The Monroe County commissioners meeting opened with a public meeting to outline changes to the 2013 HOME Program grant. The 2013 grant was to be administered through June of 2018, however for the townships of Tunkhannock, Delaware Water Gap and Mount Pocono the number of eligible properties did not meet the totals required for those areas.

The public meeting was to ask the commissioners to approve a revision to the scope of the grant that will permit the program to be opened up to all of Monroe County, with the exception of East Stroudsburg.Martha Robbins of the Redevelopment Authority explained that there were originally 131 homes in those areas that applied for the program, but that for reason such as homeowners' income level, issues with title and homeowners' not wanting to have a lien placed on the property, many of the properties did not make it into the program.By opening up the program to the rest of the county, the authority will be able to assist homeowners to tackle issues related to health and safety within their homes.The commissioners agreed to the changes requested by the authority. In addition, the completion date for the grant was revised to Dec. 29, 2018.The commissioners also voted to approve and ratify the overtime hours for the period ending March 30. Chairman John Moyer said that there is a significant decline in the number of hours over the same period last year."These numbers are 38 percent below where it was last year at this time," Moyer said. "That is mainly because we have worked to increase the staffing at the correctional facility. The other departments are about the same as last year, but the better staffing at the correctional facility has had a positive impact."Vice Chairman Charles Garris said the Industrial Development Authority, currently located in the Pocono Plateau will be moving to 701 Main St., which is owned and operated by the county. Garris said it makes more sense to have the authority located in town instead of an hour away."The authority will be more productive being located in town and will be renting the space at $1 per year," Garris said. "The authority is currently paying $42,000 per year in rent and that money can now be used for their marketing efforts."Commissioner John Christy explained a change in the 2017 Justice Reinvestment Grant which will increase by $17,030. Christy said that the change was made to reflect a change in scope from purchasing drones to instead purchasing a simulator that works with real-time verbal commands. The simulator can be used by any county employee that may find themselves in angry, hostile or abusive situations by teaching them to deal with and defuse the situation.The commissioners also approved the following items:• Reappointment of Vicki Cobb and Judith Mehl to the Children and Youth Advisory Board through May 2, 2020.• Authorize the budget adjustment report of May 5 totaling $134,795 which was mainly for end of year adjustments;• Authorize the County Clerk to advertise for Basic SWAT training for the Northeast Regional Counter Terrorism Task Force;Execute a contract for service provider agreement with Ashley Messoline, Esquire at a rate of $36,000 per year to act as a special public defender for conflict cases;The commissioners also approved the Act 137 2017 budget proposal for the Monroe County Redevelopment Authority. The budget takes into account that the county may not receive funds from the Federal Government as it has in the past.The budget includes $65,000 for an affordable housing study. According to Moyer the last study was conduct in 1991. Moyer explained that it is necessary to update the study since many grant applications request the information made available through the study.