Commisioners Award Law Training Director, Approves Contracts

DOYLESTOWN, PA — The Bucks County Board of Commissioners held their bi-monthly meeting at the Bucks County Administration Building this morning. The meeting was overseen by Board Chair Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia, LCSM, Vice Chair Robert J. Harvie, Jr., and Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo.

Members of the commission board wore articles of pink for Breast Council Awareness Month and the courthouse's lights will be in pink for the remainder of the month.

The Drug Recognition Excellence Award was awarded to Richard Vona, Director of Law Enforcement Training in Bucks County, for his work with the Pennsylvania DUI Administration,

Lt. Leo Hegarty, Regional Program DUI Administrator of the Pennsylvania DUI Association, gave a statement on the impact Vona and the Bucks County Safety Training Center has had on the nonprofit organization.

Dave Andrascik, who coordinates the Drug Recognition Expert Program for the PA DUI Association, also gave a statement on Vona and his work before presenting him with the award.

"On behalf of our executive board from the Pennsylvania DUI Association, I would like to take the opportunity to recognize Rich Vona and the staff at the Bucks County Public Training Center for their commitment to our Drug Recognition Expert Program within the state," Andrascik said.

Vona accepted the award and gave a brief statement to the Commissioners on the training law enforcement officers have gone through with the nonprofit.

"(...) I certainly think that the law enforcement training in our county is top in the state, if not in the region."

Ellis-Marseglia followed this with a proclamation for Fire Prevention Week, which covered the importance of children and adults to know proper fire safety protocols in the case of a fire. The proclamation declares Oct. 3-9 as Fire Prevention Week in Bucks County.

Chief Robert Barnes of the Parkland Fire Company, discussed the fire safety and what to look for in regards to the signs of fires and carbon monoxide. He was award the proclamation at the end of his speech.

Harvie, Jr. declared Oct. 6 as Energy Efficiency Day in Bucks County.

The Board took brief public comments, which concerned financing and COVID procedures in the County, specifically in schools and as they relate to young children.

The regular agenda started with the approval for a smart-phone application through Guard911, which would alert authorities and students in the Neshaminy School District to active shooter activities. The contract was approved for $28,572.

The Board also approved a contract increase for the Bucks County Opportunity Council, which works to help homeowners who were displaced by flooding due to Hurricane Ida. The contract was approved for a $200,000 increase.

Harvie, Jr. took a moment to acknowledge confusion on ballots that are going out for the Nov. 2 elections, saying that the issue happened in Montgomery County, not Bucks. Montgomery County had an issue with the printer for ballots, sending 16,000 invalid ballots to mail-in voters, according to Philly Voice.

The meeting ended with two more public statements concerning mask mandates.

Megan Brock, of Northampton, questioned the measures she believes the Board has taken to silence Dr. David Damsker, who's views on school reopening and mask mandates have been controversial in Bucks County.

Brock, who ran out of time on her statement, passed her notes to the next speaker, Jamie Walker, who continued her statement on Bucks County mask mandates in school districts.

Walker made the argument that the Bucks County school districts were overeating with extended COVID procedures and that health officials, specifically Dr. Scott Levy of Doylestown Health, were working with school board candidates and becoming political.

"Why is he involved in my kid's school again?" Walker asked.

Walker's statement was ended when she ran out of time.