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So call this meeting Lebanon County
Commissioners to order. We will begin

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our meeting as it is our tradition to
observe a moment of silence. Please

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thank you. Will you all please join in
the flag? I aliance to the flag of the

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United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands, one nation

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under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.

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» Thank you.
Now it is time for public comment. Do we

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have any public comment this morning?
You gentlemen in the back here, would

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you please step up to the table here?
You if you want, you can have a seat.

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Would

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you gentlemen please uh as I told you
earlier please introduce yourselves for

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the record and then you may proceed with
whatever you have to present.

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» My name is Jameson Hammond and I live in
the city of Lebanon.

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» Welcome Jameson.
>> My name is Jakamo and I also live in the

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city of Lebanon.
>> Welcome Jaco. Go ahead.

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Okay.
>> Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My

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name is Jameson,
and I love Halloween. Reason one,

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trickor treat. Reason two, costumes.
Reason three, it's Halloween. It's on

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Halloween.
And I would Good morning, ladies and

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gentlemen. And I would like to know how
come trick-or-treating got changed to

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October 29th instead of October 31st.

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I can give a brief answer.
>> Well, we have it's really not our

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decision to do that. The municipalities,
but go ahead.

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» What has been established by the
municipalities who are in charge of

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setting the date for their area is that
their chiefs of police get together and

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they hold a meeting and decide what day
trickor treat should be held. A lot of

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times it is on October 31st. I don't
know why they changed it this year, but

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the municipalities then usually adopt
what the police recommend. So that's my

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recollection of what goes on. So you may
have to contact a police chief and ask

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them that that would be my suggestion. I
think it's a great question.

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» You live in the city of Lebanon, so you
go go to the mayor's office, too. Okay.

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» So, thank you both and good job.
>> Thank you.

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Takama, Lebanon City. I just want to
remind everybody uh to stop out and

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visit the uh the Wallet Heels out at
Campbell Town uh Community Park. It's

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there until Sunday at 2:00 p.m. It's
open 24 hours a day. So, uh, you know,

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it it isn't often that things like this
come into Lebanon County. It's usually

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Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, the larger
cities. So, while it's here and in our

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community, please stop out and visit it.
And I was there last night. It's really

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something to see.
>> Thank you.

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Anyone else? [clears throat]
>> If not, then we'll move along and we'll

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entertain a motion to approve the
minutes from meeting on August 20th. And

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uh we'll note also uh that this board
met in executive session uh earlier this

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morning prior to this meeting to discuss
certain personnel matters.

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» Make a motion to approve the minutes as
presented.

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» I'll second a motion.
>> Motion second. Are there questions,

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comments? None. All in favor of the
motion, please say I. Oppose. Same sign.

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That approval.

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Tina, please introduce yourself for the
record and you may proceed with your

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report.
>> Tina Tobias, acting treasur. We started

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with a cash balance of 1,851,453.32.

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We had receipts of 1,31,65.72.

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brought our cash total to $2,883,594

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less our expenditures of1,262,912

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and less our tax claim of $53,1527

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which brought our cash balance to
$1,567,8975

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and that includes payroll for tomorrow.
Absolutely.

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Second
>> motion and second. Other questions or

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comments?
None. All in favor of the motion, please

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say I. Both same sign.
>> Thank you. Thank you.

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» Thank you.

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» Yeah. Right on time.
>> Introduce yourself and proceed.

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» SH, director of human resources
under personnel transactions,

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resignations, and terminations. Marissa
Belleville, caseworker one, children and

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youth resignation effective September
3rd. Braden Carvalo, full-time

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correctional officer at the jail.
Resignation effective August 24th. Class

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working August 14th. Ronen Schaefer,
full-time correctional officer at the

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jail. Removal effective August 28th.
Jacob Martino, full-time correctional

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officer at the jail removal effective
August 28th. Lisa Turpin, DJ offport 1.

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MDJ Dissinger, retirement effective
October 24th. Joseph Charles, adult

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probation officer, one probation
services, resignation effective

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September 4th. And Olivia Lee, casual
call, direct support aid inova center

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termination effective August 25th.
>> I'll make a motion to accept the

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resignations and terminations as
presented.

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» Second. Second. Questions, comments?
None. All in favor, please say I.

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» I. Oppose. Same sign. Approve.
>> Moving on to changes, status, transfers,

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and promotions. George Kuster, voluntary
demotion from Aging Care Manager 2,

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Protective Services Investigator to
Aging Care Manager 2 at Area Agency on

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Aging at the rate of $1,732.60
bi-weekly, effective September 14th.

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Caitlyn Mhan's promotion from caseworker
one to caseworker two in children and

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youth at the rate of $1,732.60
bi-weekly, effective September 28th. and

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the following three caseworker one's
promotion to caseworker two and children

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and youth 3 to $1,73260
all effective September 27th and that's

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Sarah Gottenstein Lee Lamp and Kiara
Hamma

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» moves to approve
>> second

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» second questions comments and all in
favor please say I

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» for the same sign and that approval
>> moving on to other transactions area

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agency on aging would like to hire Jason
Nommen as an agent

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Manager Supervisor 2 at the rate of
$216.75

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by weekly effective September 14th.
President Judge Towalk would like to

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hire Gerard Fish as a part-time jury
attendant at the rate of $13.25

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per hour effective September 11th. The
Department of Emergency Services would

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like to hire the following free
full-time telecommunicators, all at the

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rate of $2023 per hour, all effective
September 14th. and that is Naen

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Rodriguez, Isabelle Aut, and Victoria
Williams. The voluntary clerk of courts

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would like to rehire Jane Sanders at the
general clerk C at the rate of $1,155.38

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bi-weekly effective September 21st. The
public defender would like to hire re uh

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Rosa Sierra second as secretary D
interpreter at the rate of $1,220.35

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cents bi-weekly with $1,500 annual
interpreter stipen at effective

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September 3th and voter registration
would like to hire Chelsea TR as deputy

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voter of registration deputy of voter
registration at the rate of $27.33

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per hour effective September 14th. I'll
make a motion to approve other

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transactions including new hires and
rehires.

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» I'll second the motion.
>> Motion and second. Questions or

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comments?
All in favor, please say I.

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» I. Same time. That approved.
>> Moving on to salary board. Motion to

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approve all transactions previously read
plus the following. David Santana salary

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increase full-time correctional officer
at the jail to two years of service at

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the rate of $24.95.
effective retroactive to February 1st.

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The following three full-time
correctional officers at the jail, two

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years years of service salary increase,
all at the rate $24.95 [clears throat]

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per hour, all effective April 12th, and
that is Bethany Yagley, Jennifer Hall,

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and Cordell Robinson. The following four
full-time correctional officers at the

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jail, all moving to year two years of
service salary increase, all at the rate

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of $24.95
per hour, all effective August 30th. And

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that is Gary Fett, Jarrett Spidel,
Sherah Rivas Gonzalez, and Cassidy

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Hamilton.
Daniel Lenerius Carer, a longevity

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increase, assistant district
attorney/interpreter in the district

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attorney's office, 5-year longevity
salary increase to the rate of $2,963.33

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per hour effective September 27th. and
Michael to effect chiefs. Uh, longevity

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increase assistant public defender one
in the public defender's office.

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Three-year longevity salary increase to
the rate of $2,963.33

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per hour effective August 30th.
>> Did you say Cassidy Hamilton?

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» Yes.
>> Okay.

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Second.
>> Motion second. Questions or comments?

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None. All in favor of the motion, please
say I.

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the same sign that approve.

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Thanks, Mudrey.

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» Good morning, Sean.
>> Hello. Let me see. Introduce yourselves

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for the record and name. I also have a
couple things.

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Couple things with me.
Good morning. John Shot with probation

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services and criminal justice advisory
board.

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» Audrey Fortnite, director of probation
services.

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» Morning.
>> Morning.

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» Well, good morning, commissioners. We're
here to uh request your authorization to

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apply to the Pennsylvania Commission on
Crime and Delinquency for funding to

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continue the county's very proactive
effective intermediate punishment

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program for the current fiscal year,
which did start July 1st. The

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announcement came after the final
passage of the state budget. So, we're a

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little behind, but uh not not like last
year when it was November until budget

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was passed. So, we're a little back on
track. Uh the county's current

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intermediate punishment plan gives
eligible offenders an effective

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alternative to incarceration while
keeping the population at the

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correctional facility at a manageable
level, preferably the average daily

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population below 300. And we have been
achieving that pretty consistently over

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the past several years. Uh the plan
includes the county's three specialty

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treatment courts, DUI, veterans, and
drug court. And of course, as you know,

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the court does plan to have uh a fourth
treatment court up and running, a

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wellness court by the end of the
calendar year. Uh so we did prepare an

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advanced draft of the budget, which we
submitted a few days ago. It currently

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is at $200,586.
It's not a final document, uh but it

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does cover in supervision, treatment,
and case management. And uh we'll

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continue to update all the budget
figures, do a little fine-tuning and

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work on all the other narratives uh that
are required for the application before

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we submit a final version of this
application to the commissioners by the

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September 17th deadline. So we just
respectfully ask for your authorization

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to proceed with this application. And
the good news with this IP plan is that

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it does not require local funding match.
So that's always good news. It's a

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non-competitive grant. So, we'll be
working with the commission to cross all

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the tees and dot the eyes and make sure
that we do have a good application for

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them uh by the middle of the month.
>> And the total of the grant is $200,586.

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» Well, that's what uh we're working
that's where we're at at this point. Or

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maybe I don't think the budget will
change drastically, commissioner. It's

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but uh uh that's where we're at at the
moment. As I said, we'll do a little

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finetuning, but that pretty iron figures
for this time. We may increase by a few

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dollars if we have other things to add
working with probation staff, but right

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now that's that's where we're at. Yes.
>> I'll make a motion to approve the

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request with a tenative budget of
$200,586.

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» I'll second motion and second. Are there
questions or comments?

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And John, you sort of touched on like
who the who the uh people are that would

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be in this program, but more
specifically,

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how is this different from like ARD or
work release or any of those programs?

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» So, the IP grant is
was set up to um redirect people from

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incarceration. So,
um, ARD is the accelerated

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rehabilitative disposition program, and
that is more in line for first-time

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offenders. Um, and the district
attorney's office u makes a

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determination as to who is eligible for
participation in that program. Um the IP

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grant covers our treatment programs and
those

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those give individuals an opportunity to
a avoid incarceration but also

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participate in the treatment courts
which is a higher level of interaction

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with the courts and the treatment team
and overall has proven to be a more

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effective have more effective impacts on
um offenders and reducing recidivism.

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If I may add, I think the some of the
things you mentioned are are prior to

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prosecution and conviction. These are
afterward.

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» We are posting.
>> Yes, we are in post sentencing.

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» Just wanted to uh follow up on John's
comment about trying to keep the census

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below 300. Just for context, um when you
refer a couple years back, we were

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bumping up against 500.
>> Absolutely. Yeah. And so that your

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efforts plus specialy courts and so on
that have um come come about have all

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contributed to the to these numbers.
Thank you.

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» Right. And also electronic monitoring is
another one that uh I ask for funding

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for but that's also a very important
component of the the IP plan.

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» Yes.
>> And the special courts take about 18 to

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24 months to complete from start to
finish. You can complete things

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successfully. So it's not a easy thing
to do. has a lot of stringent

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requirements, but uh for those who are
willing to comply with those, it's it's

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a good program, but it's not uh it's not
an easy program. It's not meant to be,

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but still an alternative to
incarceration. So,

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no questions or comments? Not all in
favor of the motion, please say I. Same

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sign. We have that approval. Thank you
very much. Thank you so much.

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» Thank you.

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to recon
hunger action month and Katie.

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» Yes.
>> Katie, please

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00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:19,519
seat.
>> You have others you want to introduce.

