Mifflin County approves $3 million school redevelopment cooperation, $1 million courthouse swap and several contracts and grants

Mifflin County commissioners approved a package of cooperative agreements, service contracts, grants and personnel actions during their regular meeting.

The board approved a cooperation agreement with the Mifflin County School District allocating $3,000,000 in redevelopment assistance capital funding to support a sports-complex project. Commissioners noted the funds were reallocated after an originally planned academy renovation did not proceed. Separately, the board approved an agreement repurposing $1,000,000 originally set aside for the Mifflin County Academy to fund renovation of the historic courthouse; the county will support a future $1,000,000 project at the academy in exchange.

The commissioners approved a monthly $2,500 contract with the law office of Brian Baker to provide court-appointed counsel for custodial parents in child-welfare cases through the county's Children & Youth Services for the 2026 calendar year. The board also approved a purchase-of-service agreement with Sandra Herto for cleaning services for Magisterial District Judge 58-3-03 at $240 per month for 2026.

The board approved a five-year dark-fiber agreement that positions the county as the applicant and conduit for services connecting a warehouse and various agencies; commissioners discussed long-standing users including the school district, MCTV, the water company and county facilities and approved the agreement by voice vote.

Chair (Speaker 1) reported a state food-pantry grant continuation of $97,567.96 — about a $15,000 increase — to be passed through the county's human services department to local food pantries. The board also approved a professional administrative services agreement for the 2024 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, with Madison Price (branch liaison) explaining that the administrator will manage 2024 funds and that a portion of administrative fees ($127,300 mentioned in the meeting) is allocated for county administration.

Finally, commissioners approved five personnel items: the resignation of Reese Divor (corrections officer) effective Nov. 17; the transfer of Elizabeth Morrison to custodian effective Dec. 2; hiring for DIPSTAT (panel of Grassley) effective Dec. 8; rescinding the hiring of Timothy North for a part-time corrections officer position; and hiring Brian Spickler as Children & Youth caseworker effective Dec. 8.

Votes at a glance: motions authorizing the school cooperation agreement, the $1 million reallocation for courthouse renovation, the Brian Baker contract, the Sandra Herto cleaning contract, the dark fiber agreement, the food pantry grant continuation, the CDBG administrative services agreement, and the personnel items were each approved by voice vote during the meeting.