this sponsorship policy.

[1:21:21] Through the efforts of Angie Nagle, our Director of Parks and Recreation,

[1:21:26] and Amy Fitzpatrick from our law department,

[1:21:29] we're requesting the commissioners consider adoption of the countywide sponsorship policy

[1:21:33] that will govern the acceptance of funds for county programs,

[1:21:37] events and cap and capital improvement projects from third parties in a manner that's consistent

[1:21:41] with our other county existing policies.

[1:21:45] Any questions?

[1:21:47] Would you want to speak to that at all?

[1:21:51] A really, thank you.

[1:21:52] Is there a motion to approve a number of your second?

[1:21:55] Second.

[1:21:56] All in favor?

[1:21:57] All right.

[1:21:58] We have one budget adjustment today.

[1:22:01] Thank you commissioner.

[1:22:02] before you for consideration is Adjustment 1 for 2024.

[1:22:07] This is related to item 15A.

[1:22:10] That the board just approved on the consent agenda.

[1:22:13] This would recognize the revenue and allow for the purchase of that property.

[1:22:17] Any questions?

[1:22:18] Mr. Baskala.

[1:22:19] Is there a motion to approve?

[1:22:21] I can.

[1:22:22] All in favor?

[1:22:23] Aye.

[1:22:24] Motion to approve the commissioner's list for personal actions.

[1:22:28] I can.

[1:22:29] All in favor?

[1:22:31] Do board appointments Commissioner Harvey, do you want to cite them?

[1:22:35] Sure, for the Bucks County Agricultural Land Preservation Board, we have three re-appointments.

[1:22:40] All these terms will end February 22nd, 2027, Mr. James Nelson.

[1:22:44] Mr. Mark Shaffer, Mr. William Dorky, is the third.

[1:22:47] Make a motion for re-appointment of those, almost excuse me.

[1:22:50] And also for the Bucks County Children Youth Advisory Board,

[1:22:53] a three-year term re-appointment term ending March 1st, 2027.

[1:22:57] Ms. Elizabeth Montenarie.

[1:23:00] Second. All in favor.

[1:23:02] Hi.

[1:23:04] Other civics. We have several here today that Charles Caine Emergency Fund for 1800.

[1:23:09] The Delaware Valley Vietnam Veterans for 1,000.

[1:23:13] Guild is club for 4,250.

[1:23:17] Nova, the network of victim assistance for 16,500.

[1:23:21] The Peace Valley Holistic Center for 3,000.

[1:23:25] Score for 2,800.

[1:23:26] and the Washington Crossing Council Boy Scouts of America for 4,000.

[1:23:31] Is the remote to approve 123457?

[1:23:35] Okay, exactly.

[1:23:36] All in favor.

[1:23:37] All in favor.

[1:23:38] Chief operating officers report.

[1:23:40] A couple things to announce.

[1:23:42] We know springs on the way when the household has a Swiss program.

[1:23:46] Issues its dates for the program.

[1:23:51] The first event is April 6th.

[1:23:53] It's eight thirty to two o'clock at the Buxt County Community College

[1:23:55] 10 campus and you can find the list of events on the county's website underneath the planning commission.

[1:24:02] And then second bucks and Montgomery County are joining together to host a job fair.

[1:24:07] That is going to be on March 26 from nine to one at the five pawns golf course and warmester.

[1:24:14] So two nice events.

[1:24:16] Thank you.

[1:24:17] Great.

[1:24:18] The solicitors report.

[1:24:19] Just need to report the commissioners standing executive session held yesterday March 5th for the purpose of discussing

[1:24:25] personal matters, real estate matters, pending a prospective litigation, and to receive confidential

[1:24:30] legal advice with staff and legal counsel present.

[1:24:33] Thank you.

[1:24:34] And commissioners, comments.

[1:24:36] Commissioner DeGerano?

[1:24:37] Comments for today.

[1:24:37] Mr. Harvey?

[1:24:39] Yeah, just a few things with.

[1:24:40] Thank you, everybody.

[1:24:40] For the presentations earlier in our meeting.

[1:24:44] Certainly social workers.

[1:24:46] It's an enormous chunk of what this county does.

