Commissioners vow to keep Westmoreland government running as state funds dry up

Westmoreland County government will continue to function as state funding dries up amid the ongoing budget impasse in Harrisburg, commissioners said Tuesday.

Despite the uncertainty, county officials plan to keep operating essential human service programs as they await word on a pending application to the state Treasury for a $14 million loan. Later this week, they will consider approving a full slate of new contracts — totaling several million dollars — for mandated programs, construction work, and public safety efforts with the money currently in the bank.

“I’m proud we are the only functional level of government right now, but we can’t keep doing this,” said Commissioner Ted Kopas. “This will create an additional burden on our taxpayers and will have long-term consequences for us financially.”

Commissioners this month canceled public meetings, saying the ongoing state budget crisis has left them without enough money on hand to justify releasing funds.

According to a preliminary agenda ahead of Thursday’s public voting meeting, commissioners will consider new spending, such as contracts for trash hauling from district court offices, the county’s public works garage and conservation office building; purchase of new furniture for the county’s domestic relations office in the courthouse; and dozens of new human service contracts through the end of 2026.

Commissioners also will consider amendments to about two dozen existing contracts with private vendors who provide services for the county’s children’s bureau, behavioral health and aging programs, which would allow the county to stop payments once funding dries up.

For now, the programs will continue uninterrupted.

“We are providing services with the money we have left. Even after the furloughs, we have to provide services,” said Commissioner Sean Kertes.

Commissioners earlier this month laid off 125 employees as part of cost-saving measures. That also included a halt to overtime for most staffers, and a hiring and purchasing freeze.

The county’s $452 million budget relies on about $104 million in state funding, most of which is earmarked for human services programs. The county has received no funding from the state since the end of June, when the legislature failed to pass a new spending plan.

Meghan McCandless, the county’s finance director, said funds from other programs and money earmarked for general operations were shifted to continue to pay vendors who provide essential human services programs.

Last week she said the county still had about $14 million in available cash. The pending loan from the state comes with an anticipated interest rate of 4.5%, money that will come from county tax dollars, commissioners said. Officials suggested another loan from a private bank might be needed to pay the bills as the state budget stalemate continues.

Controller Jeffrey Balzer last week sent an invoice to the state budget office demanding payment for nearly $500,000 in interest payments forfeited by the county since July. He said the county has missed out on the money because of the budget crisis.

Balzer also called for the resignation of all state lawmakers.

“Having a continuing budget is the essential thing they do. If you can’t do that in 120 days, I want to see resignations. This is unacceptable. We had to lay people off right before the holidays,” he said.