Your business may be eligible for certification from the Pennsylvania Department of General Services if it is at least 51% owned by women, minorities, and/or veterans. The certification application is FREE, and the business retains the certification status for two years. There are many benefits to applying for certification, including using the designation as a marketing tool, accessing government contract incentives, and participating in corporate supplier diversity programs.

On Thursday, October 13, 2011, the County of Bucks Business Development Department, in conjunction with the Bucks County Commissioners, will present the annual workshop “Women, Minority, & Veteran Business Certification Made Easy” to be held at the Bucks County Bar Association (135 East State Street, Doylestown, PA 18901). The program begins promptly at 3:00 p.m. and concludes at 5:00 p.m., followed by a networking reception. The popular program will guide participants step-by-step through the application, and answer questions on the process. Professionals who provide financial, legal, and consulting services to businesses are also encouraged to attend.

The workshop and networking reception is proudly sponsored by Fulton Bank. Pre-registration is requested due to limited seating; however, the program is FREE. To register, contact the County of Bucks Business Development Administrator, Sonia Smith, at 215-345-3839 or at srsmith [AT] co.bucks.pa.us. At pre-registration, participants will be provided with the application, and encouraged to review the criteria and the documents.

The County of Bucks Business Development Department provides business start-up assistance, and helps companies sustain, expand, or enter the Bucks County market. Their free services include resource provision, workshop education, and networking opportunities. For more information about the county’s Business Development programs and offerings, please visit the official County of Bucks website.

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According to county Health Director Dr. David Damsker, the event will involve eight (8) large tents with two lanes each, for a total of 16 lanes. Health Department officials hope to inoculate 32 cars at a time in this “mega pod.” County officials have been working closely with both internal and external partners to firm up the drill’s logistics. These partners include the county Major Incident Response Team (MIRT), Sesame Place and Middletown Township. For a traffic diagram of the route to the flu drill site, please visit BucksCounty.org and click on the “5th Annual Pandemic Flu Drill” link in the middle of the home page.

The meeting opened with a round of congratulations for Commissioner Cawley, who was elected lieutenant governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on November 2. “It is the state’s gain, and our loss,” Chairman Martin told attendees in the Courthouse Community Room.

During the business portion of the meeting, the commissioners’ board approved 53 contract resolutions involving 15 county departments. The county Agricultural Preservation program continued its steady beat of acquisitions through the approval of conservation easements for the 66-acre Harrington Farm and the 99.88-acre Huntzinger Farm. Both properties are located in Springfield Township, lifting the number of farms preserved in that scenic upper Bucks County township to 18. With the two most-recent preservations, the Agricultural Preservation program has now protected 144 farms totaling 12,269 acres, according to Agricultural Preservation Director Rich Harvey.

The board approved a sub-grant agreement through the EPA for the Borough of Bristol to clean up a former steel-treating facility, and also approved a recommendation by the Industrial Development Authority to apply for a loan for Gelest, Inc. of Morrisville under the Recovery Zone Bonds initiative.

For Community and Business Development, the board approved submission of a $1,000,000 grant on behalf of the Penrose Corporation for a 60-unit housing project for low- and moderate-income senior citizens in Bensalem Township. The project has been approved by the township, and will more create jobs while providing quality of life for residents. The construction project will commence during the first quarter of 2011, according to Pennrose Corporation officials.

While all 53 contract resolutions passed, Commissioner Ellis-Marseglia voted against three individual items – a $343,133 contract to provide foster care services through The Impact Project, Inc of Emmaus, PA; a $92,230 contract to provide electric and common area maintenance at the District Court on Bristol Rd. in Bensalem; and a lease addendum for a county property currently under rental in Jamison. County General Services Director Jerry Anderson told the commissioners he will look for more favorable rental conditions for the District Court in Bensalem.

