BELLEFONTE — The Centre County Board of Commissioners made two proclamations at their weekly meeting, recognizing entities providing care to and for the community.

Conservation District Week

This Earth Day, the commissioners proclaimed April 20 through April 26 Conservation District Week in Centre County.

The proclamation highlights the vital work of the Centre County Conservation District, the governmental agency dedicated to helping individuals and organizations conserve and enhance the county’s natural resources.

Conservation District Manager James Coslo explained the conservation movement began during The Dust Bowl, a man-made ecological disaster caused by a combination of drought, poor farming practices and high winds, which decimated large parts of the country at the height of the Great Depression.

Years later in Pennsylvania, the state legislature passed the Conservation District Law, which allowed counties to form Conservation Districts to manage their natural resources.

In Centre County, the district was formed in 1954 at the request of local farmers and other interested citizens with concerns about soil and water conservation. Since then, the conservation district has expanded into many other areas, including the implementation of state regulations.

“The basis of conservation districts is really about local people helping folks in their community,” said Coslo.

Among their current projects, the Centre County Conservation District is currently working on converting a small lawn in Bellefonte into a meadow. This is one of many efforts the conservation district is making to conserve natural meadows and create spaces for pollinators to thrive.

The conservation district works closely with many other agencies to collaborate on land and water stewardship initiatives. Just last week, Devyn McPheeters, Centre County’s Chesapeake Bay Technician, was awarded the MVP Award at the Ag Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP) convention in Harrisburg.

“Devyn has made a positive impact on the agricultural community and natural resources in Centre County,” said Jill Barskey, Streamside Projects Coordinator for ClearWater Conservancy. “She is a deserving recipient of the ACAP MVP award for her dedication to assisting partners and community members achieve their farm conservation goals.”

“We’re really fortunate here in Centre County to have a dedicated staff,” said Robert Shannon, chair of the Centre County Conservation District’s Board of Directors. “They are the boots on the ground protecting our clean streams, promoting soil health and environmental education, among many other things.”

During the meeting, Shannon thanked the commissioners for their support of the Conservation District.

“Through your support and our staff’s hard work, we’re fostering a healthier environment for current and future generations here in Centre County,” he said.

Mount Nittany Health Week

The commissioners also proclaimed May 11 through May 17 as Mount Nittany Health Week in Centre County, ahead of National Hospital Week, which also takes place in May.

Since 1902, Mount Nittany Health has provided healthcare to the residents of Centre County — welcoming everyone without exception and striving to deliver compassionate care to all, according to Kurt Kissinger, chief strategy and development officer for Mount Nittany Health.

What started as an eight-bed infirmary in a Victorian house in Bellefonte has grown into the local healthcare institution Centre County knows today.

For over a century, Mount Nittany Health has been one of the biggest employers in the region. Now, Mount Nittany Health employs approximately 2,500 employees and over 200 providers.

“It’s really such a comprehensive system, and for it to still be a community-owned system that’s not tied to large, national groups is pretty rare,” noted Commissioner Amber Concepcion. “It’s really important to recognize that this is a health system based in our community, and our community support for that is pretty critical.”

“I think we both share the same commitment to the health and wellbeing of the county, and so we’re proud to play that role as a hospital and health provider here,” Kissinger said.

He also thanked the commissioners for the proclamation and for their support before turning to thank the public.

“The community is our family. They are our neighbors. They are our friends. We really do appreciate all of the support,” he said.

Kissinger added, “Our roots are very much so here in Bellefonte, and we’re proud that over the years we’ve been able to grow and evolve in order to meet the ever changing healthcare needs of the community.”

Mount Nittany Health is still growing today as evidenced by the ongoing construction to their facilities in State College. Kissinger shared that in the near future, Mount Nittany Health will unveil its “patient tower.” The addition aims to enhance the healthcare experience of patients, providing 168 beds that are more private, equipped with more state-of-the-art medical technology and some of the best views of Happy Valley.

He also teased an upcoming announcement regarding an investment right here in Bellefonte, which is expected to be unveiled in the next few weeks.

Commissioner Steve Dershem said, “It is exciting to see what the next chapter will be.”

In other business the commissioners:

— Added a contract with Autoclear Security Inspection Systems to purchase two security scanners and a three-year extended warranty for the Community Services Building to next week’s consent agenda. The contract total is $56,978.

— Approved a contract with Bowman Excavating/Paving/Concrete for the Centre County Sheriff Parking Lot Upgrades in the amount of $77,353.25. Bowman previously, satisfactorily completed similar work at the Willowbank Building. Commissioner Concepcion called the work a “more permanent fix.”

— Approved the acceptance of the Juvenile Probation Services Grant funds from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, acting through the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission. The funds awarded are $104,043 for the time period of July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, which will assist with staff salaries.

— Added a contract with Jefferson County Juvenile Detention Center in Ohio to house juveniles on an as-needed basis when Centre County Youth Center is unable to accommodate the juvenile to next week’s consent agenda. The cost is $225 per day per juvenile and $300 per day per juvenile to house direct file cases.

“To be clear, the intention is to continue using CCYC,” said a representative from the probation office. “This would only be for emergency situations in which we have no other housing for the juvenile.”

— Approved a project modification to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to augment the current Indigent Defense Grant. This request is to extend the grant period an additional year to Dec. 31, 2026, and to increase funding by $101,271. The grant total is $198,650 for the period of July 1, 2024 to Dec. 31, 2026. The funds will help with costs in the office and to provide adequate representation to clients.