Blair County commissioners approve consent agenda, bids and grants during Feb. 5 meeting
February 05, 2026 | Blair County, Pennsylvania
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The Blair County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 5 approved a slate of routine but consequential actions, authorizing contracts, accepting grants and moving forward on infrastructure and blight-remediation work.
At the start of the meeting commissioners ratified a consent agenda that included warrant lists and a small 2025 budget transfer for maintenance at the APO Annex and several personnel items.
County staff then presented a one-year maintenance agreement for the courthouse recording system with SDM Electronics covering five software mixers. The board approved the contract for the period 12/31/2025 through 12/30/2026; the county noted the annual cost rose by $40 from the prior year.
Public-safety staff requested approval of an updated commercial alarm agreement with the James E. Van Zandt Veterans Hospital for 07/01/2025–06/30/2026. County counsel modified contract language to accommodate the hospital’s status as a federal entity; the board approved the agreement.
The commissioners accepted bids for the Blair County parking garage rehabilitation project across three contracts — general, plumbing and electrical — and authorized staff to award or reject per county code after the required advertisement period. As part of the garage project the board approved a right-of-access agreement with property owners Mark and Susan Henry for 411 Mulberry Street, Hollidaysburg, providing $500 per month in compensation while the easement is in use. A commissioner requested, and the board approved, a clarification to the record replacing the phrase “easement is in place” with “easement is in use.”
Juvenile probation staff secured multiple approvals: acceptance of a Victims of Juvenile Offenders subgrant (PCCD subgrant number 2024VF0744558-2) for $33,540 effective Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2026; approval of the FY 2024–25 financial statement for juvenile services grant expenditures ($146,839); submission of the FY 24–25 equitable compensation letter to the Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Judges' Commission; and an agreement to use the Youth Level of Service (YLS) case management inventory at $4 per assessment for 2026. A juvenile probation representative explained the YLS assessment categorizes youth as low, moderate or high risk to reoffend and aligns supervision and services accordingly.
Social services staff requested and received approval for a Blair County Demolition Fund disbursement to the city of Altoona to assist with demolition of 15 properties totaling $78,120.20. County staff said the demolition funds are sourced from county-collected mortgage and demolition fees and that the city will provide a matching contribution.
Fort Roberdeau representatives obtained approval for two advertising contracts: a quarter-page, four-color ad in the Blair County Chamber membership directory ($750) and a series of special-edition placements in the Altoona Mirror during 2026 ($3,125.50).
County engineering staff also won ratification of construction plans and advertisement for County Bridge No. 33 in Logan Township (T-456 Old Mill Run Road) and confirmed the bid letting schedule and the five-week advertisement requirement.
The commissioner's office presented a temporary lease of three parking spaces at 208 Union Street, Hollidaysburg, with Mark T. Greenridge, effective Jan. 1–March 31, 2026, at $25 per space per month for two CYF vehicles and one district attorney vehicle; commissioners clarified the spaces were not for commissioner personal use and the lease was approved.
With no old business remaining, the board adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, at 10 a.m. in the same meeting room.
Quotes from the meeting include a brief operational explanation of the YLS assessment from juvenile probation staff: "Youth level of service, case management inventory is an assessment done on every youth coming into our department... it assesses whether they are low, moderate or high risk to reoffend and then the services it aligns with services that probation officers ... can put in place for the youth."
At the start of the meeting commissioners ratified a consent agenda that included warrant lists and a small 2025 budget transfer for maintenance at the APO Annex and several personnel items.
County staff then presented a one-year maintenance agreement for the courthouse recording system with SDM Electronics covering five software mixers. The board approved the contract for the period 12/31/2025 through 12/30/2026; the county noted the annual cost rose by $40 from the prior year.
Public-safety staff requested approval of an updated commercial alarm agreement with the James E. Van Zandt Veterans Hospital for 07/01/2025–06/30/2026. County counsel modified contract language to accommodate the hospital’s status as a federal entity; the board approved the agreement.
The commissioners accepted bids for the Blair County parking garage rehabilitation project across three contracts — general, plumbing and electrical — and authorized staff to award or reject per county code after the required advertisement period. As part of the garage project the board approved a right-of-access agreement with property owners Mark and Susan Henry for 411 Mulberry Street, Hollidaysburg, providing $500 per month in compensation while the easement is in use. A commissioner requested, and the board approved, a clarification to the record replacing the phrase “easement is in place” with “easement is in use.”
Juvenile probation staff secured multiple approvals: acceptance of a Victims of Juvenile Offenders subgrant (PCCD subgrant number 2024VF0744558-2) for $33,540 effective Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2026; approval of the FY 2024–25 financial statement for juvenile services grant expenditures ($146,839); submission of the FY 24–25 equitable compensation letter to the Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Judges' Commission; and an agreement to use the Youth Level of Service (YLS) case management inventory at $4 per assessment for 2026. A juvenile probation representative explained the YLS assessment categorizes youth as low, moderate or high risk to reoffend and aligns supervision and services accordingly.
Social services staff requested and received approval for a Blair County Demolition Fund disbursement to the city of Altoona to assist with demolition of 15 properties totaling $78,120.20. County staff said the demolition funds are sourced from county-collected mortgage and demolition fees and that the city will provide a matching contribution.
Fort Roberdeau representatives obtained approval for two advertising contracts: a quarter-page, four-color ad in the Blair County Chamber membership directory ($750) and a series of special-edition placements in the Altoona Mirror during 2026 ($3,125.50).
County engineering staff also won ratification of construction plans and advertisement for County Bridge No. 33 in Logan Township (T-456 Old Mill Run Road) and confirmed the bid letting schedule and the five-week advertisement requirement.
The commissioner's office presented a temporary lease of three parking spaces at 208 Union Street, Hollidaysburg, with Mark T. Greenridge, effective Jan. 1–March 31, 2026, at $25 per space per month for two CYF vehicles and one district attorney vehicle; commissioners clarified the spaces were not for commissioner personal use and the lease was approved.
With no old business remaining, the board adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, at 10 a.m. in the same meeting room.
Quotes from the meeting include a brief operational explanation of the YLS assessment from juvenile probation staff: "Youth level of service, case management inventory is an assessment done on every youth coming into our department... it assesses whether they are low, moderate or high risk to reoffend and then the services it aligns with services that probation officers ... can put in place for the youth."
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