Jan 25 2024 – MontCo Board of Commissioners Meeting

AI meeting summary:
The board meeting begins with a late start, and the district attorney leads the pledge of allegiance. The chair acknowledges Judge Nicole Tate Phillips for receiving an award. School board members are honored for their hard work in supporting children and teachers. Several county employees are recognized as “way to go” winners for their outstanding contributions. Commissioner Makiza discusses the policy to count ballots with incorrect years and announces plans to modernize law enforcement through a record management system. Commissioner Benner highlights his focus on homelessness and public safety initiatives. EMS issues are discussed at a meeting, and the county plans to conduct an EMS study to help alleviate problems in local communities.
The speaker met with the police chief association and got an overview of how well the police departments work together. They also had a meeting with Sheriff Kalkenny and were impressed by his team and the operation they have in place. The speaker praised the sheriff’s department and the district attorney’s department, calling them top-notch. They then transitioned to discussing heart health month, emphasizing that heart disease is preventable through healthy lifestyle choices. Various activities and initiatives were mentioned to raise awareness for heart health during February. Finally, the district attorney spoke about the need for a new record management system in Montgomery County to improve data sharing among law enforcement agencies and increase transparency. He highlighted that current systems are not compatible or efficient in providing accurate crime data, which hinders decision-making processes.
The county has been investing in a system to improve communication and data sharing between departments, but some departments are not yet on board. The goal is to encourage participation by funding the system initially for the departments. There have been challenges with getting all departments to adopt the new system, but it is seen as crucial for improving efficiency and accuracy. The speaker suggests continuing support for this initiative and future endeavors related to it. There is discussion about voting on the issue soon or waiting. A member of the public raises concerns about tax increases over a four-year period and requests more transparency in budget expenditures. Another member of the public questions the need for spending taxpayer dollars on projects like a justice center and asks for documentation justifying expenses related to planning commissions. Various suggestions are made regarding ways to help the community, such as promoting healthy activities through rec centers, supporting programs that improve birth outcomes among black mothers, addressing homelessness through initiatives similar to those in Philadelphia’s Center City District, and creating job opportunities for veterans that contribute to cleaner parks. Concerns are raised about increasing taxes compared to other counties and calls for responsible financial management given federal budget deficits. Suggestions include scheduling trials efficiently, being mindful of tax-friendly environments that attract businesses, exploring remote work options as a cost-saving measure, following clear guidelines regarding dating ballots accurately during elections, considering redesigning mail-in ballot materials for clearer instructions and fewer rejections, and encouraging voters to vote in person whenever possible due to potential errors with mail-in ballots.
Barbara Furman expressed her appreciation for the board of commissioners’ willingness to listen to voters and taxpayers. However, she disagreed with the decision to count undated ballots based on a lower court ruling that was temporarily blocked by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. She argued that they should wait for the appellate court’s ruling before making any decisions. Another individual mentioned that there is a need for clarity on act 77 and hopes that the court or legislative body will provide guidance on this matter. The transcript then moves on to discuss other topics such as approving minutes from a previous meeting, authorization of county bridge postings, and amendments to community development block grant programs.
A contract with the Central Perk Yeoman Valley Regional Planning Commission involving six municipalities is discussed. The contract includes updating a comprehensive plan and implementing greenway and stewardship programs. The authorization of property transfer for County Bridge 44 is also approved, ensuring consistency in ownership during the bridge’s rebuilding project. Additionally, personnel approval, advertisement of bids and rfps, and contract awards are all discussed and approved. There is a suggestion to invite representatives from Laura House and Mission Kids to present on child trafficking in the future. Finally, salary board presentations are made and approved before adjourning the meeting.
Action items:
Follow-ups and action items from the transcript include:

