The Courthouse Renovation and Expansion Project continues to progress with two change orders requested for approval at the Monroe County commissioners meeting on Wednesday morning.

One of the orders involved an additional $180,617.38 to be added to the cost of the work performed by Wind Gap Electric for an EC-005. The other change order was for an additional $4,979 for HVAC under the authority of Berkley Insurance Co. (originally Marx, an HVAC contractor).

Commissioner John Christy said Marx went out of business, so Berkley Insurance Co. is the bonding company and assigned that contract to Renell to be the new HVAC contractor.

The commissioners approved a takeover agreement with Berkley Insurance Co. in regards to the new HVAC contract for the Courthouse Renovation/Expansion Project.

“Everything seems to be moving smoothly through this transition,” Christy said.

For a new project, the commissioners accepted a proposal from Schoonover & Vanderhoof Architects Inc. for $3,600 for a design and construction administration for the Stroud Township Magisterial District Justice Office renovations.

In other business, the Monroe commissioners approved the following:

• Under personnel: requests to work overtime in the Sheriff’s Office for the period ending May 21: deputies, 57.75 hours; security, 6.25 hours; and clerks, 5.25 hours;

• Electronic financial transactions: vouchers payable: $1,035,281.47 for the week ending May 26 and $1,118,180.85 for the week ending June 2; gross payroll: $1,324,492.39 for the period ending May 21; health care benefits payments: Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield total $143,421.25; Geisinger, $152,317.19; dental claims, $6,027;

• Monroe County Children and Youth Services for a service agreement with Clear Vision Residential Treatment Services Inc. from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 for up to $125,000; other service agreements from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024: Alternative Living Solutions for $150,000; Hoffman Homes for Youth - $200,000; Access Services, $100,000; Pinebrook Family Answers, $30,000; Community Solutions Inc., $140,000; and Bucks County, $450,000.

• Commissioners’ Office: budget adjustment of $45,094; public auction of used county furniture and equipment; seeking RFPs for the Hazard Mitigation Plan Update; sale of a 2012 utility reefer carrier; reappoint Theresa Merli and Andy Forte to the Northampton Community College Board of Trustees from July 1 to June 30, 2029; added James Harley and Saylorsburg Lumber Co. and Anna Palisoc to the list of vendors.

• Monroe County Redevelopment Authority: Monroe County Affordable Housing Board to award the following grants as part of the Nonprofit Grant Program: Shepherds Maternity Home, $10,000; Pocono Area Transitional Housing, $10,000; Woman’s Resources of Monroe County, $10,000; Salvation Army, $10,000; Family Promise of Monroe County, $10,000; and Pocono Mountains United Way, $10,000;

• Monroe County Correctional Facility: award the bid for commissary services to Oasis Commissary Services, option #2 for a three-year period effective July 1 to June 30, 2026 at a fixed price for year one with CPI index increases for years 2 and 3 with a 43.1% commission rate;

• Capital outlay purchases for $3,169.45 for two evacuation chairs for the new section of the courthouse in case the elevator isn’t working.