Dec 25, 2013 3 min read

• Date: Dec. 19

• Action: The commissioners unanimously adopted the 2014 budget of approximately $80.9 million with no increase in the tax levy of 24.9 mills.

An additional $20,000 will be paid to Civil and Environmental Consultants to complete design work on the Thompson Hill development in Cross Creek park for excavation and obtaining permits. Costs of the project, which will include a boat launch, parking lot and playground, will be paid with oil and gas revenues. Also at the request of the Planning Department, HRG Inc. will be paid an additional $3,750 for additional testing requirements to obtain permits for the horse barn to be constructed at the fairgrounds.

At the request of the Parks Department, the county will be spending $18,971 through a state contract for a Playworld Systems play web to be installed at Ten Mile park.

At the request of the Behavioral Health and Developmental Services Department, the commissioners approved $7,530 for meetings and events for volunteers, providers and outside groups over the course of 2014.

At the request of the county health center, the adult day care rates will increase to $50 for a full day and $28 for a half day, effective March 1. Also at the health center, the commissioners OKd’ the purchase of 30 desktop computers and 30 laptop computers at a cost of $57,206 through a state contract that does not require bidding.

At the request of the Building and Grounds Department, the commissioners approved additional spending with Florida Consulting LLC, Pittsburgh, to develop bid specifications for roofing repairs for the Courthouse Square office building and 911 Emergency Dispatch Center, which will cost $24,500; and for the jail, which will cost $3,000. The project has been approved to be paid for from the Act 13 Marcellus Shale Impact Fee. Also for the jail, the county will be purchasing a Hobart commercial dishwasher at a cost of $22,639.

At the request of probation services, the board OK’d the purchase of a 2014 GMC all-wheel-drive passenger van for the juvenile probation job training program through the state Department of General Services’ Costars contract, which does not require bidding.

• Appointments: Scott Fergus and Jim Lyle, through June 30, 2016, Tourism Promotion Board.

• Announcement: County offices will be closed Wednesday, Jan. 1, for New Year’s Day.

• Next meeting: 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 6, for salary board reorganization, and 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, for a business meeting. Both will be held in the public meeting room of the Courthouse Square office building.