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00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:23,839
» Dave, we are from Kar and we have Joy.
And then we have Lieutenant Richard from

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Salvation Army and Brian from LCC.
>> Morning, gentlemen. How are you?

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» Welcome.
>> Thank you for having us this morning.

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» Steve.
>> Okay. Um well, I just want to again

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thank you for your time and uh
recognizing hunger action month. This is

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an incredibly important time for the
chair of Food Network um because it

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really allows us the time to reflect on
the work that we've done over the past

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year um and just kind of celebrate the
wins that we've had uh but it also gives

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us time to recognize that hunger is
still a pressing issue throughout our

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communities here in Lebanon County and
throughout the entire Commonwealth. Um,

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in Lebanon County in particular, um,
there are 20,000 people, um, who are

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experiencing food insecurity, uh, based
on Feeding America's map gap data, which

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goes off of 2024 data. Um, it's going to
be the most recent data that we have,

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um, for the time being. Um, we also know
that that 20,000 people includes about

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6,000 children. Um, so, you know, very
significant percentage of the population

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is experiencing hunger on a regular
basis. Um, and we've also seen a pretty

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significant drop in SNAP benefits uh,
here in Lebanon County. About 10.8% of

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the people who were on benefits have now
transitioned off um, for a variety of

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reasons. Um, so that then in turn kind
of puts more strain on the charitable

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food network. Um, so we really are here
just today to again um, recognize that

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hunger is still an issue that is
impacting our communities. Um, but I'd

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love to give time for Lieutenant Richard
and Brian and Dave to share about their

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experiences as uh three pantries that
are serving uh our neighbors who are

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experiencing hunger ground.

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» Um, good morning everyone and thank you
commissioners for this opportunity.

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Since a lot has already been shared
about the the need in our community, I

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just want to share that we have this
wonderful opportunity to just be

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alongside other nonprofits who have been
just working so hard in just meeting the

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food insecurity in our community that we
are able to share our wonderful

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resources that we have and just able to
come alongside to just support our

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community. And we do see um plans coming
in almost every day. Right now we have a

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a choice pantry going on right now until
11:00 and it is it is a quite a busy day

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today. Um so we do see the need and we
do see the need um going up every day.

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» Oh jeez. Thanks.
He's not usually that nice to me.

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[laughter]

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about thank thanks for having us and and
thanks for allowing Katie to to come

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down and and present on behalf of the
whole charitable food system. We we have

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amazing resources in our community. I
say it over and over again that the the

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way this community steps up um your
support um donor support. We couldn't do

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it without the donors. Dave's in the
midst of a massive building campaign um

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00:19:19,360 --> 00:19:25,280
that will will provide an incredible
resource for those on the western part

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of the county. Um he's working on some
mobile pantry work. Uh we've got uh new

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opportunity that we're going to launch
in January called our quiet market

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hours, which is an opportunity for us to
serve a specific population of families

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with kiddos that are um neurode
divergent um autistic diagnosis um and

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then expand that eventually into all
individuals with social anxiety or

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neurode divergent. um the space that we
both uh or all three of us um provide

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services to can be a very chaotic um
loud space where those in need are are

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feeling anxious and we want to create a
space and a time that we can reserve for

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people to just um be very comfortable.
So, uh we're getting ready to engage in

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a campaign for our our redoing our
commercial kitchen. We served 42,000

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free meals last year. So, um, massive
impact going on in our community and and

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couldn't couldn't ask for two better
guys to to walk alongside of. Um, Lori

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Crawford and Katie lead our our, um,
food access committee here, which is an

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incredible group of individuals
dedicated to addressing hunger. And then

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Maria is with us. Maria Fischer is our
director of food programs at LCCCM. So,

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thanks for having us.
>> Thank you for coming.

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» Last but not least, I don't say it's too
formal.

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00:20:37,120 --> 00:20:43,520
Um Dave Fitzky, executive director of
the Caring Covered. Um I'm going to

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mirror everything that everybody has
already said. I want to thank the

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commissioners for recognizing September
as hunger action month. Awareness is a

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big part of what we do and getting word
out there. Um as Brian already alluded

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to, the Karen cupboard's in the middle
of a 27 27,000 foot facility. um that's

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not only going to address kind of our
future growth for food distribution and

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00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:08,640
charitable food, but 12 affordable
housing units and some community space

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to try and get resources to those that
need it. So, um yeah, on behalf of the

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community that I serve and I mean, I'm
just thankful for everybody here. I

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mean, we work together amazingly and so
it's it's awesome. But thank you very

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much for recognizing them this month.
>> Yes, Mr. Pitsky. Um, I noticed you and

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00:21:26,559 --> 00:21:31,840
the young lady who spoke before both
have orange on, but you care to

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enlighten everyone what the orange
stands for.

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00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:38,559
» Well, I have recently learned that
orange is the color of hunger action

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month. So, in honor of that, I am
wearing an orange tie. I'm assuming

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that is the saint.
>> Is that why you're at pools this

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morning?
>> What's that?

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» Is that why you're at pools this
morning? [laughter]

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Well, we we thank you folks for coming
in today and and thank you for the

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important work you do. I know we have
need out there, but we're addressing the

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need and I think in Lebanon County,
we're doing it very well. Part of it is

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because you all know each other and
besides Brian and Dave, there's a little

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00:22:09,919 --> 00:22:18,240
friction there. You get along well.
>> I'm blaming Brian. [laughter]

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» No, it's good. We will we're all working
together to to to address this issue. So

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» we have a proclamation uh to uh to
recognize this. Jamie, would you like to

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00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:34,000
read that proclamation for the record?
>> Whereas hunger and food insecurity are

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00:22:31,919 --> 00:22:39,600
issues of vital concern in Pennsylvania
where according to Feeding America over

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00:22:36,159 --> 00:22:44,240
1.7 million individuals, 13.5% of
Pennians experience food insecurity and

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00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:48,000
and one in every five children do not
know where their next meal will come

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00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:52,400
from. Whereas in Lebanon County, one in
seven residents are food insecure and

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00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:55,600
one in five children are food insecure.
And whereas inadequate nutritious food

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00:22:54,159 --> 00:23:00,240
has become more expensive and out of
reach for many neighborhoods with food

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00:22:57,039 --> 00:23:05,280
costs rising more than 33% between 2019
and 2026, leading to record demand for

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00:23:03,039 --> 00:23:09,120
charitable food. Whereas food
insecurity, the condition of limited or

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00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:13,440
uncertain access to adequate food, is
associated with numerous adverse social

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00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:17,760
and health outcomes and is a critical
public health issue. And whereas Lebanon

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00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:22,080
County is committed to taking steps to
combat hunger in every corner of our

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00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:26,159
commonwealth and to provide providing
additional resources to those in need.

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00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:29,679
And whereas Lebanon County is committed
to working with the Central Pennsylvania

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00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:33,919
Food Bank to educate people about this
role and importance of food bank food

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00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:37,360
banks in addressing hunger and raising
awareness of the need to devote more

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00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:41,520
resources to and attention to hunger
issues. And whereas the Central

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00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:48,159
Pennsylvania Food Bank distributed over
61.3 million pounds of food in fiscal

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00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:53,200
year 2026 to Pennians experienced food
experiencing food insecurity. Lebanon

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00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:59,280
County alone over 3.5 million pounds
were distributed. Over 498,000 pounds of

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00:23:56,640 --> 00:24:02,559
this bean produce. And whereas public
and private entities, including policy

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00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:07,520
makers, business leaders, and community
activists, farmers, concerned citizens,

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00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:12,159
and hunger hunger relief organizations
must collectively work to address food

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00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:15,919
insecurity within the Commonwealth. And
whereas the month of September has been

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00:24:13,919 --> 00:24:19,840
designated hunger action month in order
to bring attention to the issue of food

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00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:23,760
insecurity in our communities and to
mobilize the public in the movement to

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00:24:21,679 --> 00:24:27,919
end hunger. Now therefore, we the
Lebanon County Commissioners do hereby

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00:24:25,279 --> 00:24:31,600
recognize September 2026 as hunger
action month in Lebanon County. And I

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00:24:29,919 --> 00:24:37,679
call this and call this observance to
the attention of our citizens.

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» To accept this proclamation,
>> second a motion.

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00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:49,159
» Motion a second. Questions or comments?
All in favor, please say I.

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00:24:44,559 --> 00:24:49,159
» At the same sign that approval,

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00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:56,159
» I'm sorry. Hi, Nancy Gates from Visit
Lebanon Valley. I'm also part of the

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00:24:54,159 --> 00:25:02,080
America 250 committee. Just wanted to
let everyone know that we are doing a

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00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:06,799
food drive collection um for with LCM uh
on Saturday as part of the new fireworks

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00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:10,880
display that's going to be uh taking
place over at the expo center. So, gain

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00:25:08,799 --> 00:25:15,279
a little bit at 4:30. Festivities will
start around 5. And so, we would

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00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:19,039
encourage anyone um here to spread the
word to help get some of those

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00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:22,799
donations, especially our media friends
here to help us spread the word. So

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00:25:21,360 --> 00:25:26,960
appreciate everything that you guys are
doing. Thank you.

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00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:31,679
» Good point, Nancy about, you know, food
drives, but but also there's

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00:25:29,360 --> 00:25:37,600
organizations need support in the form
of donations and volunteer hours and

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00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:42,320
there's always a way to help. Uh so God
bless you and and love your

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00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:46,320
» I'm sorry I did I did have my hand my
finger down but

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» uh just for any of uh the folks at the
table here Brian or um Dave or Makita um

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00:25:53,600 --> 00:26:02,320
the uh the proclamation sort of
addressed a little bit of my question

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00:25:57,679 --> 00:26:07,919
which was with the rise in food prices
um how does that impact you know if if

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00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:12,000
the the folks are having trouble paying
for their own groceries. That's

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00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:16,480
obviously going to have uh an impact on
the donations that they send your way.

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00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:21,200
So, I'm just curious, how have you
managed

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00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:24,200
that potential lessening of the uh
donations?

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00:26:24,559 --> 00:26:30,080
» Yeah, it's plenty of thoughts, but
[laughter]

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00:26:27,039 --> 00:26:33,440
you're going to talk for an hour. Um as
best we can. I mean, I think that's the

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00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:36,960
simple answer. you know, rising food
costs means more people need our

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00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:42,240
services, which to your point means
fewer people are donating. So, um, as

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00:26:39,919 --> 00:26:45,760
Brian alluded to earlier, I mean, this
community is amazing. I mean, especially

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00:26:43,679 --> 00:26:49,440
in all my, that's an area I can speak
to. They, every time we put out an ask,

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00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:53,360
they rise to the occasion. How they do
it, that's a question I can't answer,

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00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:59,039
but they they always come through for
us. So, um, as best we can, I guess is

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00:26:56,640 --> 00:27:02,640
» So, have you had to like lessen the
amount that you offer to the the folks

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00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:06,400
that come to your markets?
>> Not today. I mean, it's becoming harder

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00:27:04,559 --> 00:27:09,840
to get product again because of the
rising cost for the food banks, for the

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00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:13,120
charitable food system, for us to
purchase product that isn't donated. I

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00:27:11,679 --> 00:27:16,720
mean, that has certainly put a strain,
you know, on our reserves. But, uh, to

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00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:22,400
date, we haven't made any changes to our
distribution model. La last year was a

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00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:27,360
really unique year because we went
through uh no state budget until

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00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:32,320
November. We went through federal
government shutdown. We went through a

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00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:37,440
live heat delay. Um and what ended up
happening was uh a lot of health systems

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00:27:35,120 --> 00:27:40,880
and private folks stepped up and and
contributed dollars to like central PA

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00:27:39,120 --> 00:27:45,120
for them to be able to provide food
money for us on account which led us to

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00:27:43,679 --> 00:27:50,000
kind of be able to get through that
really ugly time. Um but then as we as

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00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:53,200
we continue this this cycle we're
experiencing when we go to purchase

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00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:57,919
right to meet that demand that we can't
it's the gap right between donations

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00:27:55,279 --> 00:28:02,640
free stuff and purchasing but we're
feeling the same same pain. So I think

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00:27:59,919 --> 00:28:07,039
that it's really important for us that
we continue to make the awareness turn

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00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:12,480
into financial donations so that we can
acquire buy the appropriate foods and

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00:28:09,360 --> 00:28:16,159
for all of us we're all serving um
different cultures and when we are

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00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:20,559
focusing on like culturally sensitive
food like we're not growing bananas on a

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00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:24,000
farm in Lebanon, right? But we know that
that's an important thing for us to be

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00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:29,279
able to provide in our in our pantry. So
it just becomes full circle on how we're

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00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:32,559
trying to meet that need directly.
I can just think of one thing that when

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00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:36,640
the for example when the food stamps
were on hold and there was the greatest

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00:28:33,919 --> 00:28:40,960
need last November a number of our board
members came alongside and I feel that

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00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:44,880
was the time when I saw how generous our
community was. Folks were coming they

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00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:49,600
were donating they were just getting
scans of food and that really helped us

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00:28:47,039 --> 00:28:52,840
to offset a number of cost.
>> Thank you.

