Bucks County Commissioners Highlight the “Value of Partnerships” During Bi-Monthly Meeting
Cooperation with Heritage Conservancy, County Row Officers and Local Municipalities Benefits Taxpayers on Multiple Levels
As the Board of Bucks County Commissioners unanimously approved contract resolutions for 12 departments today during its regularly scheduled, bi-monthly meeting, the theme of positive collaboration repeatedly occupied the spotlight.
“We continue to seek ways to provide premium government services in a manner that is efficient and balanced,” said Chairman Charles H. Martin, who noted that the commissioners’ proposed formation of the Delaware River Flood Task Force brought the county “full circle” with respect to the Drought Task Force that was convened back in 1999.
The overarching theme of both task forces: providing safety, service and quality of life options for Bucks County residents.
Along those lines, a 57-acre conservation easement on Springfield Township’s Cory Property represented another joint venture with Doylestown’s Heritage Conservancy. With the county providing $311,000 of the total acquisition cost of $5,500 per acre, it also signaled what Heritage Vice President of Resource Protection Jeff Marshall described as a means to preserve “the most amount of land for the least amount of money.”
The Cory Property, which is contiguous to land previously preserved by the Bucks County Agricultural Land Preservation Program, is rated a “priority 1” on the county’s Natural Areas Inventory list.
During his report, Chief Operating Officer Sanko applauded Heritage for its partnership with county Open Space endeavors. He also praised county Row Officers – who joined forces to recommend a $1.7 million document imaging, work flow process and storage solutions contract with Bensalem’s Paperless Solutions, Inc. – for their commitment to service, efficiency and savings to county taxpayers.
Sanko also announced the commissioners’ empanelling of the Delaware River Flood Task Force, which will consist of one representative from each of the 17 municipalities that share Bucks County’s riverfront and ex officio members to include C.O.O. Sanko, Planning Commission Executive Director Lynn Bush, Emergency Services Director John Dougherty and Parks and Recreation Executive Director Bill Mitchell. The task force will be asked to serve as an implementation committee, acting on recent recommendations of a Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) report.
“I join with my colleagues to say we’re pleased to provide leadership on this issue,” said Commissioner James F. Cawley, Esq.
Commissioner Sandra A. Miller reiterated the county’s commitment to analyzing Delaware River options, noting that county officials have already taken the lead in the preparation and forwarding of state and federal assistance applications to the appropriate agencies.
Other highlights of the agenda included:
A $529,000 contract with Langhorne’s Cherry Steel to provide structural steel for the addition to the county emergency services building in Ivyland;
A $232,500 contract with Langhorne’s Raymond Kilroy, Jr., whose home was purchased for demolition as part of a parcel lying along the Neshaminy Creek floodplain in Middletown Twp.;
A $74,000 one-time grant for the refurbishing of the Bristol Twp. Senior Center in Levittown. According to Human Services Director Charles Kane, that work is proceeding without interruption to the senior center’s operating schedule.
Prior to the scheduled agenda, Joe Pettinati and Bethann McNamara, of CoMans, Inc., presented each commissioner a certificate of appreciation for their support of the organization’s programs. The commissioners also issued a pair of proclamations, one recognizing the first day of Spring and the many county recreational opportunities that accompany the onset of warmer weather, and one recognizing the March 28-29 Bucks County Resiliency Conference and Family Resource Expo.
Add comment March 27th, 2007