Meeting colors

OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Meeting - July 20, 2026

Board of Commissioners — Monday, July 20, 2026

BodyMontgomery County, Pennsylvania

SessionBoard of Commissioners

DateMonday, July 20, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

⇩ GET FROM SOURCE

STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE

Transcript — Verbatim

0:02

All right, good evening.

0:04

Sorry we're a couple minutes late.

0:06

How's everybody doing?

0:08

How's everybody doing?

0:09

We we need to be alone.

0:10

Yes!

0:11

Thank thank you for that energy.

0:14

Good evening, Hatfield.

0:16

Thank you so much for being here.

0:18

I'm Jamila Winder.

0:19

I'm proud to chair the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, and we are thrilled to have our board meeting on the road right here in Hatfield.

0:28

Thank you to our Hatfield Commissioners for their hospitality and the swag.

0:33

You have some really good swag there.

0:36

And for letting us use this great place.

0:38

I know we always say if you've ever been to our boardroom in one Montgomery, not to tease our colleagues, but it does not look like this.

0:47

And so we are excited to get the evening started, and we have a lot in store for all of you.

0:53

But before we do so, I'd like to invite uh Luca Miller, first class scout with Troop 542, Den Chief PAC 410 to come on up to the front, Luca, and Dottie Miller's grandson, and we're you're gonna lead us in the pledge.

1:13

You ready?

1:14

All right, let's do the pledge.

1:20

Yep.

1:27

And it's the republic for which one nation under God with liberty and justice for all.

1:36

Great.

1:36

Let's get to the round.

1:42

Luca, why don't Luca, let's come up here so you can take a quick picture with us, okay?

1:57

Oh my gosh.

2:03

Here we go.

2:03

Three, two, one.

2:08

Thank you.

2:14

That's my bad.

2:16

Our chief operating officer was trying to tell me my mic wasn't on, but I think it's I think we're good.

2:21

Red means on, right?

2:22

We hear you.

2:23

That's right.

2:24

Okay, we're we're in good shape.

2:26

Um so I know the three of us look forward to hearing what's on your mind uh during public uh comment period a little later in the meeting, but this is an opportunity for us to share how the county has been working with Hatfield leaders to make improvements in your community.

2:44

On your way in, you may have seen handouts uh that detail some of the investments that the county has made here in Hatfield.

2:53

These are investments in shared priorities like affordability, economic mobility, and social support, roads, trails, and infrastructure upgrades, and training and equipment for local fire and EMS first responders.

3:09

In all, we've recently uh invested nearly two million dollars in support so that Hatfield continues to be a safe and prosperous community.

3:19

If you didn't get the handout on the way in, please grab it uh as you leave.

3:24

Last Friday, the three of us were in Bluebell to help break ground on a new affordable housing complex for seniors.

3:32

We can clap for that.

3:37

The county was proud to support this project with 1.8 million dollars in investments.

3:44

Housing affordability affects every community and affects people at every single stage of life, and it requires more than one single policy or initiative.

3:55

That's the philosophy behind our new Montgomery County housing blueprint, which we launched earlier this summer.

4:04

We need to preserve homes, build housing, support housing stability, and create create options uh for current and future generations.

4:15

We've seen some questions come up on social media about how we intend to reach these goals.

4:21

Um, our housing team and comms team took some of the most recent questions and created a housing blueprint FAQ that you can find on our social media channels.

4:34

Next, I want to highlight a survey uh from our Office of Drug and Alcohol that they're currently conducting called the treatment needs assessment.

4:45

This is a state-mandated survey that takes place every five years.

4:50

It's designed to assess how well local substance use services are meeting the needs of those living with substance use disorders.

5:00

And it's a great opportunity to take a look at the availability and quality of treatment services, barriers to accessing care, service gaps, and ideas for improvement.

5:13

As a sister living with a brother in recovery, I want to make sure that we continue to prioritize this work.

5:27

And there will be community listening sessions, either in person or virtual in August and September.

5:34

The results will be shared in early uh 2027.

5:38

Next, I want to highlight our first ever Black Expo Black Author and Business Expo, which is set to take place on Saturday, August 22nd at the Oaks Convention Center.

5:50

We already have 100 authors and business owners signed up to participate as vendors.

