Tom Waring, the Wire
Bucks County Commissioners Robert Loughery, Charles Martin and Diane Ellis-Marseglia recently added three properties totaling more than 130 acres to the Bucks County Agricultural Land Preservation Program, nudging the program’s preserved land base to 182 farms comprised of 15,060 acres.
“This is a special day,” said county agricultural land preservation director Rich Harvey, who has coordinated the program and the county agricultural land preservation board since its inception in 1989.
The commissioners voted unanimously to spend just over $525,000 to preserve the 24.91-acre Jacklin farm in Springfield Township and the 71.89- and 33.84-acre Crouse farms in Durham Township.
Representatives of the Penn State Cooperative Extension office presented the three board members with fresh produce baskets filled with items from Bucks County farms.
Martin, who attended his 21st Grange Fair as a Bucks County commissioner, presented the 2015 Bucks County Conservation District “Fred Groshens Farmer of the Year Award” to representatives of the Peace Valley Equestrian Center. The trio of Bill and John Steinhauser along with Maria Taylor were commended for their implementation of several conservation measures and completion of a Forestry Stewardship Plan.
In the future, they plan to plant trees to enhance the riparian area of an unnamed tributary of Lake Galena. According to BCCD Director Gretchen Schatschneider, the Peace Valley Equestrian Center is the first equine facility to win the Fred Groshens Award.
The meeting had an agrarian feel and theme. Officials from the local 4-H noted that membership in the organization has risen dramatically to 9,300 youths involved in its various programs. Loughery’s youngest daughter, Amelia, earned honors in the Goat Show for her handling of the goat Spencer.
The commissioners also unanimously approved a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance program for the Mill Run property in Bristol Borough. That agreement was previously approved at the municipal level.
The commissioners unanimously approved a three-year, $2.866 million contract with National Medical Services Inc. of Willow Grove to operate the Bucks County Forensic Crime Lab in Warminster. District Attorney David Heckler thanked the county staff that has manned the crime lab during past years, labeling it “the little crime lab that could.”
In addition, staff of the Bucks County Community Corrections Facility presented a basket of produce that was grown at the minimum-security facility to officials from the Bucks County Opportunity Council. Superintendent Kevin Rousset said it was a “way to give back to those less fortunate.”
Meanwhile, Chief Operating Officer Brian Hessenthaler announced Saturday, Oct. 10, as the date for the county’s ninth Pandemic Flu Drill, which will offer free seasonal flu shots at three locations (Pennridge North Middle School, Neshaminy High School and Central Bucks South High School) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The next meeting of the Board of Bucks County Commissioners will take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2 at The Barn at Tinicum Park, River Road (Route 32), in Erwinna.
