Check out what local government boards in Centre County have planned the week of Jan. 22
This week in local government in Centre County features meetings ranging from planning commissions to zoning hearing boards, to township supervisors to council of governments.
Across Centre County, local government entities will meet and officials will discuss and take action on items that could have a direct impact on the residents.
It can be hard to know when certain boards meet and to understand what action the members may or may not take. The Pennsylvania Sunshine Act requires local governments to post an agenda, which should include a list of each item of business that will be — or may be — the subject of deliberation or action during the meeting, at the location of the meeting and at the office of the agency. If they have a publicly accessible website, the agenda also has to be posted there, 24 hours ahead of the meeting.
Here’s a look at which local government entities and school boards will meet between Jan. 23-26, based on information available on the respective municipality’s or school’s website. This list may be updated as more meeting agendas and schedules become available.
Monday, Jan. 23
The Ferguson Township Planning Commission typically meets on the second and fourth Mondays of the month, and will meet at 6 p.m. Jan. 23 in the main meeting room at the Ferguson Township building at 3147 Research Drive, State College, and via Zoom.
The agenda and Zoom link are available online, www.twp.ferguson.pa.us/planning-commission. The commission will be reviewing a draft amendment to the township code.
Commission members are Jerry Binney, Ellen Taricani, Rob Crassweller, Ralph Wheland, Bill Keough, Shannon Holliday, Lewis Steinberg, and alternates Qian Zhang, Lisa Rittenhouse and Jennifer Eccleston. Residents can contact the township at 814-238-4651; the planning commission contact is Jenna Wargo, jwargo@twp.ferguson.pa.us.
The Centre Region Council of Governments General Forum typically meets on the fourth Monday of each month and will meet at 7 p.m. Jan. 23 in the COG general forum room, 2643 Gateway Drive, State College and via Zoom. These meetings are livestreamed on C-NET’s YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/@CNetCentreCounty, and a recording is available on C-NET’s website, www.cnet1.org/.
The agenda is available online, www.crcog.net/. The board will receive an update from the Whitehall Road Regional Park project coordination team and take action to elect a new chair and vice chair, apprrove the updated Centre Region/Penn State Emergency Management agreement and approve a budget amendment to authorize the purchase of a ThreatID Material Analyzer.
The COG is comprised of the State College borough and College, Ferguson, Harris, Halfmoon, Patton townships. The meeting contact Scott Binkley, sbinkley@crcog.net, 814-235-7818.
The State College Area School District board will meet at 7 p.m. in the boardroom of the Panorama Village Administration Building, 240 Villa Crest Drive, State College. The meeting is livestreamed on C-NET’s YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/@CNetCentreCounty, and a recording is available on C-NET’s website, www.cnet1.org/.
Agendas are available online, go.boarddocs.com/pa/stco/Board.nsf/Public. The board will take action on a contract for a Mental Health Clinician Supervision, putting summer 2023 Capital Projects put to bid, approving a North Building renovation project change order and engaging with legal services for the Solar Power Purchase Agreement.
Board members are Peter Buck, Carline Crevecoeur, Dan Duffy, Gretchen Brandt, Deborah Anderson, Laurel Zydney, Amy Bader and Jacqueline Huff. Residents can contact the district at 814-231-1011 or the board at all-board@scasd.org. Emails for individual board members are available online.
Tuesday, Jan. 24
The Centre County Commissioners will meet at 10 a.m. at the Willowbank Building, 420 Holmes Street, Bellefonte. It will be live streamed on CNET’s Youtube channel.
The agenda can be found online at centrecountypa.gov/AgendaCenter. The board will elect a new vice chair and discuss and take action on a number of items, including applying for a $1,360,590 grant from the Department of Community and Economic Development for the Whole-Home Repairs Program funds to “address habitability and safety concerns, provide measures to improve energy or water efficiency, make units accessible for individuals with disabilities, and invest in workforce development programs in Centre County,” according to the agenda.
The board will also consider approval of a proposal from MG Architects, Ltd. to provide additional design services for the Centre Crest Facility project, including additional parking and designing renovations to some landscaped areas. The contract total is not to exceed $42,350.
The commissioners are Mark Higgins, Amber Concepcion and Steve Dershem. Residents can contact the county at 814-355-6700 or the board at mark@centrecountypa.gov, aConcepcion@centrecountypa.gov and sdershem@centrecountypa.gov.
The Upper Bald Eagle Valley/Halfmoon COG will meet at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 24 at the Julian Community Center, 1190 Allegheny St., Julian for a special meeting. The member municipalities — Port Matilda borough and Taylor, Halfmoon, Huston and Worth townships — will discuss the viability and future funding of the Port Matilda Emergency Services organization.
The Bellefonte Area School District board will hold a regular meeting 7 p.m. Jan. 24 in the middle school cafeteria. A recording will be available on C-NET’s website.