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00:28:53,360 --> 00:29:01,600
If you'd like, we can um post for a
photo, do formal presentation.

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00:28:59,679 --> 00:29:05,640
Do you want them up here?
>> Yeah, maybe step up.

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00:29:24,399 --> 00:29:27,559
Your phone

375
00:29:38,159 --> 00:29:45,360
Brian was wearing
>> I don't know anything flyers

376
00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:53,960
Thank you for all your hard work, guys.
>> Thank you.

377
00:29:54,799 --> 00:29:58,039
» Thank you.

378
00:30:08,399 --> 00:30:12,200
» Budget's selling us.

379
00:30:14,480 --> 00:30:20,039
Hey,
I'm sorry.

380
00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:32,320
» Morning, Jack.
>> Good morning.

381
00:30:28,799 --> 00:30:35,120
» Who's this guy? He looks familiar.
I

382
00:30:32,559 --> 00:30:38,360
» think he used to be under our tables. I
found him.

383
00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:45,840
» Welcome. Please introduce yourselves for
the record and then you may proceed.

384
00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:49,120
» I'm Jackie Parker. I'm with the I guess
I'm with the VA's office. I'm helping

385
00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:52,960
them with the grant writing.
>> Brian Deer, come with first assistant

386
00:30:51,039 --> 00:30:58,960
district attorney.
>> So I'm here today to um ask your

387
00:30:55,520 --> 00:31:04,960
approval for the submission for the um
grants that are going due for um for the

388
00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:08,159
county. And these are the they're non uh
they're formulaic there. They're not

389
00:31:06,399 --> 00:31:12,320
competitive. But u it's important that
we you know discuss what's happened in

390
00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:16,880
those applications. So there it's the
rights and services act or Raza and the

391
00:31:14,880 --> 00:31:23,760
victims of juvenile offenders which is
VOJO lots of acronyms. Um the Raza is um

392
00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:27,360
supports victims to crime of crime whose
cases progress through the criminal

393
00:31:25,279 --> 00:31:32,799
justice system and the VOJO is for
victims of juvenile offenders. Um the

394
00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:36,240
funds are used to provide procedural
services such as court accompanyment,

395
00:31:34,799 --> 00:31:40,640
assistance with victim impact
statements, notification of court dates,

396
00:31:38,559 --> 00:31:45,360
assistance with filing compensation
claims. Um they also help for

397
00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:50,000
participation in the criminal justice
process and provide collaboration with

398
00:31:47,679 --> 00:31:54,480
our other community uh partners such as
the DVI, SARKC and other community

399
00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:59,039
organizations which assist crime
victims. Um this year it's uh the

400
00:31:57,440 --> 00:32:03,840
funding you know we have an allocation
the county gets an allocation for both

401
00:32:01,120 --> 00:32:10,399
and it's down again um just as many
federal programs are being cut this was

402
00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:19,600
cut so last year it was at um 103530 I
mean sorry 111 927 this year it's 103532

403
00:32:15,679 --> 00:32:26,240
um in 2022 it was 117 818 so you can see
that there's a gradual decline um

404
00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:31,919
we are you know again supporting staff.
There's there it's very very tight.

405
00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:35,679
There's really nothing new or um I I
would say additional to the to the

406
00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:41,760
grants that we've submitted in the past.
They're here to support our um community

407
00:32:39,279 --> 00:32:47,200
and the victims of crime. So, you have
any questions?

408
00:32:44,399 --> 00:32:49,440
» Make a motion to approve. Um did you
want to speak, Brian? I'm sorry. Maybe I

409
00:32:48,799 --> 00:32:53,919
was going ahead.
>> No, thank you. I'm just here to speak

410
00:32:51,679 --> 00:32:59,600
Miss Parker and and the application for
the I'm sorry. Okay. I'll make a motion

411
00:32:56,960 --> 00:33:06,480
to approve the uh Rosa Vojo grant
application in the amount of 103,532.

412
00:33:03,679 --> 00:33:10,399
» I'll second motion second. Are there
questions or comments?

413
00:33:09,039 --> 00:33:12,240
Hearing none. All in favor of the
motion, please say I.

414
00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:17,600
» I.
>> I.

415
00:33:14,559 --> 00:33:22,357
And have that approval. Anything else?
Thank you. Good luck. Good to see you

416
00:33:19,360 --> 00:33:24,377
all again. Thank you. You too.
[clears throat]

417
00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:28,559
Thank you.
>> Morning, Steph.

418
00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:32,320
» Good morning.
>> Please have a seat. Introduce yourself

419
00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:36,720
for the record and you may proceed.
>> I am Stephanie Xarles. I am the district

420
00:33:34,399 --> 00:33:45,360
court administrator for Lebanon County.
I am here to seek approval of the

421
00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:50,080
contract for the jury upgrade. The
actual proposal was presented in June,

422
00:33:48,080 --> 00:33:56,000
approved by the commissioners. We now
have the contract. I just need a signed

423
00:33:53,360 --> 00:34:01,039
contract to submit to the vendor. Um the
contract has been reviewed by myself by

424
00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:05,880
IT services and was forwarded to
solicitor booty for approval as well.

425
00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:16,480
» Do you want to give a couple minutes
just highlights cost and so on?

426
00:34:11,280 --> 00:34:19,480
» Um sure. So, the cost for the upgrade is
$30,95.

427
00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:29,599
Um, we're breaking that down into two
calendar years for the payment. The

428
00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:33,359
first payment will be $15,95.
Um, in this calendar year, once the

429
00:34:31,679 --> 00:34:38,079
contract is signed, that's what we would
be paying to the vendor and then the

430
00:34:35,679 --> 00:34:41,839
additional cost would be presented
during budget process to the

431
00:34:39,839 --> 00:34:49,839
commissioners. at that time for the
final approval of it. Um, the software

432
00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:55,760
that we currently have is housed on a
server here at the county at a certain

433
00:34:52,560 --> 00:35:02,320
expense. The upgrade will be webbased
and therefore will alleviate some of the

434
00:34:59,839 --> 00:35:08,320
workload for county it with regard to
it. They'll still have a role in our

435
00:35:04,960 --> 00:35:13,359
jury process, but not as great a role.
Um, there will be ongoing expenses just

436
00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:18,160
as there have been in the past as far as
how many summons we submit each year,

437
00:35:16,160 --> 00:35:23,200
but really nothing else is changing
except the hosting of the the program

438
00:35:22,240 --> 00:35:29,440
itself.
>> And I added up all those amounts and

439
00:35:25,440 --> 00:35:32,160
came up with 147,78
for the like five years or whatever it

440
00:35:31,599 --> 00:35:35,359
was.
>> Okay. I

441
00:35:33,680 --> 00:35:40,800
» I didn't see the total. That's why I did
that. Well, and I did not add up what

442
00:35:38,320 --> 00:35:45,599
the five years would be. Again, we have
an an annual expense that we pay every

443
00:35:43,359 --> 00:35:50,800
year already that is part of our budget
process. Um, and I I'm sorry, I'm not

444
00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:53,760
questioning your math. [laughter] I'm
just telling you I have no idea what the

445
00:35:52,480 --> 00:35:56,640
math actually is.
>> That's okay.

446
00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:59,640
» We're not voting on that.
>> Correct.

447
00:36:03,920 --> 00:36:07,839
» M.
>> Yeah. I just I just wanted to note that

448
00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:11,119
I had a chance to meet as well and
everything looks good.

449
00:36:09,119 --> 00:36:15,599
» Thank you.
>> Are you planning to utilize the the

450
00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:20,880
texting the text message?
>> We have to utilize that which is new.

451
00:36:19,280 --> 00:36:22,079
» Okay. Is that included in this?
>> It is.

452
00:36:21,599 --> 00:36:27,280
» Okay.
>> 6,000 texts a year are included in that.

453
00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:31,680
» Oh, okay.
>> In in the cost that they have

454
00:36:29,359 --> 00:36:34,560
» in the built-in cost.
There's a

455
00:36:33,200 --> 00:36:37,839
» if we would go over that.
>> Oh, that that's the additional one. We

456
00:36:35,920 --> 00:36:42,800
have all right. Thank you.
>> Yes.

457
00:36:39,839 --> 00:36:47,280
There any other questions? Anything?
>> Hopefully.

458
00:36:45,520 --> 00:36:53,440
» A motion to approve.
>> Second.

459
00:36:49,040 --> 00:36:55,440
» Motion second. Questions or comments?
None. All in favor of the motion, please

460
00:36:54,880 --> 00:36:58,240
say I.
>> I. [clears throat] Same time. You have

461
00:36:57,280 --> 00:37:02,480
that approval step.
>> Thank you. I have the original contract

462
00:37:00,079 --> 00:37:06,160
where the little yellow
sticky is is where the signature would

463
00:37:04,320 --> 00:37:08,240
be required.
>> Thank you.

464
00:37:07,680 --> 00:37:09,359
» Thank you.
>> Thank you.

465
00:37:08,720 --> 00:37:13,800
» Thank you.
>> Have a great day.

466
00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:13,800
» Thank you. You too.

467
00:37:14,885 --> 00:37:16,905
[clears throat]

468
00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:24,560
» Good morning.
>> Good morning.

469
00:37:22,960 --> 00:37:29,040
you I don't know who's going to lead
off, but please the others introduce

470
00:37:27,680 --> 00:37:32,880
yourself for the record when you're
ready and you may proceed.

471
00:37:31,359 --> 00:37:36,960
» Uh my name is Pat Kerwin. I'm with the
Lebanon Valley Expo Center.

472
00:37:34,720 --> 00:37:39,280
» Nancy Gates, visit Lebanon Valley.
>> Rick Stamble, board chair of visit Lebna

473
00:37:38,880 --> 00:37:43,359
Valley.
>> Welcome.

