Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Delaware County, Pennsylvania public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
26 issues in taxes budget
Human Services Block Grant — $51.15M
The county will contract with Share Food Program for $928,194 in state food purchase funding — up from last year — as SNAP restrictions increase demand. Council asked whether outreach on changing eligibility rules is underway.
Federal housing and homelessness grants
The county is directing about $210,900 in state housing money to two nonprofits for rental help, furniture, and financial literacy classes — funds targeted at homeless and near-homeless residents.
Workday implementation risk
The county's big shift from paper to electronic HR, finance, and grants systems needs help. Council will consider a Workday Success Plan contract (up to $300,000 annually for up to three years) plus supplemental consulting to keep the rollout on track.
Tax Claim Bureau Payment Plan Practices
Speakers revisited the case of Gloria Gaynor, whose home was sold over about $30,500 in unpaid property taxes, and asked council and state lawmakers to add redemption rights to Pennsylvania's municipal claim and tax lien law. One speaker confirmed her passing.
County Pension Cost-of-Living for Retirees
A retired Chester police detective asked whether county retirees — including county detectives excluded from a new state COLA law — could get a pension cost-of-living increase. Reuther said the pension is well-funded but any COLA raises the county's required contribution and must go through the pension board.
Amended 2026 Capital Improvement Budget
The county cut its capital budget by $18 million to about $109.2 million, reflecting projects added, dropped, and deferred across 85 facilities and 15 parks. Leadership framed it as the county finally getting ahead of years of deferred maintenance — roofs, HVAC, bridges — while leveraging over $7 million in grants.
Property tax refunds and the common level ratio
Six years of court-ordered tax refunds are costing the county $652,000, driven by commercial assessment appeals and the state's falling common level ratio. Reuther wants a public explainer on how this cascading formula hits the county and school districts.
Fair Acres nurses' union contract extension
The PASNAP agreement covering employees at the county's Fair Acres Geriatric Center was extended through June 30, 2027, keeping labor peace at the county's nursing home.
911 System Costs Outpacing State Surcharge
Delaware County replaced its 30-year-old analog radio system with a P25 digital network that's fully operational as of January. The old system had security holes people exploited from cheap Amazon radios, plus dead zones that endangered officers. The new system finished about $3 million under its roughly $35 million budget and should last 25+ years.
No county fleet management policy despite six years of vehicle buying
Council members are frustrated that the county keeps buying vehicles — like three $124,000 Dodge Durangos for investigators — without a written fleet management policy. A 2023 controller's audit recommended one, drafts have been circulating for two years, and members say they still can't get a clear picture of what the county owns, what it costs to repair, and what should be replaced.
Fair Acres Geriatric Center kitchen renovation
Chair Womack recapped the unveiling of a renovated kitchen at Fair Acres, the county's geriatric center, bringing expanded menu options and a refreshed dining space for residents.
Evening meeting schedule change
Council plans to drop Wednesday evening meetings in May for Tuesday daytime sessions. One resident warned her review shows daytime meetings draw almost zero public comment and urged council to reconsider.
TestandGo kiosk spending concerns
A speaker blasted the $100,000 renewal for the county's health kiosks, arguing the machines could be bought outright for far less and questioning who benefits from the rental arrangement funded by opioid settlement dollars.
Possible future tax increases and cost control
A taxpayer urged council to explain how it's controlling costs after two big tax increases and $700,000 in court-ordered tax refunds. Council pointed to its Tuesday meeting, noting refunds were budgeted and change orders were scrutinized.
LIHEAP Energy Assistance
The application window for heating-bill help ($200-$1,000 grants) was extended to May 8 — no need to be on other assistance or have unpaid bills to qualify.
Delco Gives Day sponsorship and DICGRA grant oversight
A running theme: council keeps being surprised by multiple applications for the same grants and unclear funding sources. Executive Director O'Malley said a new grants-compliance team met just that day to build a written grants process, answering a controller's report on grant management.
Fair Acres facility maintenance contracts
Council locked in multi-year contracts for Microsoft licensing, generator maintenance, and fire alarm service at the Fair Acres Geriatric Center — routine but expensive upkeep for the county's nursing home, priced off state contracts.
Election equipment licensing
The county will spend $368,930 to keep licensing its Hart InterCivic voting machines, in place since 2020. Officials say the system has survived every hand-count audit and replacement isn't due for a few years.
Law library print subscription costs
Nearly $322,000 over three years for print legal materials averages about $82 per patron. Council wants usage data before the 2028 electronic renewal to decide how much print to keep.
County audit engagement and IT renewals
The council was scheduled to hire Baker Tilly US, LLP for two years of financial audits at $665,000 and renew software/cloud storage contracts — routine but real money that shapes county financial oversight and cybersecurity.
$4.4 Million Compensation Study for County Workers
Half the county's non-union workforce could see raises under the Bolton Partners pay plan, but council isn't sure the $4.4 million cap covers employer taxes, overtime and pension impacts. The plan was tabled pending answers before the Wednesday meeting.
Hotel Tax Ordinance Amendment
Delco wants to raise its hotel tax to the legally allowable rate, matching Bucks and Chester counties, to fund the Visit Delco tourism push. Only out-of-town visitors pay it, and it aims to capture more tourism revenue from big 2026 events.
Property Tax Burden and Senior Home Losses
Speaker after speaker invoked the case of Gloria Gaynor, a 91-year-old Upper Darby woman with dementia who lost her home over a $3,500 tax bill, and criticized the county's compounded tax increases. Reuther explained the county's hands are largely tied by state law, and the county has a tax deferral program for homeowners.
T-Mobile mobile services contract
County IT found a deal that cuts cell and hotspot costs by roughly a third, includes free phones and device tracking, and saves an estimated $510K over three years. Staff also plans to audit every county device and yank unused ones.
Fair Acres nursing home funding agreement
The county signed an Intergovernmental Transfer Agreement with the state Department of Human Services that returns roughly $13.9 million in surplus to Fair Acres, the county-run nursing home. Federal matching funds make the full arrangement worth over $25 million — money that supports care at the county's geriatric center.
Fair Acres Intergovernmental Transfer Agreement
A Medicaid funding mechanism could send Fair Acres about $13.9 million in surplus, but the county has to front the cash in January before tax revenue arrives. Councilmembers weighed the windfall against the county's thin cash position.