The agenda is available online. The board will receive a presentation from Damion Spahr from Site LogIQ about the elementary school building project, according to the agenda. Included in the agenda is a report from board member Jeff Steiner from a recent Branding Committee meeting. In the report he stated that “(b)ecause the District is unable to trademark the block B, there is a consensus from the committee to recommend to the BOD that the District move forward with developing its own version of a B logo” and if the board allows, the committee wants to start that process.
Board members are Jon Guizar, Jeff Steiner, Andrea Royer, Jack Bechdel, Marie Perini, Nate Campbell, Donna Smith, Julie Fitzgerald and Kimberly Weaver. Residents can contact the district at 814-355-4814 or the board at boarddl@basd.net; individual board members are available online, www.basd.net/Page/181.
The Potter Township Planning Commission typically meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month and will meet at 7 p.m. Jan. 24 at the Potter Township office, 124 Short Road, Spring Mills.
The agenda is available online, pottertownship.org/2023-planning-commission. The commission will review a solar ordinance, according to the agenda.
Commission members are Scott Floray, Mike Troyan, Dave Henning, Ryan Newman and Glenn Roth. Residents can contact the township at 814-364-9176 and secretary@pottertownship.org.
Wednesday, Jan. 25
The Philipsburg Osceola School District board will meet at 7 p.m. Jan. 25 for a voting meeting in the board room of the P-O middle school, 200 Short Street, Philipsburg.
The agenda is available online, www.pomounties.org/board.
Board members are Timothy Bainey, Estelle Bowman, Todd Jeffries, Shawnna Baney-Shaw, Richard Wood, Dustin Minarchick, Nancy Lamb, Linda Bush and Tiffany Warlow.
Thursday, Jan. 26
The Centre County Commissioners will meet at 10 a.m. at the Willowbank Building, 420 Holmes St., Bellefonte.
The agenda can be found online at centrecountypa.gov/AgendaCenter.
The commissioners are Mark Higgins, Amber Concepcion and Steve Dershem. Residents can contact the county at 814-355-6700 or the board at mark@centrecountypa.gov, aConcepcion@centrecountypa.gov and sdershem@centrecountypa.gov.
The Patton Township Board of Supervisors typically meet on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month (and on the third Wednesday in June, July and August). The Jan. 25 meeting was rescheduled due to inclement weather and the board will now meet at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 26 at the township municipal building, 100 Patton Plaza, State College, and Zoom. The Zoom link is available on the agenda.
The meeting is also livestreamed on C-NET’s YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/@CNetCentreCounty, and a recording is available on C-NET’s website, www.cnet1.org/.
The agenda is available online, https://twp.patton.pa.us/AgendaCenter/Board-of-Supervisors-2. The board will hold a public hearing on potential zoning changes in the Toftrees Planned Community for the Toftrees Resort Redevelopment. The proposed changes include adding 50 dwelling units to the total permitted in Toftrees and allowing a height of 75 feet for nonresidential buildings outside of town center, as long as no portion of the building exceeding 50 feet in height is within 150 feet of any property line, according to the agenda.
The board will also discuss and consider action to make arrangements for spongy moth mitigation measures for this year.
The supervisors are Pam Robb, Elliot Abrams, Sultan Magruder, Dan Treviño and Betsy Whitman.
Residents can contact the township at 814-234-0271 or patton@twp.patton.pa.us, or the board members at probb@twp.patton.pa.us, eabrams@twp.patton.pa.us, smagruder@twp.patton.pa.us, dtrevino@twp.patton.pa.us and bwhitman@twp.patton.pa.us.
The Halfmoon Township Board of Supervisors typically meet on the second and fourth Thursday of each month and will meet at 7 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Halfmoon Township Municipal Building, 100 Municipal Lane, Port Matilda.
The meeting is also livestreamed on C-NET’s YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/@CNetCentreCounty, and a recording is available on C-NET’s website, www.cnet1.org/.
The agenda is available online, halfmoontwp.us/all-board-of-supervisors-meeting-agendas/.
The supervisors are Dave Piper, Ron Servello, Patti Hartle, Rose Ann Hoover and Chuck Beck. Residents can contact the township at 814-692-9800 or townshipclerk@halfmoontwp.us and board members at supervisors@halfmoontwp.us.
The Potter Township Zoning Hearing board will have a meeting 7 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Potter Township Municipal Building, 124 Short Road, Spring Mills.
Zoning Hearing Board members are Craig Weidensaul, Mike Clitherow, Madge Ludwig, Karl Eysenbach, and alternate Ron Grove. Residents can contact the township at 814-364-2456 or the zoning officer at zoning@pottertownship.org.
This story was originally published January 22, 2023 at 7:00 AM.