474
00:37:40,960 --> 00:37:46,960
» I guess I've been nominated to lead off.
We're here today. Uh it was this is

475
00:37:45,760 --> 00:37:50,960
really initiated by the board of
directors of Lebanon Valley Expo Center

476
00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:54,960
as we're building this new uh building
out there as everyone's aware of. Uh we

477
00:37:53,680 --> 00:38:00,079
first of all I would like to say thank
you for the support of the commissioners

478
00:37:57,599 --> 00:38:04,320
uh for the current allocation of the
hotel tax. We appreciate that greatly

479
00:38:02,079 --> 00:38:07,520
and for some of the special funding you
provided through the expo center over

480
00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:12,400
the years and continue to provide. Thank
you. Um, as we build this new building,

481
00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:16,400
of course, uh, we were interested in
trying to secure some additional

482
00:38:14,240 --> 00:38:21,920
funding. We currently receive a
percentage of the hotel tax and the

483
00:38:18,880 --> 00:38:27,680
visit Leon Valley receives the balance
minus the administrative cost that

484
00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:34,079
occurs here at the county. Uh our
initial thinking was that uh we were

485
00:38:30,960 --> 00:38:38,400
requesting uh
an additional 10% of the tax would come

486
00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:45,920
to the expo center in support of this
new building. uh and

487
00:38:42,480 --> 00:38:50,480
uh we've had numerous discussions I
would say between the visitors bureau

488
00:38:47,760 --> 00:38:54,480
and and all very positive I think and
support of each other and the visitors

489
00:38:53,119 --> 00:39:00,960
have been wonderful to the exploit
center too and continues to be. Uh

490
00:38:57,599 --> 00:39:07,040
anyhow, after long story short, I think
after numerous discussions,

491
00:39:03,680 --> 00:39:13,119
we kind of concluded that maybe the best
way to approach this would be the uh 10%

492
00:39:10,240 --> 00:39:16,400
that the county commissioners allocate
for

493
00:39:14,640 --> 00:39:21,280
organizations that come here seeking
support that maybe they the county

494
00:39:19,920 --> 00:39:26,960
commissioners may want to consider
getting out of that contributions

495
00:39:23,760 --> 00:39:34,560
piece of the business and use that 10% %
allocate that 10% with 70% of that 10%

496
00:39:32,480 --> 00:39:40,800
going to the expo center and the
remaining 30% going to visitors bureau

497
00:39:37,920 --> 00:39:44,720
and then the visitors bureau in turn
would address those organizations that

498
00:39:42,800 --> 00:39:50,320
are coming to you currently looking for
some financial support for their events

499
00:39:47,440 --> 00:39:55,119
here in Lebanon
County that's kind of the

500
00:39:53,359 --> 00:40:00,240
short story of it I think am I
explaining that correctly

501
00:39:57,040 --> 00:40:04,160
And I just would like to say that
the expo center is a tremendous asset to

502
00:40:02,400 --> 00:40:11,200
Lebanon County. I think the initial
statewide legislation uh for this hotel

503
00:40:07,359 --> 00:40:16,720
tax is to uh encourage it to be used to
bring additional tourists to bring more

504
00:40:13,520 --> 00:40:24,320
people into hotels. Uh and clearly the
expo center is doing that in very large

505
00:40:19,119 --> 00:40:28,160
measure. Uh and we also are an asset to
community in many other ways. Uh

506
00:40:26,480 --> 00:40:32,400
yesterday I met with the emergency
management people have been planning a

507
00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:39,280
week-long event at the expo center next
year doing their safety. Uh this morning

508
00:40:36,720 --> 00:40:44,000
just in the just in 24-hour period
there's like 10 electric trucks in our

509
00:40:42,000 --> 00:40:51,200
parking lot because we're staging area
for when there's emergency situations.

510
00:40:46,960 --> 00:40:54,320
So, it's a fabulous facility. I think
people out there are doing what they're

511
00:40:52,640 --> 00:40:58,000
supposed to be doing. And again, we
appreciate your consideration and this

512
00:40:56,400 --> 00:41:03,119
was sort of the plan that we came up
with and we're asking for the

513
00:41:00,319 --> 00:41:08,720
consideration of that.
>> We're here really in support of the plan

514
00:41:05,520 --> 00:41:13,599
as well um from Visit Lebanon Valley on
behalf of the board uh of directors

515
00:41:10,960 --> 00:41:20,160
there as well as the myself and the
visitors bureau staff. Um we really feel

516
00:41:16,240 --> 00:41:24,800
like the expo center is uh very much a
um center that can lead to additional

517
00:41:22,560 --> 00:41:29,359
economic growth in the area and that
additional expansion gives an

518
00:41:26,640 --> 00:41:33,599
opportunity for that to happen. So we
want to do all that we can from a

519
00:41:31,280 --> 00:41:38,400
supportive standpoint um to make sure
that his crew have what they need to be

520
00:41:36,319 --> 00:41:42,960
successful and that we can all benefit
from that success uh throughout the

521
00:41:40,560 --> 00:41:46,960
county.
I just wanted to commend both Pat and

522
00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:52,240
Nancy for the collaborative efforts that
have gone into trying to help come up

523
00:41:50,079 --> 00:41:57,680
with some additional funding ideas for
the expo. And as Nancy said, it's a

524
00:41:54,880 --> 00:42:04,000
critical component of the economic uh
drivers here in the the county. And we

525
00:41:59,680 --> 00:42:09,359
just uh uh we're looking for support in
uh this proposal.

526
00:42:06,720 --> 00:42:15,440
I think the proposal includes well I
know it does includes that

527
00:42:12,240 --> 00:42:21,920
recommendation that the committee that
the visitor the visitor valley is going

528
00:42:18,000 --> 00:42:26,720
to form to handle these requests would
include someone designated by the

529
00:42:24,800 --> 00:42:30,880
commissioners to serve on that
committee. So you would still be

530
00:42:29,440 --> 00:42:35,520
involved to the degree that you would
like to be able. Yeah, we're uh

531
00:42:33,359 --> 00:42:42,319
anticipating a fivep person committee to
review that. We would put together a

532
00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:47,119
rubric um to use um and evaluating um
the different um requests that come in

533
00:42:45,359 --> 00:42:51,280
uh looking at the economic impact,
looking at overnight hotel stays,

534
00:42:48,960 --> 00:42:56,400
looking at the collaborative ways that
partners may be working together with

535
00:42:53,040 --> 00:43:01,440
others in the community um as well. So,
if there's a hotel partner, a restaurant

536
00:42:58,400 --> 00:43:06,400
partner, you know, um perhaps another
partner of some sort, um we look to

537
00:43:04,400 --> 00:43:10,400
evaluate those with that fivep person
committee and then have an appointed

538
00:43:08,079 --> 00:43:17,040
person on behalf of the commissioners
and

539
00:43:13,200 --> 00:43:21,280
part of that fivep person committee.
>> I know there will be questions for

540
00:43:18,960 --> 00:43:24,240
before the questions. Could you you guys
did a nice job of laying out the the

541
00:43:23,280 --> 00:43:28,960
numbers
>> as they are so so that everyone knows in

542
00:43:27,280 --> 00:43:34,319
context how much we're talking about
here u right to walk through those

543
00:43:32,640 --> 00:43:39,520
either whoever would walk through those
numbers on page three

544
00:43:36,960 --> 00:43:46,880
the amount of the tax the amount that is
the 10% and how the split work

545
00:43:43,440 --> 00:43:49,200
» so um did you want me to start at 2024
Jamie was that

546
00:43:48,160 --> 00:43:52,960
» um probably just the bottom
>> just the bottom lumber. Okay. So, this

547
00:43:51,040 --> 00:43:59,200
year the annual hotel tax, we're
budgeting 1308

548
00:43:55,680 --> 00:44:06,000
million coming in um as part of those
dollars. 10% of that funding um is what

549
00:44:02,640 --> 00:44:09,599
is currently allocated to um this grant
funding program that's being

550
00:44:07,520 --> 00:44:13,319
administered by the commissioners, which
comes out to $130,800.

551
00:44:13,359 --> 00:44:22,920
Um the proposed alloc reallocation would
be 70% of those funds going to the expo

552
00:44:19,119 --> 00:44:22,920
center at $91,560

553
00:44:23,119 --> 00:44:31,000
and then the remaining would go into the
grant fund which would u be estimated to

554
00:44:27,760 --> 00:44:31,000
be $39,240.

555
00:44:31,440 --> 00:44:40,880
um should also be uh probably noted as
well that um the expo center that would

556
00:44:37,920 --> 00:44:46,800
look to accommodate some of the prior
groups um that have received funding on

557
00:44:43,440 --> 00:44:52,880
behalf of Expo Center groups um not by
way of a grants fund but by way of um

558
00:44:49,920 --> 00:45:00,480
additional consideration for rental fees
etc. um that would be under uh Pat's

559
00:44:56,160 --> 00:45:04,560
review um exclusively and then BLV and
four to five uh that would be

560
00:45:02,480 --> 00:45:10,280
established for this would then review
the additional applications or other

561
00:45:06,800 --> 00:45:10,280
community partners.

562
00:45:12,079 --> 00:45:20,720
» Question I have a comment if I may.
Before me sit some re people who I

563
00:45:18,880 --> 00:45:26,880
really respect and I want you to know
that upfront.

564
00:45:22,960 --> 00:45:33,440
But personally I have [clears throat]
objections to what is proposed. Uh first

565
00:45:30,560 --> 00:45:40,000
of all um
this board would no longer be privy uh

566
00:45:37,119 --> 00:45:44,400
in a timely manner of the grants that
are being presented.

567
00:45:42,079 --> 00:45:50,319
And I find that troublesome because that
keeps our finger on the pulse of what's

568
00:45:47,040 --> 00:45:55,920
going on with tourism in our county. Uh
next,

569
00:45:53,280 --> 00:46:00,880
as it has been for the last, I don't
know, eight years or better.

570
00:45:58,640 --> 00:46:06,240
Um
I have not had the pleasure of serving

571
00:46:03,200 --> 00:46:12,800
on either visit Lebanon Valley board or
for the expo board. So it would revert

572
00:46:09,440 --> 00:46:18,400
to majority commissioners only and I
would further feel isolated and secluded

573
00:46:15,920 --> 00:46:24,800
from what is going on.
Um, and finally, my point is that there

574
00:46:22,400 --> 00:46:30,640
are a lot of businesses in this
community that I think would feel a

575
00:46:28,560 --> 00:46:36,480
similar isolation
because we have places like In the Net

576
00:46:33,680 --> 00:46:41,599
in Palmyra Campbell Town area, the
Lebanon Valley Mall, the Hein Fire Hall,

577
00:46:39,280 --> 00:46:46,640
Kimmelings Graange,
and I could go on, but you get the

578
00:46:43,440 --> 00:46:52,319
picture. Right now, we know that
everybody's getting a piece of the pie.

579
00:46:49,920 --> 00:46:57,599
And again, I'm not talking down to
anybody. I'm just from my perch as a

580
00:46:55,280 --> 00:47:04,319
minority commissioner, I feel the
arrangement is not fair. Um, and I don't

581
00:47:01,839 --> 00:47:10,480
think it would be in the best interest
of the entire community to switch

582
00:47:07,280 --> 00:47:18,160
things. And I I think the way it is is
really helping us to um keep our pulse

583
00:47:14,480 --> 00:47:22,240
on the community. I hope you understand.
Nothing against anybody. I just have a

584
00:47:20,400 --> 00:47:24,319
difference of opinion.
>> Appreciate you.

585
00:47:23,359 --> 00:47:29,680
» Thank you.
>> Well, I I too am not happy with the uh

586
00:47:27,040 --> 00:47:34,319
the numbers, but excuse me. I'm I'm
prepared to accept when you folks worked

587
00:47:32,160 --> 00:47:38,640
it out. That was the charge that I was
given was to, you know, that you folks

588
00:47:36,400 --> 00:47:43,680
would look at this thing out as a
liaison. Um, I I wanted a deeper cut

589
00:47:41,440 --> 00:47:49,119
into the VLV's
uh percentage to bring ours up higher.

590
00:47:46,319 --> 00:47:55,200
Um, but I also was an advocate for
getting rid of our place in these grant

591
00:47:52,000 --> 00:47:59,760
right or grant approval process things
because it some of it was duplicative.