The meeting featured a pair of proclamations. Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month recognizes the estimated 43,140 individuals who will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in United States this year, including 36,800 who will die from the disease (approximately 2,000 of whom are Pennsylvanians). Commissioner Cawley read the proclamation, which went to Anthony Conte of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Commissioner Ellis-Marseglia added her personal touch in proclaiming November “Family Caregiver Month,” noting that her father currently cares for her mother in such a capacity. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the National Family Caregiver Support Program. As Commissioner Ellis-Marseglia noted, “The need for family caregivers is growing during a time when medicine and technology have helped us live longer, and people over age 85 are the fastest growing segment of the older adult population.”

During his chief operating officer’s report, county COO Brian Hessenthaler thanked the county Board of Elections for its “Herculean effort” under stressful conditions while counting absentee and provisional ballots over the last week. He also expressed his appreciation to the county Solicitor, Glenn Hains, and the county Security department. He also reported on the unveiling of the county’s 2011 preliminary budget (scheduled for Nov. 24), and energy savings that will result from recent Purchasing and Finance department efforts. The county has taken steps that will save approximately $550,000 over the first half of 2011.

The next meeting of the Board of Bucks County Commissioners will take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, December 1, in the Bucks County Courthouse Community Room. For an audio account of the meeting, please visit the official county website, BucksCounty.org, and click on the commissioners’ meetings link.

During the business portion of the meeting, Commissioners Charles H. Martin, chairman, Cawley, and Diane Ellis-Marseglia considered and adopted a slate of items from 15 departments. Among them was the first farm to be preserved in East Rockhill Township under the Agricultural Preservation program. With the 70-acre easement, program administrator Rich Harvey now counts 138 farms on 11,722 acres preserved in perpetuity. Open Space program coordinator Kris Kern also offered two properties for preservation, a 73-acre parcel in Bedminster Township and a 70-acre parcel in Nockamixon Township that she noted is within the Gallows Run watershed.
Several Health Department items were approved as part of phase 2 of the federal H1N1grant. Dr. David Damsker, director, noted that the equipment approved by the commissioners will allow the department to establish large-capacity points of dispensing in the event of a large health emergency.

One Corrections item was tabled from the agenda – a contract for fingerprint and imaging systems interface and administration.

Chief Operating Officer Brian Hessenthaler reported that PECO has planned a power outage for Thursday, June 3 at 11 p.m. through Friday, June 4 at 4 a.m. Those affected should have received notification from PECO. Additionally, he shared information on the Area Agency on Aging and the PA Department of Agriculture’s farmer’s market nutrition program. Those interested should call the AAA at 215-348-0510 to determine eligibility. Hessenthaler also congratulated Neshaminy Manor for earning the Excellence in Action award for a fourth consecutive year. In order to qualify for the Excellence in Action Award, a facility must score in the top 10 percent of overall customer satisfaction. During the most recent MyInnerView surveys, Neshaminy Manor received a customer satisfaction rating of 99.3 percent from long-term residents and their families.

Chief Clerk Lynn Bush provided meeting goers with an update on four municipalities who are recipients of the PECO Green Region grant program. They are New Britain township and borough, Doylestown Township and Morrisville Borough. She also lauded the dedication and meaningful work of Fred Groshens who recently tendered his resignation from the Open Space Advisory Board. Bush credited him with his policy development and vision from the program’s inception in 1997.

The next meeting of the Bucks County Commissioners will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 16 at the David Library, 1201 River Road, Washington Crossing.

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“This will be the largest public works project in county history,” Commissioner Cawley noted, adding that the projected $100 million cost is not an expenditure he wants to make, but rather one that is a “project we have to do” to create court and public safety space and to provide a high quality of service to Bucks County residents. Judge Scott underscored Cawley’s point by commending the commissioners’ board for its ongoing dedication to advancing the Justice Center planning.

The meeting also was conducted under a veil of sadness, as Chairman Martin opened by sharing the news that former county Solicitor Guy T. Matthews had passed away the previous evening. The chairman lauded Mr. Matthews, who was named the first full-time solicitor in county annals during January, 2006, as a “valued member of the Bucks County family.” Mr. Matthews resigned as full-time solicitor during March, 2008, and continued to serve the county as an assistant solicitor.

