Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Delaware County, Pennsylvania public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
30 issues with high priority
Crozer Hospital Closure Aftermath
A $250,000 grant application would help partners offer nurse-practitioner primary care to Chester residents left without a hospital. The county is just the money-handler, not the provider.
November 3 General Election Preparation
A commenter argued Pennsylvania's online mail ballot portal wrongly excludes active-duty military members and their families, and asked county election staff to acknowledge the problem and meet with him.
Regional Youth Detention Center Agreement
Since the county's juvenile detention center closed in 2021, judges who order a kid held have no guaranteed placement — staff literally call other counties hoping for a bed. Resolution 2026-01 would join a Berks County-led regional facility with eight dedicated beds for Delaware County. Council members debated whether the county's own Juvenile Detention Board of Managers still makes sense alongside a regional authority.
Sheriff's Office public safety drone program
The county will apply for a $50,000 grant to buy an American-made drone for the Sheriff's Office — used for search and rescue, warrant service, and situational awareness. Council supports it but worries the draft policy lets uses drift beyond what a sheriff's office is legally empowered (and insured) to do, and wants any drone policy subject to council approval before the purchase comes back.
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.
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.
Criminal justice and public safety funding
The council was scheduled to approve about $41,640 in federal grant money to buy body armor for officers in four Delaware County police departments — Chester City ($19,900), Darby Township ($9,480), Yeadon ($7,400), and Sharon Hill ($4,860). Departments must certify that officers are required to wear the armor while on patrol. It's a small budget item but directly touches officer safety in some of the county's busiest communities.
Sheriff deputy pay scale dispute
The deputies' union says a contract addendum promised a compensation study by September 1 and a new pay scale by January 1, 2027, but the county hasn't delivered the study or negotiated in good faith — and seasoned deputies are leaving.
Gun violence memorial support
Seifredan Simpson of Chester, grandfather of a four-year-old killed by gun violence, urged the county to keep gun violence prevention front and center and offered to work with Council on the issue.
County animal welfare crisis
Advocates pressed for a countywide animal welfare center, describing a stray-animal crisis in Chester where one rescue took in about 70 dogs in three months and found 41 deceased dogs since January. The county has offered a building, but advocates need details on space, terms and responsibilities.
Cybercrime enforcement grant funding
Two public-safety grants totaling over $1.8 million: one keeps the DA's digital-forensics analysts on the payroll working on cyber-enabled domestic violence, and the other funds a data analyst, client transportation, and evening reporting hours for people on probation.
No inpatient behavioral health beds in the county
Because the county has no inpatient psychiatric hospital since Crozer's closure, uninsured residents in crisis are being sent to Montgomery County at $847.52 a day — with new oversight procedures coming.
George W. Hill Correctional Facility contracts and leadership
A speaker criticized jail leadership, warden Willie Bond's residency and policies, and the lack of a public corrections-week proclamation (council later corrected the record, noting a proclamation was presented at the prison).
Solar Arrays at Three County Buildings
The county wants solar panels on three county sites to grab the federal 30% clean-energy tax credit before it expires at the end of 2027 — good for sustainability and for dodging volatile energy bills.
Veteran Suicide Prevention
The county's veterans book discussion program grew from 10 to 46 participants in six months, and a federal grant application would add contracted therapists and case management for veterans transitioning out of the military.
George W. Hill Prison Kitchen Modernization
The last of three big capital projects promised for the George W. Hill Correctional Facility is going out to bid: a full renovation of about 10,000 square feet of kitchen and food service space, done in seven phases so meals keep flowing, under the county's project labor agreement.
Opioid settlement-funded services
A recovery group leader said nonprofits applying for county opioid settlement grants still haven't heard back, though awards were expected in January. Staff promised an answer and said awards will appear on a public agenda.
Transparency and Public Accountability Concerns
A speaker demanded council stop posting about national politics on official accounts, saying it erodes trust. Councilmember Schaefer strongly disagreed, arguing national election law, immigration enforcement, and climate clawbacks directly affect county residents.
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.
Counter-Drone Grant (C-UAS) — Tabled
The county was one of only three grant recipients statewide for $1.4 million in drone-detection equipment to protect critical infrastructure and events. It got tabled after the solicitor raised late questions — staff will confirm waiting doesn't cost the county the award.
County Cyberattack Recovery
Executive Director Barbara O'Malley confirmed the June 26 cyberattack didn't touch the county email system and that all systems were restored using secure backups, but the county is still reviewing exactly what data was accessed. Residents like Kathy Buckley say nearly two months without details has left them unsure whether their Social Security numbers, tax records, or voting information were exposed.
Jail healthcare contract rebid
The county will extend its Wellpath medical contract at the jail one final time before competitive bidding, and is shifting the New Leash on Life dog program from federal grant funding to the inmate welfare fund. A resident argued that use is illegal because the program serves only a dozen inmates; staff defended it as benefiting the whole facility.
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.
Non-congregate shelter in Upper Darby
The county is committing $2.4 million to help Self Inc. find and build a 12-15 room shelter with private bathrooms. Council wants stronger protections — an outside date and revocability — before fully committing, and expects a zoning fight wherever the site lands.
Narcotics division lease authorization
Councilmember Reuther discovered the office housing the county narcotics division — funded by a HIDTA grant — was leased without Council approval, which she says the law requires. She has no issue with the grant itself but may ask to table it tomorrow until the lease question is resolved.
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.
Affordable Housing in Chester — Grace Manor
Council approved a mortgage satisfaction and ownership transfer for Jefferis Square in Chester, returning $900,000 to the county HOME program while a deed restriction keeps the property affordable through 2043.
Countywide composting and recycling expansion funded by $4.99M EPA grant
A state recycling grant covers half of the recycling coordinator's costs, with money passed through to the Solid Waste Authority. The coordinator helps every municipality in the county with recycling reports and grants — and future composting education.
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.
Loss of federal epidemiology funding
The COVID-era Epidemiology Lab Capacity grant is ending and the feds aren't replacing it, leaving counties everywhere scrambling to keep the disease-tracking capacity they built. Health Department leaders said finding alternative funding is a top budget priority.