The Monroe County Commissioners agreed to allow East Stroudsburg to move Community Block Grant money from housing rehabilitation to street and road improvements at their meeting last Wednesday.

“East Stroudsburg wanted to modify the grant to move money from one account to the other,” said Greg Christine, the county’s chief clerk.

The commissioners adopted the resolution following a public hearing at the beginning of their regular meeting. The approval allows East Stroudsburg to move $128,349 awarded in a 2021 Community Block Grant into an account for street and road improvements.

Also related to road improvements, the commissioners authorized the county’s finance director to electronically sign on their behalf for the Emergency Solutions Grant-Covid Amendment Number 6 contract.

Jennifer Strauch, grants manager for Monroe County, said the county received an additional $251,628.52 in ESG-CV grant funds.

Strauch explained that the state Department of Community and Economic Development released three rounds of funding from the federal ESG-Cares Act. The county received $381,761 on July 8, 2020.

After receiving three allocations from the state, Monroe County has received $1.3 million in ESG-CV funding. The money is intended for use in funding services for the homeless in Monroe and Pike counties.

In other business, the commissioners also authorized the Grants Department to electronically sign on their behalf the 2022 State Criminal Alien Assistance Program contract. The county received $62,946.

The commissioners also adopted a resolution to apply for a grant from the Pennsylvania Municipal Assistance Program. Christine said the money would be used to update the County Comprehensive Plan.

“The county is required to do a Comprehensive Plan,” he said. “The financial assistance would be used to hire someone to do the Comprehensive Plan.”

The Comprehensive Plan is used to advise the county’s municipalities, Christine said.

In construction, the commissioners approved an increase of $10,300 to the contract with CGL Companies for additional structural engineering, and security and audio visual services.

“They are the architects for the courthouse construction project,” said Sharon Laverdure, chairperson of the commissioners. “It’s a change order.”

CGL Companies is headquartered in Miami, Florida with regional offices in New York City, Baltimore, Atlanta, Sacramento, and Grapevine, Texas, and nine smaller offices across the country.

The commissioners also approved a job order from Gordian and Lobar Associates in the amount of $19,691.45 to reflect the cost of the bonding requirements for the Correctional Facility Roof Replacement Project. And they approved an agreement with Richard Pierce Builder Inc. in Stroudsburg for repairs to the windows in the building at 701 Main Street in Stroudsburg.

Other business

The following were approved by the commissioners:

• Sheriff’s Office overtime report for the period ending Sept. 10 - deputies, 8 hours; security, 50.50 hours; clerks, 4.25 hours.

• Healthcare benefits payments - Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield: $134,145.81 on Sept. 5; and $172,125.30 on Sept. 12. Geisinger: $100,790.12 on Sept. 5; $94,237.75 on Sept. 12. Dental claims: $2,276.16 on Sept. 11; $2,655.52 on Sept. 15.

• Monroe County Children and Youth Services - service agreements from July 1 to June 30 with Lighthouse Family Youth Agency, $200,000; Children’s Advocacy Center of Monroe County, $35,000; the Children’s Home of Easton Inc., $300,000; and Heart and Wing Home Inc., $130,000.

• Two budget adjustment reports both dated Sept. 14 totaling $229,496; and $31,251;

• Renewal of a commercial lease agreement with Stroud Township for Magisterial District Judge Paul Gasper’s office for a five-year term with three percent annual increases;

• Monroe County Probation - Supervision Funds agreement with state Department of Corrections in order to continue to receive supervisory funds to be used for salaries and benefits in the Probation Department;

• Capital Outlay Purchases - dated Sept. 14 totaling $2,115.96 and $7,180;

• Computer Capital Purchases - dated Sept. 14 totaling $4,881.70 and $4,601.63.

The commissioners also acknowledged the following:

• Proclamations and certificates - Steven Robert Blannard, Eagle Scout; Michael Dominick John Tuin, Eagle Scout; and Andrew Martin Hawks, Eagle Scout.

• Receiving the 2023 Comprehensive Affordable Housing Study.

• Receiving notice of the resignation of Ken Gustafson from the Advisory Board of the Monroe County Children and Youth Services, effective Sept. 29.