Monroe County Commissioners welcomed special visitors to their meeting on Wednesday.

As part of Monroe County United Way’s Week of Healing April 4-10, Chairman Sharon Laverdure, read and presented a proclamation to Tom Jones, president of the United Way, Monroe County and Dr. Anthony Stevens-Arroyo, professor emeritus of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies at Brooklyn College. and a member of FLECHA, an executive council, with a community board, and general members.

Council members have the authority to nominate members from the community with expertise in an array of fields, such as aging, youth, education, health, law, religion, social services, business, the arts, and security, to be part of a community board.

During United Way Week of Healing, Community leaders in the Poconos reached out to communities to find a common ground where residents could begin to engage in an important dialogue about unity and healing

The free virtual event, “Finding Common Ground Across Faiths 2021: Discussing COVID-19, Racism, and Healing,” will feature a panel discussion with several religious and community members through the weekend.

Personnel

• A motion passed to approve four overtime hours for two employees in the Tax Claim office on April 10, 17, and 24.

• A motion passed to approve one hour per day, beginning on March 22 through Election Day, for three employees in the Elections and Voter Registration Office.

• The Sheriff’s overtime report for the period ending March 21 showed the deputies’ overtime hours decreased by nearly seven hours at 39.25, and the clerks’ overtime hours were down eight and one-half with only four and three-quarters hours.

Security overtime hours jumped from 25.5 hours to 31 hours.

• A motion was made to execute the Department of Aging Cooperative Grant Agreement from July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2025, for the department to receive its annual allocation of $1,827,712.00.

• The commissioners approved the 2020 Entitlement community development block grant contract to be used for single unit residential rehabilitation and street improvements in the amount of $683,113, from Jan. 27 through Feb. 23, 2025.

• The commissioners approved the agreement with the Pocono Mountains Industries Inc. to allow them to manage the County’s COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program Grant.

• The commissioners appointed Rachel Burbank to the Monroe County Affordable Housing Board to fill the unexpired term of Raymond Guernsey, who retired on Dec. 31, 2021.

• Commissioners authorized submission of the State Facility Closure Transition Program Application with the PA Department of Community and Economic Development in the amount of $46,164.77 to assist displaced staff due to closure of the White Haven Center and SCI-Retreat working out of MH-DS.

• Commissioners approved the Act 1 Emergency Rental Assistance Program sub-recipient contracts, as follows: Family Promise of Monroe County Inc., $183,000; Pocono Mountains United Way, $498,500; Pocono Services for Families & Children, Inc., $124,500.

• Commissioners authorized submission of 2020/2021 County Adult Probation and Parole Grant-in-Aid Program Application in the amount of $78,258, to be used to offset salaries in the probation department.