5:55

It's free to register.

5:57

Feel free to bring your family to discover in inspiring stories, connect with local authors, and support black owned businesses.

6:06

Also, the first 250 students in attendance will receive free backpacks filled with school supplies.

6:13

Beyond kids and families, this is also a great opportunity for business owners and working professionals to grow their networks.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Procedural██████████████████18%

Community Engagement██████████████████18%

Public Safety███████████11%

Public Engagement██████████10%

Economic Development█████████9%

Voter Registration█████████9%

Affordable Housing█████5%

Fiscal Sustainability█████5%

Youth Programs████4%

Summary of Proceedings

Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Meeting - July 20, 2026

The Montgomery County Board of Commissioners held a public meeting on July 20, 2026, in Hatfield Township. The meeting featured recognitions, presentations, several resolutions, and public comments on election integrity, retiree benefits, and public safety legislation.

Recognitions & Presentations

Hatfield Township Recognitions: Commissioner Jamila Winder highlighted nearly $2 million in county investments in Hatfield for affordable housing, roads, trails, and first responder equipment. A short film, "Our Declaration," was shown, produced by the Hatfield 250 committee.
Community Organizations: Commendations were given to Friendship House Daycare (50 years of service, plans to expand from 40 to 150 children) and Garden of Health (eight-acre community farm in Hatfield, providing fresh, allergen-free food).
Local Business: Rhodan Group, a family-owned injection molding company since 1956, was recognized.
Election Sticker Contest: Winners of the "I Voted" sticker design contest were announced: Samuel (age 8, Pennsburg), Genevieve (age 13, North Wales), Ellie (age 11, Abington), and Max (age 42, King of Prussia). The stickers will be available for in-person voters in the upcoming election.
Bangladeshi American Cultural Festival: Rescheduled to July 25, 2026, at School Road Park, Hatfield.
Victus Bats: The Commerce Department presented the commissioners with custom-made bats, noting that 28% of all MLB swings use Victus bats made in King of Prussia, used by Phillies players and in the Home Run Derby.

Consent Calendar

Approved the minutes of the June 25, 2026, meeting.
Approved two TEFRA bond resolutions: (1) Waverly Heights – up to $73 million for construction of 36 new apartment units and amenities in Lower Merion Township; (2) New Horizons Montessori School (now The Montessori School) – up to $2.5 million for electrical/HVAC upgrades, farmhouse renovation, playgrounds, and bond refinancing in Upper Dublin Township.
Approved authorization for the Chief Operating Officer to select volunteer experienced finance professionals for a Finance Working Group (recommended by Commissioner DeBello).
Approved submission of an Emergency Solutions Grant application to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for $600,000, with a required $600,000 local match, to support homeless services.
Approved a board appointment to the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board.
Approved the July 15, 2026 personnel list presented by Megan Brown.
Approved advertisement of bids and RFPs (Exhibit A), including an RFP for mobile outreach to address the opioid crisis using opioid litigation funds.
Approved awards of contracts, amendments, and renewals for Montgomery County (Exhibit B) and the Southeast PA Regional Task Force (Exhibit C).

Public Comments & Testimony

Sandra Levine (Hatfield): Expressed concern about outdated voter rolls, citing instances of inactive voters remaining on rolls and potential voting by non-residents. She also supported the new finance advisory committee to reduce duplication and tax increases.
Michelle Ingerto (Lower Salford): Criticized the rollout of electronic poll books in the May primary, citing failures in Lower Salford and Hatfield precincts that caused delays and voter confusion. She urged parallel use of paper poll books and further testing before November.
Ginger Hoyt (Souderton): Also raised concerns about voter roll cleanliness, noting a neighbor who moved five years ago remained on the rolls.
Ted Joslyn (retired county employee): Requested a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for county retirees, citing a promise made during an early retirement buyout nearly 20 years ago. He noted Chester and Berks counties have granted COLAs. Commissioners responded that the pension system is below 80% funded due to 2022 investment losses, but they are hopeful after a strong 2023-2024 that the system may exceed the threshold next year, allowing consideration. They acknowledged the retirees' advocacy.
Kofi Osei (Towamencin Township Supervisor): Urged the county to fix Sumneytown Pike, citing increased development and a major proposal along the corridor. He praised the county's planning assistance and local official orientation, requesting an annual event.
Representative Donna Sheron (147th District): Called on the commissioners to press the House Judiciary Committee to convene before July 24 to act on Senate Bill 1400, which would create a constitutional sentencing framework for second-degree murder after the state Supreme Court ruling in Commonwealth v. Lee. She warned that without action, 1,165 existing sentences (including an estimated 100 in Montgomery County) would require review, reopening cases and victim wounds. Commissioners agreed to write letters and make calls to Representative Briggs and Majority Leader Bradford.