[1:24:49] It's about half our budget is doing very social work.

[1:24:53] And it'll be hundreds of employees who dedicate a lot of time,

[1:24:56] a lot of money, or a lot of their own resources,

[1:24:57] they should say, to making sure that job gets done well.

[1:25:00] So we thank them.

[1:25:02] In terms of the Alice, it occurred to me

[1:25:05] as we had the slides that wrap about what kind of workers typically

[1:25:08] fit in that profile.

[1:25:09] We can have jobs, do they do, and those kinds of things.

[1:25:12] How many of the jobs in those categories a couple of years

[1:25:16] ago were labeled as essential workers?

[1:25:19] And sort of had to keep working.

[1:25:21] and didn't, you know, put it themselves at risk.

[1:25:24] You know, so people who were less essential, I guess,

[1:25:29] could stay home.

[1:25:31] I know, obviously, this Commonwealth,

[1:25:33] we are trailing the rest of Northeastern Pennsylvania

[1:25:35] in terms of our minimum wage,

[1:25:37] which is embarrassing quite frankly.

[1:25:40] And so for those people who are working

[1:25:43] and trying to put food on the table,

[1:25:45] trying to make sure they can keep their rent payments up

[1:25:47] and do everything else, take care of their children

[1:25:49] and families and themselves, certainly raising them in a way just something that is way, way

[1:25:54] over due in this Commonwealth.

[1:25:58] Once you also acknowledge a couple things coming up for those residents of Bux County

[1:26:04] who are Muslim, a rubber don begins on the 10th, sundown, so we should very, you know, let's

[1:26:13] holiday to those, you know, our books, County family who

[1:26:18] are practiced as long.

[1:26:21] And obviously, this is the meeting before St. Patrick's Day.

[1:26:24] And it's interesting just how many of our relatives,

[1:26:29] and I know that our COO is Irish, not just by her married name,

[1:26:34] but by her maiden name.

[1:26:36] And I know our slister is Irish by her married name and maiden name.

[1:26:41] You know, unfortunately, my other two commissioners are not blessed with Irish heritage, so but a great number of people are it's one of the largest ethnic groups in this country or people who are Irish Americans.

[1:26:55] So many in Irish Americans have been here for so long that many people are Irish and don't realize it because it goes so far back in their family, but the Irish who came here like my family, especially in the big wave in 1840s were not wanted.

[1:27:11] They were discriminated against really into the 20th century.

[1:27:15] There were still people who were not willing to vote for an Irish president in 1960.

[1:27:23] And so, you know, that is something that, you know,

[1:27:27] we think about when we hear some of the verbiage and rhetoric about immigrants

[1:27:32] and how much of that apply to all of our families at one point.

[1:27:36] Whether they were Italian, like my family, German, like my family, Irish, like my family.

[1:27:43] You know, my family came here and most people looked in the scum.

[1:27:47] Didn't want them here.

[1:27:48] Couldn't speak the language, didn't have any wealth, didn't have any.

[1:27:52] You know, nothing to contribute.

[1:27:53] They're taking over our country.

[1:27:55] They're poisoning our the blood.

[1:27:56] I think recently that comment was made.

[1:28:00] Very reminiscent of comments made 90 years ago in Germany.

[1:28:03] But here we are, a bunch of months up here, who in descendants of immigrants,

[1:28:16] who are doing

[1:28:17] our best and obviously including our role officers, other elected officials who come from

[1:28:23] various backgrounds and their families probably weren't wanted here either when they came

[1:28:28] And so, you know, for those who we think about St. Patrick's Day, I always think about that family, my family, who came here from various parts of Ireland, looking for freedom, looking for a better life, looking for a way to practice their religion in some cases, or just, you know, trying to survive. They are no different than the immigrants who come here now.

[1:28:53] Accept, accept, excuse me, accept that they're, accept that they're white.

[1:28:58] That's the difference.

[1:29:01] Thank you.

[1:29:03] It's our motion to adjourn.

[1:29:04] Some moved.

[1:29:05] It's our second.

[1:29:06] We're adjourned.

1st Wednesday County Commissioners' Meeting

Agenda

Transcript