592
00:47:57,520 --> 00:48:04,319
You folks are doing some grant work
already. is the same pot of money and I

593
00:48:02,240 --> 00:48:10,240
felt that you're the experts in that
area. Go at it. We're we're taking them

594
00:48:07,280 --> 00:48:14,480
and trying to interpret uh we do that in
a couple minutes here. I think it's a

595
00:48:12,560 --> 00:48:20,400
better thing to have a consistent
standards and uh that so that that I

596
00:48:17,440 --> 00:48:24,640
approve of but I I would have or
appreciate it if we could have done

597
00:48:22,240 --> 00:48:29,040
better on the percentages for the expo.
And the only other comment I'll make is

598
00:48:26,960 --> 00:48:34,960
that it falls short a little bit because
when I came into this thinking uh that

599
00:48:31,839 --> 00:48:40,319
we wanted to have a an investment you
know more so for the expo. Uh I also had

600
00:48:38,079 --> 00:48:46,400
an interest in doing something for the
in the net because I felt that they too

601
00:48:43,119 --> 00:48:52,640
are big players in bringing the revenues
in that we enjoy through these hotel tax

602
00:48:49,440 --> 00:48:57,280
uh monies and uh they are interested in
even growing bigger you know in terms of

603
00:48:55,040 --> 00:49:01,280
heads and beds and so on which drive
these numbers. So I would have liked to

604
00:48:59,520 --> 00:49:05,680
have a couple percent for them for a
couple years just as an experiment

605
00:49:03,119 --> 00:49:08,640
outside our normal but you know in
compromised you don't get everything you

606
00:49:07,200 --> 00:49:15,280
want but you get the best you can get
and and here we are.

607
00:49:11,680 --> 00:49:20,559
I'd like to add too just first a moment
you know I I [clears throat] think back

608
00:49:17,520 --> 00:49:26,319
I is it 50 years the expo has has been
around that credit people that had the

609
00:49:24,319 --> 00:49:30,400
vision to see that we would b our
community would benefit from a

610
00:49:28,000 --> 00:49:36,319
fairgrounds and create this expo
>> and it continues to grow and I also want

611
00:49:34,079 --> 00:49:41,359
to say personally I don't know when it
was 15 years ago or so when we said when

612
00:49:38,559 --> 00:49:46,400
we started the the tourist bureau and
and the and the hotel tax, give or take,

613
00:49:43,920 --> 00:49:51,440
whatever it was. I remember seeing the
story in in newspapers and and thinking

614
00:49:49,119 --> 00:49:56,319
really tourism in Lebanon County, how
are we going to compete with Hershey and

615
00:49:53,440 --> 00:50:01,040
Philadelphia and but then when I became
commissioner in 2022 was pleasantly

616
00:49:58,960 --> 00:50:08,079
surprised because I'm leazison to the
tourism board and to see how much we're

617
00:50:04,240 --> 00:50:13,920
generating and uh a fantastic job and
the expo center is a a great source of

618
00:50:10,880 --> 00:50:18,929
that uh for all the events that are are
being hosted. here and we have an

619
00:50:15,599 --> 00:50:22,480
opportunity to expand the expo center.
[clears throat] Uh but there's a cost to

620
00:50:20,240 --> 00:50:26,880
that and it's a huge investment and
you've done a good job thus far. But

621
00:50:24,960 --> 00:50:31,280
also when we looked at the picture too
then the expo board was saying is there

622
00:50:28,880 --> 00:50:36,079
a way again the tourism board or at that
point seemed to be pretty solid

623
00:50:33,839 --> 00:50:40,319
financially and and in a position to be
able to help and and agreed that that

624
00:50:38,559 --> 00:50:44,160
would be a good idea and a good
investment. So I was saying from day one

625
00:50:42,640 --> 00:50:47,920
this would be a lot easier. The
commissioners have the right to do

626
00:50:45,440 --> 00:50:52,480
whatever they choose regarding this
formula, but it would be nice if both

627
00:50:50,720 --> 00:50:58,160
organizations could come together and I
know this is one of many uh proposals

628
00:50:55,520 --> 00:51:04,240
that was discussed and explored. Again,
thank you Rick to all your detailed work

629
00:51:01,200 --> 00:51:08,720
on on that. Uh and and so they came up
with this and I have as Bob just

630
00:51:06,640 --> 00:51:13,119
mentioned
you and your board are the experts in in

631
00:51:11,280 --> 00:51:18,079
this stuff that will work on this every
day and I think that I have great amount

632
00:51:15,200 --> 00:51:21,839
of faith and trust that they'll put a a
very good board together and we can

633
00:51:19,599 --> 00:51:26,559
discuss who our representative is on
that board and I think we'll get very

634
00:51:23,839 --> 00:51:31,200
regular updates and and information and
an opportunity to provide input but

635
00:51:28,559 --> 00:51:37,280
again it became a difficult task for us
over the last few years that we do want

636
00:51:34,319 --> 00:51:42,400
to give everybody a piece of the pie.
However, as the funds are limited and we

637
00:51:40,800 --> 00:51:48,079
continue to get more and more
applications over the years, we were

638
00:51:44,960 --> 00:51:54,400
giving uh grants and awarding grants to
some applicants that are great community

639
00:51:52,160 --> 00:51:59,440
assets but not necessarily bringing
heads and beds. And so then now we have

640
00:51:56,319 --> 00:52:03,599
to start to prioritize to where are we
going to get the biggest return on our

641
00:52:01,280 --> 00:52:07,760
investment. So, I think again the idea
of setting up a rubric and doing that,

642
00:52:05,440 --> 00:52:13,839
I'd love to hear that. It's going to be
uh I think a better way to to do this

643
00:52:10,400 --> 00:52:19,200
and and uh so I' I'm fully supporting it
on the only thing I'd like to add that

644
00:52:16,640 --> 00:52:25,280
you you touched on the uh benefit of
expo to the to the county. Um but and

645
00:52:22,960 --> 00:52:30,240
and it is, you know, driving a lot of
the revenue that we get through the

646
00:52:26,720 --> 00:52:35,520
hotel stays. But uh I just want to make
sure we mention that the funding the

647
00:52:32,319 --> 00:52:41,599
support for 4 and FFA and all the you
know the agriculture related um uh

648
00:52:38,640 --> 00:52:49,960
volunteer programs and beyond uh are
part of what you know the benefit of

649
00:52:44,160 --> 00:52:49,960
having a successful and solvent uh expo.

650
00:52:50,000 --> 00:52:56,800
» Yeah, there's a lot of youth education
that occurs at the expo seller.

651
00:52:54,559 --> 00:53:02,079
All 4 programs are included. All FA
programs are free. We work a lot with

652
00:52:59,119 --> 00:53:05,760
Cedar Crest. A lot a lot of things have
to

653
00:53:04,720 --> 00:53:11,440
Okay.
>> Well, again, um

654
00:53:09,040 --> 00:53:16,160
I know that people are looking to get
out of the city for a real life

655
00:53:13,760 --> 00:53:20,960
experience and they come to Lebanon
County for that. So, we do attract

656
00:53:18,480 --> 00:53:26,640
visitors to this area. We're not Hershey
Park and, you know, we're not the big

657
00:53:23,119 --> 00:53:29,920
city, but we have quality of life that
people love to come and see and

658
00:53:28,480 --> 00:53:37,520
experience and they might want to work
on a farm. Um, but if we're if if we

659
00:53:35,040 --> 00:53:43,119
were going to change this, and again,
I'm just going on my recollection of the

660
00:53:39,760 --> 00:53:48,800
law when it was set up, we should we are
to designate a visitors bureau.

661
00:53:46,480 --> 00:53:52,480
And again with respect to for you, it
should all be funneled through the

662
00:53:50,319 --> 00:53:56,480
visitors bureau and then you should get
your uh share from them. It's a

663
00:53:55,520 --> 00:54:00,480
technicality.
>> No, that's weird.

664
00:53:57,440 --> 00:54:05,599
» But it truly is the way it should be. It
should be the visitors bureau receiving

665
00:54:02,800 --> 00:54:10,160
the funds. I mean, that is the way I
remember the law when it was passed.

666
00:54:07,680 --> 00:54:14,240
Unfortunately, I've been here long and I
remember that. Yeah, we do do the

667
00:54:12,559 --> 00:54:19,119
dispersement of the funds with the
exception of the 4% that um the

668
00:54:17,280 --> 00:54:24,640
treasur's office receives for the
administration. So, they take their 4%

669
00:54:22,160 --> 00:54:29,119
and then send us the remaining and then
we do the dispersements from there.

670
00:54:26,640 --> 00:54:31,920
» You're doing the dispersement to the to
the expo. Yes,

671
00:54:30,160 --> 00:54:35,680
» correct. I do the dispersement to the
expo and also to the commissioners to

672
00:54:34,400 --> 00:54:38,079
this fund that we're discussing.
>> Okay. I thought they were coming from

673
00:54:36,880 --> 00:54:44,079
the treasurer.
>> The treasurer's office sends me the

674
00:54:40,079 --> 00:54:50,079
check. um of the total less their 4%. So
they receive 4% administration fee which

675
00:54:47,280 --> 00:54:56,319
they keep um and then they send me the
check for everything with the exception

676
00:54:52,640 --> 00:55:02,960
of that 4%. I then have our um
bookkeeping service, Ammerman, um do the

677
00:54:59,280 --> 00:55:07,280
checks with um the 10% going back to
this grant fund um for the commissioners

678
00:55:05,359 --> 00:55:11,040
and that gets sent back to the treasur's
office and then the percent that goes

679
00:55:09,680 --> 00:55:15,599
» and does that meet the letter of the
law? Should it be coming to you and then

680
00:55:13,119 --> 00:55:19,680
you distribute the 4% to the treasur?
>> I believe this this matches the law that

681
00:55:18,319 --> 00:55:23,440
is in place. Yeah, that's why it's
established that I I just thought if if

682
00:55:21,440 --> 00:55:27,920
anything does get changed, even if I
vote no, I wanted to make sure we were

683
00:55:25,599 --> 00:55:30,240
following the letter of we are. Thank
you.

684
00:55:28,160 --> 00:55:35,359
» I I think it's it's also important to
point out a a a point in your proposal

685
00:55:33,119 --> 00:55:39,520
is that this is would be proposed for
five years. But again, it it doesn't

686
00:55:37,520 --> 00:55:44,160
mean we're locked into a five-year term.
If we determine in six months or a year

687
00:55:41,760 --> 00:55:48,960
or three years that this is not working
as we intended that we we could we

688
00:55:47,520 --> 00:55:51,760
certainly have the authority to modify
it at any time.