Key Outcomes

All resolutions on the consent calendar passed unanimously.
The commissioners committed to addressing voter roll maintenance per federal law and to continuing paper poll book backups while fixing electronic poll book issues.
The commissioners will follow up on the retiree COLA after the September actuary report and expressed hope for a future adjustment.
The commissioners agreed to contact Montgomery County legislative leaders to urge action on Senate Bill 1400 before the July 24 deadline.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:15 PM, followed by a brief Salary Board meeting which approved the salary board list and honored retirees Pat Costello (14 years, Board of Assessments) and Donna Karamenico (46 years, Recycling Department).

Meeting Transcript

All right, good evening. Sorry we're a couple minutes late. How's everybody doing? How's everybody doing? We we need to be alone. Yes! Thank thank you for that energy. Good evening, Hatfield. Thank you so much for being here. I'm Jamila Winder. I'm proud to chair the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, and we are thrilled to have our board meeting on the road right here in Hatfield. Thank you to our Hatfield Commissioners for their hospitality and the swag. You have some really good swag there. And for letting us use this great place. I know we always say if you've ever been to our boardroom in one Montgomery, not to tease our colleagues, but it does not look like this. And so we are excited to get the evening started, and we have a lot in store for all of you. But before we do so, I'd like to invite uh Luca Miller, first class scout with Troop 542, Den Chief PAC 410 to come on up to the front, Luca, and Dottie Miller's grandson, and we're you're gonna lead us in the pledge. You ready? All right, let's do the pledge. Yep. And it's the republic for which one nation under God with liberty and justice for all. Great. Let's get to the round. Luca, why don't Luca, let's come up here so you can take a quick picture with us, okay? Oh my gosh. Here we go. Three, two, one. Thank you. That's my bad. Our chief operating officer was trying to tell me my mic wasn't on, but I think it's I think we're good. Red means on, right? We hear you. That's right. Okay, we're we're in good shape. Um so I know the three of us look forward to hearing what's on your mind uh during public uh comment period a little later in the meeting, but this is an opportunity for us to share how the county has been working with Hatfield leaders to make improvements in your community. On your way in, you may have seen handouts uh that detail some of the investments that the county has made here in Hatfield. These are investments in shared priorities like affordability, economic mobility, and social support, roads, trails, and infrastructure upgrades, and training and equipment for local fire and EMS first responders. In all, we've recently uh invested nearly two million dollars in support so that Hatfield continues to be a safe and prosperous community. If you didn't get the handout on the way in, please grab it uh as you leave. Last Friday, the three of us were in Bluebell to help break ground on a new affordable housing complex for seniors. We can clap for that. The county was proud to support this project with 1.8 million dollars in investments. Housing affordability affects every community and affects people at every single stage of life, and it requires more than one single policy or initiative. That's the philosophy behind our new Montgomery County housing blueprint, which we launched earlier this summer. We need to preserve homes, build housing, support housing stability, and create create options uh for current and future generations. We've seen some questions come up on social media about how we intend to reach these goals. Um, our housing team and comms team took some of the most recent questions and created a housing blueprint FAQ that you can find on our social media channels. Next, I want to highlight a survey uh from our Office of Drug and Alcohol that they're currently conducting called the treatment needs assessment. This is a state-mandated survey that takes place every five years. It's designed to assess how well local substance use services are meeting the needs of those living with substance use disorders.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI

TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com

Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Meeting - July 20, 2026

Recognitions & Presentations

Hatfield Township Recognitions: Commissioner Jamila Winder highlighted nearly $2 million in county investments in Hatfield for affordable housing, roads, trails, and first responder equipment. A short film, "Our Declaration," was shown, produced by the Hatfield 250 committee.