1. Follow up on the weather events and acknowledge the teams and public safety personnel who helped ensure the safety of roads and sidewalks during the weather events.
2. Acknowledge Judge Nicole Tate Phillips for her presence and contribution.
3. Recognize and appreciate the work of the school board members and former colleagues from the Norristown Area School Board.
4. Announce and acknowledge the winners of the “Way to Go” awards, including Tom Benner, Mafalda Carrado Hassan, Ray Height, Megan, Daniel Pickle, and Camille.
5. Mention the upcoming Black History Month program in February and invite Montgomery County residents to participate.
6. Discuss the district attorney’s presentation on the records management system and express support for the project.
7. Request information on the 34% increase in taxes over the next four years and ask for a line item breakdown of the expenditures.
8. Express interest in learning more about the planning commission’s activities and justification for their expenditures.
9. Request a presentation on child trafficking and raise awareness about the issue.
10. Approve the minutes from the previous meeting on January 11, 2024.
11. Authorize the advertisement of bids and RFQs for Montgomery County.
12. Approve the contract awards, amendments, and renewals for Montgomery County.
13. Approve the property transfer of County Bridge number 44 in Abington Township.
14. Approve the amendments to the 2019 annual action plan for the Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus funding.
15. Apply for the TD Bank Charitable Foundation Housing for Everyone funding competition.
16. Approve the personnel list for January 25, 2024.
17. Adjourn the meeting.

Please note that these are inferred follow-ups and action items based on the content of the transcript.
Outline:
Chapter 1: Introductions and Overview
04:08 – Introduction of participants
09:41 – Commissioner Makiza’s comments about exciting things happening in the meeting
16:45 – Overview of the meeting
Chapter 2: Presentation on Heart Health Month
17:58 – Announcement of a presentation on heart health from David
19:37 – David begins the presentation
22:49 – Discussion about connecting with the right people for support
23:22 – Importance of creating a team for the journey
24:26 – Conclusion of the presentation
Chapter 3: Public Comment and Discussion
25:00 – Public comment session begins
25:26 – Discussion about the RMS system project
27:30 – Importance of transparency and moving forward with the project
29:13 – Request for Mr. Devella’s help with the project
30:13 – Encouragement to move the project forward
Chapter 4: Discussion on Expenditures and Budgets
37:01 – Discussion about reviewing expenditures and budgets
39:24 – Mention of a future presentation on the justice center project
Chapter 5: Proactive Ways to Help the Public
40:38 – Presentation on proactive ways to help the public
43:44 – Conclusion of the presentation
Chapter 6: Discussion on Ballot Marking and Declaration
43:52 – Marilyn Mueller discusses marking of incorrectly dated ballots
44:29 – Reference to Act twelve and Department of State statements
Chapter 7: Approval of Meeting Minutes
51:58 – Proposal to approve the minutes from the previous meeting
Chapter 8: Resolution and Board Comments
57:52 – Presentation of a resolution for public comment
58:45 – Motion to approve the resolution
59:25 – Summary of the plan for submission
Chapter 9: Updates and Board Comments
1:02:38 – Discussion about ongoing work and implementation
1:04:38 – Board comments and motion carried
Chapter 10: Personnel and Salary Board
1:04:57 – Presentation of the personnel list
1:05:16 – Motion to approve the personnel presentation
1:05:53 – Presentation of the salary board list
1:09:22 – Motion to approve the salary board presentation
Chapter 11: Meeting Conclusion
1:09:58 – Final board comments
1:10:04 – Meeting adjourned
Notes:
Pledge of allegiance to the flag.
Introductions are made.
Exciting things discussed in the meeting.
A presentation on heart health and ways to help.
Public comments and questions.
Discussion on data management and analysis.
Request for line item expenditure information.
Discussion on incorrectly dated ballots.
Approval of meeting minutes.
Request for two orders of business.
Presentation on a resolution.
Board comments and vote.
Personnel list presented for consideration.
Discussion on contracts and salary board.
Meeting adjourned.
Note: The shorthand bullet-point notes are created based on the information provided in the transcript.