Mr. Anderson’s presentation was part of a commissioners meeting agenda that also included the approval of 41 contracts involving 18 county departments. Among them was a $773,882 contract with Langhorne’s Armour & Sons Electric, Inc. to provide vehicular improvements that will help facilitate the construction process for the Justice Center. This will include new traffic signals and lane patterns along Broad St. between Rte. 611 and the current county courthouse.

Chairman Martin traced the history of the Justice Center project back to a “space study” of 2001, when Barry McAndrews was the president judge and Martin was joined on the commissioners’ board by Michael G. Fitzpatrick and Sandra A. Miller. “I am the only one left standing,” Chairman Martin commented.

Highlights of the Justice Center review included visual aids that illustrated the:

• Site plan: The new building will be connected to Main St. by a pedestrian plaza, with a covered walkway leading from the new parking garage to the Justice Center
• Stacking diagram: The Justice Center will be “built from the inside out” to house four floors of offices and support spaces below three floors of courtrooms (13 overall) and the judges’ chambers on the top level. In addition, one floor of the building will be “shell space” for future expansion of the courts
• Ground floor plan: The building will have one point of entry for staff and visitors with ample room for security screening to occur in front of the public corridor and elevators
• Courts floor plan: The upper floors will contain three courtrooms in each wing of the building and separate circulation for the public, prisoners and judges/jurors/court staff. Each group will also have its owns elevators (nine elevators total) to enhance the security and functionality of the courts system in Bucks County. Mr. Anderson pointed to this separate circulation as an enormous improvement from the current Courthouse, where populations are commingled
• View from plaza: The building will feature a two-story lobby at the entry plaza facing Main St. It will have two angled wings with large bay windows that contain seating areas along the public hallways
• View from parking: Like many traditional building, it will have a base, middle and top. Pending further discussion with Doylestown Borough officials, it will have stone at the base, brick on the lower floors and Terra Cotta panels above, with a roof overhanging the sixth floor
• View from Shewell Avenue: The lower floors of the building are designed to form a brick podium that will extend to Shewell Ave. to tie in with the existing Armory building façade
• Expansion potential: The “shell” floor allows for the expansion of six additional courtrooms. This floor is located one floor below the judges’ chambers and courtrooms can be added as growth requires

According to Mr. Anderson, the new 1,200-space parking garage is “on schedule and on budget” for a June, 2010 ribbon cutting. At that time, the current parking garage will be demolished over a three-month span. Completion of the Justice Center will involve a “two-and-a-half to three-year build-out.” The commissioners have scheduled a public forum for input and comment about the Justice Center project for Thursday, Feb. 18 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Central Bucks West High School Auditorium (375 W. Court St., Doylestown, PA 18901). See www.BucksCounty.org for the series of renderings presented at yesterday’s meeting.

During the meeting, the commissioners issued a set of commendations to the county Health Department, the county Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), the county Major Incident Response Team (M.I.R.T.) and the county Emergency Management Agency (EMA) for their role in the recent H1N1 response throughout the county. Since November, those agencies have collaborated to issue more than 67,000 vaccines.

“It’s all about teamwork,” stated the county Health Director, Dr. David Damsker. “You can’t do anything, without everyone working together. We had the training, technology and capability to handle this.” Added Bristol Twp. Police John Godzieba, coordinator of the 125-officer M.I.R.T. team: “The level of domestic preparedness in Bucks County is outstanding. County residents should be proud of that.”

The approved business agenda items included a 65.33-acre agricultural conservation easement on the Kramer farm, which is located in Haycock and Springfield townships. The 136th farm the county has preserved since 1989 (for a total of 11,572 acres), it consists of 30 acres of cropland and a timber farm. According to county Agricultural Preservation Director Rich Harvey, it is the first farm preserved by the county that involves timber and forest management. Mr. Harvey noted that his “very popular” program currently has a waiting list of 63 farms.

For a full audio account of the meeting and a copy of the business agenda, please visit www.BucksCounty.org. The next meeting of the commissioners will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, February 3 in the Bucks County Courthouse, Doylestown.