Community Organizations: Commendations were given to Friendship House Daycare (50 years of service, plans to expand from 40 to 150 children) and Garden of Health (eight-acre community farm in Hatfield, providing fresh, allergen-free food).

Local Business: Rhodan Group, a family-owned injection molding company since 1956, was recognized.

Election Sticker Contest: Winners of the "I Voted" sticker design contest were announced: Samuel (age 8, Pennsburg), Genevieve (age 13, North Wales), Ellie (age 11, Abington), and Max (age 42, King of Prussia). The stickers will be available for in-person voters in the upcoming election.

Bangladeshi American Cultural Festival: Rescheduled to July 25, 2026, at School Road Park, Hatfield.

Victus Bats: The Commerce Department presented the commissioners with custom-made bats, noting that 28% of all MLB swings use Victus bats made in King of Prussia, used by Phillies players and in the Home Run Derby.

Consent Calendar

Approved the minutes of the June 25, 2026, meeting.

Approved two TEFRA bond resolutions: (1) Waverly Heights – up to $73 million for construction of 36 new apartment units and amenities in Lower Merion Township; (2) New Horizons Montessori School (now The Montessori School) – up to $2.5 million for electrical/HVAC upgrades, farmhouse renovation, playgrounds, and bond refinancing in Upper Dublin Township.

Approved authorization for the Chief Operating Officer to select volunteer experienced finance professionals for a Finance Working Group (recommended by Commissioner DeBello).

Approved submission of an Emergency Solutions Grant application to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for $600,000, with a required $600,000 local match, to support homeless services.

Approved a board appointment to the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board.

Approved the July 15, 2026 personnel list presented by Megan Brown.

Approved advertisement of bids and RFPs (Exhibit A), including an RFP for mobile outreach to address the opioid crisis using opioid litigation funds.

Approved awards of contracts, amendments, and renewals for Montgomery County (Exhibit B) and the Southeast PA Regional Task Force (Exhibit C).

Public Comments & Testimony

Sandra Levine (Hatfield): Expressed concern about outdated voter rolls, citing instances of inactive voters remaining on rolls and potential voting by non-residents. She also supported the new finance advisory committee to reduce duplication and tax increases.

Michelle Ingerto (Lower Salford): Criticized the rollout of electronic poll books in the May primary, citing failures in Lower Salford and Hatfield precincts that caused delays and voter confusion. She urged parallel use of paper poll books and further testing before November.

Ginger Hoyt (Souderton): Also raised concerns about voter roll cleanliness, noting a neighbor who moved five years ago remained on the rolls.

Ted Joslyn (retired county employee): Requested a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for county retirees, citing a promise made during an early retirement buyout nearly 20 years ago. He noted Chester and Berks counties have granted COLAs. Commissioners responded that the pension system is below 80% funded due to 2022 investment losses, but they are hopeful after a strong 2023-2024 that the system may exceed the threshold next year, allowing consideration. They acknowledged the retirees' advocacy.

Kofi Osei (Towamencin Township Supervisor): Urged the county to fix Sumneytown Pike, citing increased development and a major proposal along the corridor. He praised the county's planning assistance and local official orientation, requesting an annual event.

Representative Donna Sheron (147th District): Called on the commissioners to press the House Judiciary Committee to convene before July 24 to act on Senate Bill 1400, which would create a constitutional sentencing framework for second-degree murder after the state Supreme Court ruling in Commonwealth v. Lee. She warned that without action, 1,165 existing sentences (including an estimated 100 in Montgomery County) would require review, reopening cases and victim wounds. Commissioners agreed to write letters and make calls to Representative Briggs and Majority Leader Bradford.

Key Outcomes

All resolutions on the consent calendar passed unanimously.

The commissioners committed to addressing voter roll maintenance per federal law and to continuing paper poll book backups while fixing electronic poll book issues.

The commissioners will follow up on the retiree COLA after the September actuary report and expressed hope for a future adjustment.

The commissioners agreed to contact Montgomery County legislative leaders to urge action on Senate Bill 1400 before the July 24 deadline.

The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:15 PM, followed by a brief Salary Board meeting which approved the salary board list and honored retirees Pat Costello (14 years, Board of Assessments) and Donna Karamenico (46 years, Recycling Department).

Meeting Transcript