689
00:55:50,160 --> 00:55:55,599
» That's correct. The commissioners have
the authority to make any of those

690
00:55:53,440 --> 00:56:01,200
changes. I think the reason why we were
looking at the five-year um timeline is

691
00:55:58,880 --> 00:56:07,359
just so both organizations had a better
idea of a financial um you know what the

692
00:56:04,160 --> 00:56:11,280
financial planning might be. Um and you
know the the expo center is just

693
00:56:08,960 --> 00:56:15,440
starting the construction process and so
there will be some time until that's

694
00:56:13,200 --> 00:56:22,000
completed until you know that can get up
to full capacity as well. So that was um

695
00:56:19,119 --> 00:56:25,520
why that was put in there as a request.
Yeah, again, I don't think any of us

696
00:56:23,760 --> 00:56:29,599
mentioned again the the whole purpose of
this the expo to expand and be able to

697
00:56:27,359 --> 00:56:34,000
attract even more events
>> which hopefully will spill over into the

698
00:56:31,520 --> 00:56:37,680
community to restaurants and to, you
know, shopping and to all of the

699
00:56:35,920 --> 00:56:42,960
additional services that we offer here
as a community. And as um Commissioner

700
00:56:40,319 --> 00:56:48,240
List mentioned, we we do have excellent
outdoor recreation and um that is

701
00:56:45,680 --> 00:56:54,000
definitely an area where we excel in
terms of the rail trail and and all of

702
00:56:50,960 --> 00:56:58,000
the outdoor fishing and and golf and all
of the outdoor activities that people

703
00:56:55,920 --> 00:57:03,920
can find here. Um and a great
opportunity for them to unplug and um

704
00:57:01,040 --> 00:57:07,280
enjoy a little bit of peace and quiet um
you know in their lives. So it's very

705
00:57:06,160 --> 00:57:10,240
important.
>> Yeah, man. Maybe you have I have a

706
00:57:08,720 --> 00:57:17,119
question or comment.
>> Well, Pam for Lebanon City. I'm involved

707
00:57:13,280 --> 00:57:25,280
with several nonprofits. Um some have
benefited from direct funds. Uh and I

708
00:57:21,920 --> 00:57:29,760
just my opinion is I'm glad to see the
grant dis uh dispersion

709
00:57:28,480 --> 00:57:33,760
taken away from the county
commissioners. I I that just doesn't

710
00:57:32,240 --> 00:57:38,720
seem like something that the
commissioner should be involved. Number

711
00:57:36,079 --> 00:57:43,040
one. Number two, I know we always hear
it's important we support heads and

712
00:57:40,640 --> 00:57:49,440
beds. I get it. I know that's where the
money comes from, but I want to make

713
00:57:46,240 --> 00:57:52,880
sure you understand that what Visit
Lebanon Valley does, and this is

714
00:57:51,040 --> 00:57:56,799
certainly not to take anything away from
the expo because we know all that they

715
00:57:55,119 --> 00:58:02,799
do for the county and all that they
bring in, but there are ways that

716
00:57:59,200 --> 00:58:07,520
organizations like mine benefit that I
don't know that you're aware of. The

717
00:58:04,880 --> 00:58:13,520
advertising that visit Lebanon Valley
does have brought I have three buses

718
00:58:10,319 --> 00:58:20,480
coming into Union Canal Tunnel Park that
re that turns to be three tours on the

719
00:58:17,760 --> 00:58:24,720
canal. That's a lot of money for us. I
have one scheduled for next year

720
00:58:22,240 --> 00:58:30,559
already. Those leads come to us and
those people know about us because of

721
00:58:28,079 --> 00:58:35,839
what visit Lebanon Valley is doing. Is
it putting heads in beds sometimes? Not

722
00:58:33,760 --> 00:58:41,760
usually, but it's putting people
stopping for gas because the visitors

723
00:58:38,559 --> 00:58:47,200
and the uh the buses, they need to do
that. They are always asking me for

724
00:58:44,160 --> 00:58:54,160
recre uh recommendations on restaurants
to stop at before they go home. We put

725
00:58:50,880 --> 00:58:58,559
bags together that have uh things in
addition to the magazine that visit

726
00:58:56,000 --> 00:59:03,280
Lebanon Valley does that tells them all
about everything in the Kent County. I

727
00:59:01,040 --> 00:59:08,640
also include brochures from other
tourist sites, so they may come back.

728
00:59:06,720 --> 00:59:13,200
Two of the buses I have coming in are
coming in from Lancaster. They are close

729
00:59:11,040 --> 00:59:19,040
enough that they may come back with
family and friends and visit these other

730
00:59:16,000 --> 00:59:23,839
sites in Lebanon County. That stuff is
important to the rest of us smaller

731
00:59:21,359 --> 00:59:28,960
nonprofits. So, we need to make sure
that they also have the funds that they

732
00:59:26,000 --> 00:59:34,240
need so they could support us in this
way. So, I just I don't have anything to

733
00:59:32,160 --> 00:59:40,720
do with the funding, whatever. I just
wanted you to know what it's like from

734
00:59:37,200 --> 00:59:44,880
our perspective. And we also uh we say,
well, no, we can't compete with Hershey

735
00:59:42,720 --> 00:59:50,960
and stuff, but I actually went to one of
the charter bus shows um to work the

736
00:59:48,079 --> 00:59:55,520
booth with with Jane from Visit Lebanon
Valley, and our spiel was, you don't

737
00:59:53,680 --> 01:00:00,960
want to stay in Hershey and Lancaster.
The rooms cost too much there. Stay in

738
00:59:57,920 --> 01:00:05,839
Lebanon County. Stay overnight. You can
do a day trip to Lancaster. You can do a

739
01:00:03,280 --> 01:00:10,240
day trip to Hershey, but stay here
because we're in the middle of

740
01:00:07,119 --> 01:00:16,079
everything. So, you know, that's kind of
something we're doing too when when we

741
01:00:13,040 --> 01:00:21,520
go out into the public. So, thank you.
>> Thank you. Thank you.

742
01:00:19,280 --> 01:00:27,599
» Have a motion on the floor yet, but you
>> if I if I may, uh, solicitor and I

743
01:00:24,880 --> 01:00:32,960
discussed this, the um the current
allocation breakdown is built into the

744
01:00:30,079 --> 01:00:38,559
ordinance that was passed establishing
the rate of tax. Um, so to if you're

745
01:00:36,720 --> 01:00:42,240
changing it and if you're changing it in
the future, it's a bit cumbersome to

746
01:00:40,079 --> 01:00:52,079
have to redo the ordinance every single
time. So, um I think the better thing to

747
01:00:46,559 --> 01:00:57,599
do would be to uh adopt a new ordinance
that sets the allocation by resolution.

748
01:00:55,760 --> 01:01:00,559
So, this would be a two-part process. If
I'm getting any of this wrong, Matt,

749
01:00:59,200 --> 01:01:04,880
speak up, please. But this would be a
two-part process. First would be for the

750
01:01:03,040 --> 01:01:08,960
solicitor to advertise the ordinance
that would remove the allocation, but

751
01:01:06,559 --> 01:01:13,280
refer to it as a resolution. And then
and then once that's done, adopt that

752
01:01:11,200 --> 01:01:16,720
resolution and adopt I'm sorry, adopt
that ordinance.

753
01:01:14,000 --> 01:01:19,599
» So two weeks we could consider a
resolution.

754
01:01:17,599 --> 01:01:25,040
» We would have to we would have to uh
advertise that make sure that it is

755
01:01:21,440 --> 01:01:27,200
advertised uh works with
seven days before.

756
01:01:26,079 --> 01:01:30,880
» Yeah.
>> So it should be tabled for now.

757
01:01:29,599 --> 01:01:36,240
» Uh no the action.
>> No, we take action to proceed to to uh

758
01:01:33,839 --> 01:01:38,000
to advertise and and prepare an
ordinance.

759
01:01:36,799 --> 01:01:43,280
» Correct. Yeah, that would be the first
>> to modify our current policy following

760
01:01:40,960 --> 01:01:47,359
the guidelines as set forth in this
memo.

761
01:01:43,760 --> 01:01:52,960
» Yeah, I'll move that.
>> We have a second. I'll second that

762
01:01:49,920 --> 01:01:58,079
motion. Any additional questions or
comments?

763
01:01:55,760 --> 01:02:02,400
» Um, yes, I have several. So, it's five
people total on this this volunteer

764
01:02:00,720 --> 01:02:05,920
board that we volunteer. Correct.
Correct. one of whom is the commissioner

765
01:02:04,559 --> 01:02:08,799
a commissioner appointee
>> appointee appointee it could be in a

766
01:02:07,520 --> 01:02:12,319
commissioner or it could be someone else
that they designate

767
01:02:10,000 --> 01:02:15,280
» and then if this all goes through how
soon do you think this will be this will

768
01:02:14,000 --> 01:02:18,480
be implemented because you don't
probably have that group together yet

769
01:02:16,720 --> 01:02:21,119
what's the timeline
>> that's my first question I have others

770
01:02:19,839 --> 01:02:26,960
what's
>> 2027 assuming that we can get everything

771
01:02:24,079 --> 01:02:30,880
through in a timely manner proposal
>> right

772
01:02:28,000 --> 01:02:35,920
» would be for January 1 2027
>> based on the comment made back here and

773
01:02:33,680 --> 01:02:40,559
the idea of heads and beds which was
what they had always had requested

774
01:02:38,160 --> 01:02:45,680
although there was the caveat that they
could give money at their discretion.

775
01:02:43,760 --> 01:02:50,480
What is the root kind of look like at
this point in terms of will that

776
01:02:48,240 --> 01:02:54,160
continue? Will it be other
considerations? Because while this is

777
01:02:52,480 --> 01:03:00,640
nice, it doesn't show on here for
example which your predecessor did a

778
01:02:57,359 --> 01:03:04,960
study paid for a program and showed that
in the net was one of the biggest

779
01:03:02,960 --> 01:03:10,960
contributors to Lebanon County. Yet this
very board at one point a few years ago

780
01:03:07,680 --> 01:03:15,039
turned down a request for a machine that
they could use to groom the field which

781
01:03:13,440 --> 01:03:18,640
would bring even more people in because
they're coming like every weekend. Every

782
01:03:17,200 --> 01:03:22,160
weekend there was a sporting event and
these people are coming from all around

783
01:03:19,920 --> 01:03:27,359
the country. I think you'd be hardressed
to not say that in the net is

784
01:03:25,119 --> 01:03:31,280
contributing greatly to Lebanon
Countyy's economy. Now I don't know

785
01:03:28,559 --> 01:03:37,280
where those people are staying but your
predecessor had facts and information

786
01:03:33,440 --> 01:03:41,760
that showed. So is there a plan to
follow up with that and really see where

787
01:03:39,839 --> 01:03:44,880
because we know what the expo is doing.
There's no doubt about that and and the

788
01:03:43,760 --> 01:03:50,319
things it's offering throughout the
whole entire year. But what about as

789
01:03:47,920 --> 01:03:55,760
suggested these other organizations or
other entities that are putting heads in

790
01:03:53,119 --> 01:03:59,200
beds and are bringing people to Lebanon
County

791
01:03:56,160 --> 01:04:04,240
» and in the net 100% is um and I've had
two meetings with them so far um to talk

792
01:04:01,920 --> 01:04:08,640
about that and what else we can do as an
organization to help support them um in

793
01:04:07,039 --> 01:04:14,079
their efforts, you know, in terms of
marketing um folks to to get to the

794
01:04:11,280 --> 01:04:17,520
region. I don't know um the hotel
numbers. I I don't know how many of

795
01:04:15,920 --> 01:04:21,599
those are staying in Lebanon County
versus Dolphin County because they're,

796
01:04:19,920 --> 01:04:27,359
you know, they're right sort of on the
border there. Um and we um in the past

797
01:04:25,200 --> 01:04:34,400
have not had as robust of a hotel
inventory. Um we do now have another um

798
01:04:31,280 --> 01:04:38,720
new hotel that just opened in June. Um,
so we do have some additional occupancy

799
01:04:36,720 --> 01:04:43,520
that is available now. And so we're
hoping um that that will help um for

800
01:04:41,599 --> 01:04:47,039
some of those folks to continue to say
in Lebanon County.

801
01:04:44,880 --> 01:04:51,280
» I can interrupt. I'm sorry, but but I
just want to add a point that that I

802
01:04:48,720 --> 01:04:54,880
know Pat and I have discussed and I
believe it's it's outlined in here too.