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“All in all, our division leaders, department heads and court and row officials have done a real nice job getting us to this point,” Hessenthaler notes. “We will continue to explore ways to reduce expenditures between now and December 16 (when Commissioners Charles H. Martin, James F. Cawley, Esq. and Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia, LCSW will vote on the document).”

Underscoring the county’s prudent finance strategy, Bucks will carry over a projected general fund balance of $69.7 million entering 2010. Both Hessenthaler and Boscola praised the Board of Commissioners for its support of strengthening the general (or “rainy day”) fund. This fund has enabled the county to maintain a high level of services, fulfill contractual obligations, prevent layoffs, and continue to sustain its highest-ever ratings with credit agencies. As a result, these measures have led to reduced borrowing rates, yielding taxpayer savings.

Weighed against revenue projections, the proposed 2010 budget creates a $7.1 million gap. Detailing the reasons for the shortfall, Hessenthaler pointed to reductions in state funding, decrease in interest rates which negatively impacts interest earnings, and increased pension and healthcare costs. The amount budgeted for the 2010 pension contribution alone increased by almost $7.5 million compared to 2009.

As has been the case with previous budgets, the county’s Health and Human Services Division accounts for the largest portion of the entire operating budget, or 46 percent ($205.9 million). Departments under the realm of public safety comprise 31 percent ($137.6 million) of the total.

Another highlight is that the county thus far has been able to avoid layoffs. The preliminary budget shows a net reduction of two positions, which includes two vacant Planning Commission positions, one Board of Assessment slot that will not be filled due to attrition, and the addition of a full-time Spanish language interpreter for the Court of Common Pleas.

Hessenthaler explains that the commissioners have several alternatives to cover the $7.1 million shortfall as they consider adoption of a final budget, which traditionally has occurred during the final Commissioners’ Meeting of the calendar year: enact further cuts to expenditures, investigate additional sources of revenue, draw down the county’s general fund balance, raise taxes, or some combination thereof.

Chairman Martin strongly opposes a tax increase in the current economic climate, pointing out that the county’s existing string of three straight years with no property tax increase marks the first such streak since 1994-96. Since 2007, the county’s millage rate has been held steady at 21.942.

“Although we have reached the point where I am comfortable presenting this preliminary budget to the commissioners, we will continue exploring avenues to reduce the shortfall,” Hessenthaler reiterated. “This budget, with all of its challenges, remains a work in progress.”

During the upcoming weeks, the proposed 2010 budget will undergo close scrutiny by the Board of Commissioners. That process will include a public budget meeting, during which any interested member of the public will be encouraged to ask questions and offer input. The budget includes provisions for departments serving Bucks County residents such as the Emergency Management Agency, Fire Marshal, Consumer Protection, Military Affairs, Board of Elections, Mental Health/Mental Retardation, Health and Emergency Health, Area Agency on Aging, Children and Youth, and Parks and Recreation, among others. The budget also provides for courts and elected row offices, including the District Attorney, Clerk of Courts, Sheriff, Prothonotary, Controller, Recorder of Deeds, Register of Wills, Coroner and Treasurer.

To view the 2010 preliminary budget, please visit www.BucksCounty.org and click on the 2010 Preliminary Budget link on the home page. Stay tuned to the official county Web site for continuously updated information about the budget process.

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The first area to be treated will include Neshaminy State Park in Croydon, the adjoining marina, Avenues 1 through 4, Miller Ave., Delaware Ave. and River Rd. to Cedar Ave. The spray will involve both truck-mounted and ATV-mounted sprayers.

The second area will involve Snowden Ave. in West Bristol, as well as its adjoining woodland. This section will be treated using a walking backpack sprayer.

The chemical for both sprays will be Biomist 3+15 and/or Anvil 10+10. For additional information about West Nile Virus, please visit http://www.westnile.state.pa.us/.

The assignment of items was the second of its kind in the last two weeks. On January 30, the Morrisville Senior Center took possession of 13 items, which included desks, file cabinets and a metal coat rack.

