(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

With October winding down, the Beaver County Commissioners gathered for their final work session of the month. The meeting ultimately focused on two places: the park and the polls.

Solicitor Garen Fedeles announced the resolutions for the October 27 public meeting; highlights includes an agreement with the Beaver Falls Municipal Authority to install the new water lines at Brady’s Run Park, with the cost not to exceed $1.32 million. The project is set to commence on October 27.

Another two resolutions are dedicated to survey work and soil testing for the flood plain area of Brady’s Run Park, which drew some comments from Commissioner Jack Manning. “Before we can make a decision about where to pipe it,” he stated, “we need to understand what that is, what the base is, whether to raise it two feet, three feet, where to fill it, and what the cost would be. Because I do tend to side with the architects who are recommending a spot partially in the flood plain; but if you do raise that, you don’t have to have flood insurance.”

Fedeles also echoed the recent updates about the latest in the mail-in ballot saga surrounding the 2022 election; he answered a question from Second Deputy of the Treasury Pamela Happ regarding what the decision of the county will be in regards to ballots without signatures.

“We are currently segregating ballots that aren’t dated,” Fedeles said. “So if a mail-in ballot comes in that’s signed and has no date, we’re putting that in a separate pile and we’re waiting for further direction…our thought process is that we keep it segregated, and it makes it easier for us to figure out what we’re going to do with those once all the dust settles with the litigation.”

The solicitor added that a decision about the no-date ballots may come closer to Election Day or soon after but “the Department of State is advising to segregate and count those at this point.”

The next Commissioners’ work session is scheduled for Wednesday, November 2 at 10:00 AM.