803
01:04:53,280 --> 01:04:59,280
Uh that
>> some of the grants that we have been

804
01:04:56,720 --> 01:05:03,680
awarding in in previous years have been
for events that are hosted at the expo

805
01:05:01,760 --> 01:05:08,160
center. And that's said with this
additional funding to create a new

806
01:05:05,520 --> 01:05:13,599
building, it gives the expo center the
opportunity to maybe work with some of

807
01:05:10,319 --> 01:05:18,079
those events on their rental fees. So,
it's not necessarily they like I'm going

808
01:05:16,240 --> 01:05:23,200
to mention one the Gourd Festival that
happens every May or June that we've

809
01:05:21,039 --> 01:05:26,799
been giving them a significant amount of
money and and it's a good return. uh

810
01:05:25,359 --> 01:05:31,440
they bring people from all over the
country but again they may not

811
01:05:29,280 --> 01:05:37,359
necessarily need a grant if they get the
appropriate reduction in their rental

812
01:05:33,599 --> 01:05:44,480
fee for that year in lie of a grant. So
this is not necessarily just you know uh

813
01:05:40,880 --> 01:05:47,839
an exact switch of of dollars and other
ways we can help these organizations

814
01:05:46,400 --> 01:05:53,200
» and we are trying to do that from a
marketing standpoint as well in in terms

815
01:05:50,400 --> 01:05:57,680
of doing additional paid marketing um
related to specific events. Um you may

816
01:05:55,680 --> 01:06:02,799
have seen on our social media on a
weekly basis we highlight various events

817
01:06:00,400 --> 01:06:07,920
that are in the county. Um a lot of
times we do boosting of those posts to

818
01:06:04,960 --> 01:06:12,960
out of market areas again to try to
encourage um participation and also you

819
01:06:11,359 --> 01:06:18,240
know boosting and supporting those
events at the same time. Um you know

820
01:06:15,760 --> 01:06:24,480
shows like Pam mentioned uh Pennsylvania
Bus Association for this year will also

821
01:06:20,960 --> 01:06:28,640
be going to Greater um Northeastern Bus
uh association in September. So again,

822
01:06:27,039 --> 01:06:33,280
just really trying to spread the
awareness and really help all of the

823
01:06:30,799 --> 01:06:38,000
organizations within the county. Um we
did invite in the net to be a board

824
01:06:35,440 --> 01:06:44,000
member um for Visit Lebanon Valley
because we do agree that they are a um

825
01:06:41,599 --> 01:06:50,319
considerable driver of traffic to the
county. Um at this time they um declined

826
01:06:47,680 --> 01:06:56,720
that opportunity. they um had a lot on
their plate and felt as though they um

827
01:06:53,200 --> 01:07:00,640
were not able to um to commit to that.
Um but I did leave the door open and

828
01:06:58,960 --> 01:07:06,000
just said, you know, when the time is
right, um we would certainly love to

829
01:07:02,480 --> 01:07:12,160
have you be a part uh of that um of the
visit Lebanon Valley board and and help

830
01:07:08,480 --> 01:07:15,680
us, you know, continue to try to um move
forward and and make sure that we're

831
01:07:14,160 --> 01:07:21,119
doing a you know, we want to work with
everyone. That's why we're here is to

832
01:07:17,760 --> 01:07:29,520
work with everyone um that we can and um
support in any way that we can. So

833
01:07:25,599 --> 01:07:35,039
» I I would I do have one followup. Um an
experience because I tried to go to a

834
01:07:31,520 --> 01:07:40,720
lot of the events at the expo. Um and I
I don't know what word I'm looking for,

835
01:07:38,400 --> 01:07:47,760
but I thought it was unfair. Hopefully
that's kind. Um, when I went there, I

836
01:07:44,000 --> 01:07:53,839
asked how much uh it was and um I was
told a fee and I thought, "Wow, that's a

837
01:07:49,680 --> 01:07:58,319
lot." But I paid it. And then come to
find out, everybody was complaining

838
01:07:55,760 --> 01:08:04,960
around me cuz they were forcing people
to buy like a two-day or a weekend pass

839
01:08:01,440 --> 01:08:09,359
versus one day. And that doesn't seem
right. I mean, if you go to look at I'm

840
01:08:07,760 --> 01:08:14,079
just You just said gourds, so I'll use
that. If you go to look at gorge, it

841
01:08:11,839 --> 01:08:19,120
doesn't take two days to look at them.
It just didn't feel right. And I I bring

842
01:08:16,319 --> 01:08:23,040
that to your attention that maybe, you
know, if they want to offer a weekend

843
01:08:20,640 --> 01:08:27,199
pass, that's fine, but to force it on
people, that didn't feel right. And so,

844
01:08:24,960 --> 01:08:29,839
I mention that as something you might
want to look at.

845
01:08:28,080 --> 01:08:34,080
» If you know the specifics of that,
because I don't know of any organization

846
01:08:31,359 --> 01:08:35,839
that requires a two-day pass, but you
could give me that name, I would follow

847
01:08:35,600 --> 01:08:40,319
up.
>> I will look it up. Actually, I spoke

848
01:08:38,480 --> 01:08:46,080
with a gorgeous people yesterday. He
planned that they struggle financially

849
01:08:44,400 --> 01:08:51,440
and that's why they got the support and
we talked a little bit about Anyhow, but

850
01:08:48,319 --> 01:08:55,679
their admission charge is $3, you know.
I said to him, maybe you could look your

851
01:08:53,120 --> 01:08:58,992
admission charge that's so low, you
know. She said, "Well, I don't know if

852
01:08:56,799 --> 01:09:01,012
you could go to $5." I said, "Well,
[laughter]

853
01:09:01,920 --> 01:09:09,040
you try to work with them as best we
can." But there's I guess an opposite

854
01:09:06,560 --> 01:09:13,759
example of gouging
>> and I would say that that is probably

855
01:09:11,279 --> 01:09:18,159
you know certainly on par or below what
most Tibets are charging

856
01:09:16,319 --> 01:09:22,640
and and I know you do a good job of
trying to control costs and trying to

857
01:09:20,480 --> 01:09:27,040
keep things affordable for folks to be
able to to come and use the expos which

858
01:09:25,279 --> 01:09:29,759
we appreciate as well because that helps
again to benefit all of us if we can get

859
01:09:28,960 --> 01:09:35,040
those groups
>> that's something the organizers That's

860
01:09:31,600 --> 01:09:36,640
the control. We don't do anything or
anything like that. But

861
01:09:36,159 --> 01:09:41,120
» okay,
>> the gourd is people since we're talking

862
01:09:38,480 --> 01:09:45,120
about the gourds, they're trying to
>> move that a little bit more towards an

863
01:09:42,719 --> 01:09:51,440
art show as well, so it have a broader
base. They do if you get a chance. I

864
01:09:48,319 --> 01:09:57,520
know it's out there. It's fabulous right
there.

865
01:09:53,120 --> 01:10:02,480
» I read they do fabulous. Anyhow,
>> Jim, do you have another question? I I

866
01:09:59,440 --> 01:10:06,239
asked several
>> question

867
01:10:05,040 --> 01:10:11,040
keep the questions.
>> So first of all Pat in the past your

868
01:10:08,960 --> 01:10:16,000
organization has given money as shown on
the chart. Will that continue or is the

869
01:10:13,920 --> 01:10:20,000
are these funds how's that delineate?
Will these new funds just be for

870
01:10:18,400 --> 01:10:24,640
administrative going toward buildings
and upkeep and running the exp?

871
01:10:22,960 --> 01:10:28,239
» Yes, that's what they'd be going for and
to help we'll end up with a mortgage

872
01:10:26,640 --> 01:10:32,400
after we're finished with this. So, we
have a we did get a significantly large

873
01:10:30,960 --> 01:10:36,159
grant from the Commonwealth, like $4
million towards this new building, which

874
01:10:34,320 --> 01:10:40,880
is great, recognizing the economic
impact the expo center has on Lebanon

875
01:10:38,239 --> 01:10:45,920
County, but that $4 million is not
available until after the building is

876
01:10:43,040 --> 01:10:50,640
complete and up and satisfied, but the
state is satisfied. So, we're borrowing

877
01:10:48,719 --> 01:10:55,120
money in the interim to get the building
up and running, but it would be used for

878
01:10:52,800 --> 01:11:00,880
operations and marketing. But I have to
tell you, the visitors bureau has done a

879
01:10:58,480 --> 01:11:04,480
great job marketing the expo center and
I really appreciate what Nancy and Rick

880
01:11:03,280 --> 01:11:07,840
are doing over there. The whole board
has been very supportive. But I don't

881
01:11:06,320 --> 01:11:11,280
know if I've answered your question.
>> Yeah, you have. And then something that

882
01:11:10,000 --> 01:11:14,880
follow up with Commissioner Lick said
earlier. What accountability will there

883
01:11:13,360 --> 01:11:19,280
be? Obviously, they come here, their
portion, it's public meeting, left town

884
01:11:17,120 --> 01:11:23,199
reports out on it. How will we know
moving forward

885
01:11:21,280 --> 01:11:29,199
where the money's going and to whom and
will there be um auditing of of this for

886
01:11:26,800 --> 01:11:33,360
for the county? Like how will how will
we know as media outlets where the money

887
01:11:31,920 --> 01:11:38,159
is going and how these funds are being
distributed? I think there's a lot of

888
01:11:35,440 --> 01:11:42,080
things that we need to to um work out.
Um and once we get the committee in

889
01:11:40,320 --> 01:11:46,400
place, those are all the sorts of things
that they'll be discussing along with

890
01:11:43,760 --> 01:11:52,000
the rubric that you asked about earlier
um to kind of put that together. We are

891
01:11:48,640 --> 01:11:57,600
a 501c6. So ultimately the end of the
day, our 990 is public um and is filed

892
01:11:55,280 --> 01:12:02,640
on a yearly basis. So that information
is publicly available on our

893
01:11:59,440 --> 01:12:07,280
organization at any time. Um we do also
present a report um as well to the

894
01:12:04,880 --> 01:12:10,960
treasurer's office each year as I
believe the expo center does as well.

895
01:12:09,440 --> 01:12:15,199
» It would be possible to be able to
report to the commissioners too on

896
01:12:12,080 --> 01:12:17,920
whether grand
>> would be a good idea.

897
01:12:16,000 --> 01:12:21,840
» And my final question is will some of
these that you believe that some of

898
01:12:19,440 --> 01:12:25,679
these people have been here on the past
will come off the list in the future

899
01:12:23,520 --> 01:12:31,760
just because of the way the funding is
now being distributed. I I think that um

900
01:12:28,880 --> 01:12:36,080
first of all, I wasn't privy to whatever
all of their applications. So, I really

901
01:12:34,080 --> 01:12:39,920
wouldn't want to speak to that. Um not
having seen the applications and not

902
01:12:37,920 --> 01:12:44,159
knowing, you know, what the requests
were being used for. Um

903
01:12:42,159 --> 01:12:47,520
» if I could help the answer is not
necessarily. It's going to be, you know,

904
01:12:46,000 --> 01:12:48,320
we're going to try to help everybody we
can,

905
01:12:47,840 --> 01:12:53,040
» right?
>> Uh you mean we've we've traditionally

906
01:12:50,480 --> 01:12:58,640
supported the CLA for flowers downtown.
That doesn't put one single head in a

907
01:12:54,800 --> 01:13:02,960
bed. Uh I would argue uh some might
argue differently but it's an important

908
01:13:00,960 --> 01:13:07,280
investment in you know beautifification
of art. So again, we're going to try if

909
01:13:05,360 --> 01:13:10,400
it's a we're the organization and we
have the funds to do it, we're going to

910
01:13:08,640 --> 01:13:14,159
try to find a way to help them,
>> right? And the other thing that you know

911
01:13:12,000 --> 01:13:18,000
that we're hopeful of as well is you
know that the expo center and places

912
01:13:16,080 --> 01:13:21,600
like In the Neck can generate additional
overnight accommodations now that we

913
01:13:19,840 --> 01:13:27,760
have an additional facility that is
available. And so as that happens um

914
01:13:25,360 --> 01:13:32,880
then the additional pot of money becomes
greater as well for all of us to

915
01:13:30,320 --> 01:13:37,360
utilize. again to to go back to your
point to help more of those

916
01:13:34,719 --> 01:13:41,120
organizations. So, um so that's really
our goal, but we will probably have to

917
01:13:39,600 --> 01:13:46,560
prioritize
um or you know certain things and and

918
01:13:44,000 --> 01:13:53,360
you know we will have to create a rubric
that that looks at that.