“We are pleased to be able to help fulfill some of the needs of our many non-profit agencies throughout the county,” McElroy noted. “These donations represent a ‘win-win’ situation for county government and for the residents who rely on the participating agencies.”

Piano donated to the Lenape Valley Foundation.Commissioner Chairman Charles H. Martin reiterated that the county will “continue to poll our non-profits to determine their need for charitable giving, outside the realm of money.”

Lenape Valley Foundation programs combined to serve more than 9,000 individuals last year. LVF is a mental health, mental retardation and early intervention service provider. For more information about LVF, please visit its Web site, www.lenapevf.org.

“This is a significant step toward providing relief for the taxpayers of Bucks County, who have borne the burden of housing state inmates for too long,” Chairman Cawley noted. “We congratulate the members of the Bucks County delegation in Harrisburg for their foresight, and we ask that Gov. Rendell sign it into law as quickly as possible.”

The bills call for confinement reimbursement (HB4), permission for counties to utilize state Department of Corrections (DOC) transportation resources to move inmates as well as to encourage the use of video conferencing (HB5), authority for county judges to grant parole to inmates serving state sentences (HB6) and improvements to the process by which the DOC can transfer seriously ill inmates to receive care (HB7).

During April, the Board of Commissioners sent a letter to the Bucks County delegation, urging it to “support the entire four-bill prison reform package without amendment.”

Approximately 12 percent of inmates who are serving state sentences in Bucks County’s maximum/minimum custody facilities are serving state sentences. The cost to house inmates in the Bucks County Correctional Facility (BCCF) is $85 per day per inmate. The cost to house inmates in the Men’s and Women’s Community Corrections Center is $62 per day per inmate. Together, those inmates cost the county more than $5 million annually.

Neshaminy Manor was one of only four nursing homes from Pennsylvania to receive this honor. Nationally, 299 facilities were awarded out of over 3,000 that submitted surveys. Neshaminy Manor was recognized by My InnerView as, “achieving a high level of excellence in overall facility quality.”

“Neshaminy Manor is one of the jewels in Bucks County’s crown,” praised Commissioner Chairman Jim Cawley, adding, “We are very proud to offer the finest care available to the seniors of our community.”

Representatives from Genesis Healthcare, the management body of Neshaminy Manor, were on hand July 2 to personally award the honor to the administration and staff during a reception in the nursing home’s lobby rotunda.

The award was presented to facilities reaching a 30% or greater response rate, and scored in the top 10% of qualifying facilities on the question, “What is your recommendation of this facility to others?” Neshaminy Manor had a 49.5% response rate, with an average 69% rating of excellence.

Neshaminy Manor Administrator Evelyn Koslowski said, “It is through our staff dedication and caring as well as family collaboration that we are able to achieve these high grades in such a competitive and regulatory environment. It is with great pride that I thank the staff for their clinical leadership, program management, and most of all their personal approach to resident-centered care.”

“I encourage all voters who haven’t used the county’s new machines yet to either watch our instructional video or actually test out the voting machine,” Dean noted.  There are several ways to learn to use the machines.

• Go to www.BucksCounty.org, click on the Bucks Votes icon and scroll down to the second link, Bucks Votes instructional video to view the video.
• Visit the Bucks County Courthouse in Doylestown during normal business hours to view the video and then participate in a demonstration.
• Tune in to Comcast Channel 96 during programming to view the video (weekdays noon to 1 p.m.., 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. to midnight; weekends 7  to 11 p.m.) 
• Visit the Lower Bucks Government Services Center, Levittown, during normal business hours to participate in a demonstration.
• Go to www.BucksCounty.org, click on the Bucks Votes icon and scroll down to the first link to view or print a voting guide.
• All polling places will have copies of the guide, which features step-by-step instructions, as well as county libraries.

Dean also reminds the public that all voters who appear at a polling place for the first time must show proof of identification.  Approved forms of photo identification include:

• Pennsylvania driver’s license or PennDOT ID card
• ID issued by any Commonwealth agency
• ID issued by the U.S. Government
• U.S. passport
• U.S. Armed Forces ID
• Student ID
• Employee ID