919
01:13:51,199 --> 01:13:57,760
» But we do recognize that that it's
important to have a vibrant community

920
01:13:55,840 --> 01:14:00,159
» here that people want to come to.
>> Correct.

921
01:13:58,159 --> 01:14:02,640
» So we we do recognize that. we have that
discussion too,

922
01:14:01,280 --> 01:14:07,679
» just like you wouldn't invite somebody
over to your house if you hadn't

923
01:14:04,000 --> 01:14:11,040
cleaned. Um, same same scenario. If you,
you know, don't have a nice looking

924
01:14:09,360 --> 01:14:15,440
town, you know, you're not going to want
to invite people here to come and and

925
01:14:12,640 --> 01:14:18,719
visit it. So, um, so that's all very
very important.

926
01:14:18,640 --> 01:14:22,560
Do
>> I have a motion and a second on favor?

927
01:14:20,719 --> 01:14:26,960
Additional questions or comments?
>> Would those com just one I'm sorry.

928
01:14:24,400 --> 01:14:31,199
Would those committee meetings uh once
the committee is established be public

929
01:14:28,960 --> 01:14:34,960
meetings? I don't know that we've really
talked about that at this point, Laura,

930
01:14:33,040 --> 01:14:37,920
but you know, something we can certainly
discuss.

931
01:14:35,520 --> 01:14:45,199
» You would think they would be advertised
and because it's a government funding

932
01:14:41,600 --> 01:14:50,159
and uh open to the public.
>> I'm not sure of the legalities on that.

933
01:14:48,400 --> 01:14:55,640
So, I don't want to speak to something
that I'm not I can certainly ask the

934
01:14:52,640 --> 01:14:55,640
question.

935
01:14:55,840 --> 01:15:01,840
Okay. Great.
>> Okay. Any additional questions or

936
01:15:00,239 --> 01:15:04,159
comments?
All in favor of the motion, please say

937
01:15:03,440 --> 01:15:07,520
I.
>> I opposed.

938
01:15:05,440 --> 01:15:14,880
» I
two one. You have our approval and we'll

939
01:15:09,600 --> 01:15:20,560
move that process forward to uh
look into the proper procedure to to

940
01:15:18,000 --> 01:15:25,679
move us forward. So again, thank you for
the collaborative effort to come up with

941
01:15:23,600 --> 01:15:29,360
a proposal that I think is going to
benefit us. But again, we'll just have

942
01:15:27,280 --> 01:15:35,760
to kind of put this committee together,
put the put the rules and and procedures

943
01:15:32,239 --> 01:15:41,400
together and uh move forward.
>> Thank you for your

944
01:15:38,080 --> 01:15:41,400
» Thank you all.

945
01:15:43,440 --> 01:15:47,920
» Well, Mr. Consistent,
>> I'm sorry.

946
01:15:45,920 --> 01:15:53,640
» Mr. Consistent.
I try to be

947
01:15:50,080 --> 01:15:53,640
a hotel cap.

948
01:15:53,760 --> 01:16:00,000
» I was going to say if you need anything
from me in that process, please just

949
01:15:56,960 --> 01:16:05,040
reach out. I mean, if I'm not here
tomorrow and Monday, we're closed, but

950
01:16:03,600 --> 01:16:06,960
let me know if there's anything else I
can provide for you.

951
01:16:06,080 --> 01:16:10,480
» Okay. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Nancy.

952
01:16:09,199 --> 01:16:12,400
Thank you.
>> All right, Jamie. I think we're up to

953
01:16:12,000 --> 01:16:17,120
you.
>> All right. Uh, four items here. The

954
01:16:14,719 --> 01:16:22,960
first being uh commission for women
appointments to vacancies. Um part of

955
01:16:20,560 --> 01:16:29,679
your packet they are Katherine Joseph
and Paige Rivera Bansler. These would be

956
01:16:26,400 --> 01:16:36,080
terms that uh if filled would go to 1231
of 2029.

957
01:16:32,560 --> 01:16:42,000
» Make a motion to appoint um Katherine
Joseph and Paige Bonsler to the

958
01:16:39,600 --> 01:16:46,239
commission for women.
>> We'll second that motion. Motion a

959
01:16:43,920 --> 01:16:52,320
second. Other questions or comments? Not
all in favor, please say I.

960
01:16:48,000 --> 01:16:57,600
» I sign and that approved.
>> Next, I have u a resignation for your

961
01:16:55,040 --> 01:17:04,239
acceptance from LOL Broen, who has been
a 16-year member of the Lebanon Transit

962
01:17:00,719 --> 01:17:09,360
Board of Directors. Um I personally can
remember LOL first calling here to

963
01:17:07,120 --> 01:17:15,120
express his interest. He's originally
from Schaerstown area. He moved to

964
01:17:12,400 --> 01:17:18,960
Lehigh Valley, served on a transit board
there for a pretty long time, retired,

965
01:17:17,040 --> 01:17:24,159
moved back to the area, and expressed
interest. He's been on the board for 16

966
01:17:21,199 --> 01:17:30,719
years. So, he's uh he's stepping down
now and ask for your approval on that.

967
01:17:27,280 --> 01:17:34,800
» Absolutely. With regret, thanks.
>> Second motion, a second. And I'll note

968
01:17:32,800 --> 01:17:39,920
that we prepared a certificate of
appreciation to be presented to the I

969
01:17:37,280 --> 01:17:42,960
serve on as our ladies on on Lebanon
transit board. So we'll be presenting

970
01:17:41,360 --> 01:17:48,480
that later this month and it mean it's
in recognition and appreciation

971
01:17:46,000 --> 01:17:52,960
Bergen of your time and dedicated
service contributing

972
01:17:50,480 --> 01:17:58,640
to the Lebanon transit board for over 16
years. Thanks to the people like you for

973
01:17:55,920 --> 01:18:01,440
making a difference in our communities.
Questions or comments regarding that

974
01:18:00,159 --> 01:18:10,239
motion?
>> Adopt that or just uh certificate. Yeah.

975
01:18:08,080 --> 01:18:14,800
So all in favor
>> I

976
01:18:10,880 --> 01:18:19,280
» I the same side that
>> we'll see if we can get that maybe here

977
01:18:16,719 --> 01:18:26,320
at least a couple things. Okay. Next I
have a hotel tax grant fund application

978
01:18:22,400 --> 01:18:32,000
from legend on stage which is uh
presenting a Logan Brinson Elvis

979
01:18:28,560 --> 01:18:38,159
Festival at the Eagles banquet hall.
The cost for this total project is

980
01:18:34,560 --> 01:18:45,199
$12,000. are requesting $2,000 in a
grant from the hotel tax fund and

981
01:18:41,360 --> 01:18:50,880
provided a a narrative of the the event.
The uh proceeds of the event are used to

982
01:18:48,320 --> 01:18:54,800
benefit uh children in Lebanon County,
the lowest Foundation uh for special

983
01:18:53,199 --> 01:19:01,199
needs, handicapped and disabled
children. And uh they list all the

984
01:18:57,760 --> 01:19:07,679
expenses they have. He did not submit a
number of quantity of of attendees that

985
01:19:04,400 --> 01:19:10,400
stay in local hotels, but u is asked and
recommends.

986
01:19:08,320 --> 01:19:13,679
» He said the majority of the attendees
are

987
01:19:11,120 --> 01:19:19,760
» uh he said yeah more out of town
attendees than locals. He said yeah.

988
01:19:16,640 --> 01:19:23,679
» Make a motion to approve the application
uh for $2,000 for the Logan Brenson

989
01:19:22,560 --> 01:19:29,600
Elvis Festival.
>> Second motion and second questions or

990
01:19:26,800 --> 01:19:33,560
comments? curious. I thought we got rid
of this responsibility.

991
01:19:33,679 --> 01:19:40,080
» All in favor of the motion, please say
I.

992
01:19:36,239 --> 01:19:45,520
» I on the same side.
>> Lastly, I have two uh requests to

993
01:19:42,560 --> 01:19:50,000
approve grant applications from the
county to the Pennsylvania county

994
01:19:46,880 --> 01:19:54,560
richool, our uh property and liability
insurance carrier. They, you know,

995
01:19:52,000 --> 01:20:00,880
provide annually a
a grant fund for us to do improvements

996
01:19:58,080 --> 01:20:09,520
and repairs to things that would either
prevent or reduce our potential loss uh

997
01:20:05,760 --> 01:20:12,960
losses or prevent losses. And and two
here being recommended from the safety

998
01:20:11,280 --> 01:20:19,360
committee. They are the first one is for
the area agency on aging to replace the

999
01:20:17,360 --> 01:20:26,400
uh
the kitchen fire suppression system over

1000
01:20:23,199 --> 01:20:30,960
at the Lebanon Area Agency on Aging. As
you know, they have a kitchen there for

1001
01:20:27,679 --> 01:20:36,080
certain events that they have and the uh
the system that is currently there is

1002
01:20:33,199 --> 01:20:42,320
obsolete. Um cylinders need to be
replaced and and disposed of etc. And

1003
01:20:39,120 --> 01:20:46,120
they have an estimate uh for that or
cost for that of $4,98.25

1004
01:20:47,040 --> 01:20:54,320
along with a there's a they first aid
kit to be replaced there for about 30

1005
01:20:51,600 --> 01:21:00,000
bucks as well. Uh the other is for the
sheriff's department and this would be

1006
01:20:56,640 --> 01:21:05,920
to replace a prisoner transport sideep
assembly on one of their transport vans.

1007
01:21:03,360 --> 01:21:10,159
Uh we looked over we considered this on
Monday at the safety committee meeting

1008
01:21:07,280 --> 01:21:15,920
and it's very deteriorated and rusty and
it's not a not a good u not good

1009
01:21:12,960 --> 01:21:22,280
condition much much anymore. So there's
an estimate to replace that step system

1010
01:21:18,480 --> 01:21:22,280
of the van at $2,893.60

1011
01:21:22,400 --> 01:21:29,760
to approve that
>> second motion second questions comments.

1012
01:21:27,120 --> 01:21:32,159
All in favor, please say I. I. Same
sign.

1013
01:21:31,040 --> 01:21:37,199
» Have that approval.
>> And you do have assessment appeals this

1014
01:21:34,400 --> 01:21:41,920
afternoon at 1:30.
>> Do we have any executive session?

1015
01:21:39,280 --> 01:21:46,719
» Um, I think 11:15
trying to get an executive session for

1016
01:21:45,040 --> 01:21:50,480
the likelihood we'll have an executive
session discuss personnel matters

1017
01:21:48,400 --> 01:21:57,199
following this meeting. Is there
anything else for the good of the order?

1018
01:21:53,040 --> 01:22:02,080
I would like to again remind everyone um
um Nancy talked about the food drive and

1019
01:21:59,760 --> 01:22:06,800
that's associated with fireworks uh that
were SK are scheduled for Saturday night

1020
01:22:05,280 --> 01:22:10,480
that we were supposed to have on the 4th
of July. Uh but weather didn't

1021
01:22:09,199 --> 01:22:14,560
cooperate, but it looks like the
weather's going to cooperate for

1022
01:22:11,760 --> 01:22:21,840
Saturday and those fireworks should go
off around 8:30ish. Uh big program prior

1023
01:22:18,719 --> 01:22:25,040
to and I'll remind everybody, please put
your trash in the containers.

1024
01:22:23,600 --> 01:22:28,280
Commissioner Phillips and I will be the
trash student.

1025
01:22:28,960 --> 01:22:33,480
So that I entertain a motion to adjourn.

1026
01:22:33,760 --> 01:22:37,120
return. Thank you.