Bucks County Conversations

Job seekers or businesses looking for a boost should look no further than the Bucks County Workforce and Economic Development (WED) Department . WED is essentially both sides of the coin, ready to help businesses thrive and individuals find a job.     In this episode, WED Director Dianna Kralle talks about the history of the department and how it’s “WOW”-ing people today with Pennsylvania’s first...

Be sure to mark "semiquin" on your 2026 calendars, because it’s the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. America250 , along with local chapters, is and has been dedicated to ensuring this year is celebrated properly.  In this episode, Commissioner Bob Harvie, who leads the Bucks250PA Commission, discusses the group's efforts and how their goal is to st...

Bucks County Human Services is the county’s largest division, comprising hundreds of staff members across multiple departments. From the Area Agency on Aging to Children & Youth, this division truly addresses and considers the needs of residents. A primary focus within Human Services is mental health. In this episode, you’ll hear from Rachael Neff, Director of Human Services Division. She prov...

In 2021, the Bucks County Planning Commission's role in County government expanded to include sustainability staffers with the goal of reducing the county’s carbon footprint and figuring out how to be more sustainable. Just a couple of years later, the County Commissioners passed a pretty monumental agreement for the department called the Sustainable Energy Partnership of Southeast Pennsylvan...

Main Street in Doylestown Borough connects two significant Bucks County Government buildings: the Administration Building and the Justice Center. While the Justice Center is primarily known for its court functions, it also houses other offices that occasionally attract public interest. In this episode, we’ll have a conversation with Bucks County Sheriff Fred Harran, who dedicated most of his caree...

Agriculture supports one in ten jobs in Pennsylvania, according to the PA Department of Ag. In Bucks County, Delaware Valley University is training the farmers and ag. Professionals of the future. In this episode, you’ll hear about the changes the county has gone through when it comes to agriculture from William Penn to Del Val, and in between we learn about Commissioners Bob Harvie and Diane Elli...

Some 50 years after the Vietnam War, the Bucks County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge Program is giving families a chance to honor their fallen heroes in a permanent and special way. Bucks County, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (PAVVMF), is working to dedicate county-owned bridges to the 136 county residents who died in the Vietnam War.      In this episode,...

Bucks County was the first county in Pennsylvania to enact a comprehensive plan in 1961. At that time they were planning for 1980, now they’re planning for 2040. In this episode, Evan Stone, Executive Director of the Bucks County Planning Commission and Mike Roedig, Director of Planning Services, break down what exactly a comprehensive plan is, specifically Bucks2040 , and why it's needed. Ma...

In 2023, the Bucks County Government broke ground on three huge projects, expanded existing programs and kickstarted new initiatives. In this episode of Bucks County Conversations, Commissioners Bob Harvie, Diane Ellis-Marseglia and Gene DiGirolamo will tell us how the year went and what they are looking forward to in their second term in 2024. Follow us: Facebook , Twitter and Instagram Check us...

In Bucks County, Co-Responders assist officers in 18 police departments as of 2023. Co-responders are social service professionals who work collaboratively with police to divert people in need of social services away from the criminal justice system. The program aims to decrease the time law enforcement spends responding to situations involving social service needs to provide a more effective emer...

Bucks County officials, police officers and community members have been painting murals with a specific purpose for the past couple of years.  The purpose is L.O.V.E. Is The Answer , a movement started by A.J. Ali whose goal is to improve community-police relations. The movement began when A.J. was stopped “one too many times” by police and decided to make a movie, ‘ WALKING WHILE BLACK: L.O.V.E....

The African American Museum of Bucks County ( AAMBC ) is bringing a new purpose to Boone Farm, a centuries-old property located in Langhorne, Bucks County.  The soon-to-be permanent home of the AAMBC is intertwined in history, once a beacon to African Americans fleeing oppression during the Great Migration. In this episode of Bucks County Conversations, we catch up with President and Executive Dir...

Throughout the U.S., approximately 95 percent of incarcerated individuals will inevitably return to their communities, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, but a person's successful reentry is not as sure to happen. The Bucks County Reentry Coalition is a group of more than 50 agencies looking to break barriers for justice-involved individuals by offering the resources and support n...

The Bucks County Commissioners and county residents will ring in the new year with a balanced 2023 budget with no tax increase. But before the new year begins, the Commissioners look back at some accomplishments of 2022, as well as ongoing projects and initiatives that will continue into 2023. For example: the expansion to the Bucks County Emergency Operation Center (EOC), and the groundbreaking a...

There are several departments within the Bucks County Government that recommend its staff work well under pressure. Then there’s the departments that require it - and they fall under the Bucks County Emergency Management Agency (EMA). Audrey Kenny, Director of EMA, joins us to talk about the eight departments she oversees and how the team develops plans and responds in the face of hurricanes, snow...

There are not many careers that get an “all eyes on you” moment. But for Board of Elections offices, that’s the way it goes. Bucks County has more than 470,000 registered voters. Today we are going to talk about how the Bucks County Board of Elections functions throughout the year, what goes into the temporary hiring process and who exactly is behind the office that has two Super Bowls every year....

Established in the late 1950s by a resolution of the Bucks County Commissioners, the Bucks County Free Library System (BCFL) provides residents with near limitless access to knowledge and educational resources -- and all at no charge to those who wish to use it. In this episode we hear from Hannah Miller, the District Consultant for the Bucks County Library District, and Holly Ambrose, who is the...

If you’ve driven around Bucks County, you’ve probably seen a cornfield, horses, maybe some cows, chickens and well, farms. But did you know many of the county's farms operate on preserved land?   In this episode of Bucks County Conversations, our summer intern Josh Brown heads out to some of those farms and talks to some of the farmers who work on land preserved through the Bucks County Farm...

The Bucks County Administration Building’s courtyard is filled with memorials dedicated to the fallen heroes of nearly every American war. In this episode of Bucks County Conversations, we chat with Tim Wynn, the Director of Bucks County Veterans Affairs and a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. We also take a little tour of the courtyard with Tim and Steve Brauns , Deputy Director of General Servic...

In this episode of Bucks County Conversations, we talk about Buck County’s Foster Parent and Volunteer Program . The Bucks County Children and Youth Social Services Agency currently has close to 200 children in its foster care system, which depends on dedicated caseworkers, as well as adults and volunteers who help to make a difference in the lives of children.  Shantelle Gammon, Foster Parent and...

On this episode of Bucks County Conversations, we are talking about the importance of training and safety from both the education side and the enforcement side. Rich Vona, Director of Law Enforcement and Safety, explains his role in Bucks County and how he coordinates with the county’s park rangers, security personnel and 39 police departments.  We also hear from Carly Mannon who is the Community...

In this episode of Bucks County Conversations, we discover our sprawling park system in two different ways. Angie Nagle, the executive director of the Bucks County Parks and Recreation Department joins us to talk about her first few months on the job, her goals for the park system and some fun facts she thinks we should know - like how Core Creek Park has a moon tree ! We also step back in time wi...

In this episode of Bucks County Conversations, we chat with the department that handles everything from land development to household hazardous waste to rail trail connections, as well as interactive, informational maps on our website. Evan Stone, the director of the Planning Commission, tells us, “Data is our life.” The commission is currently planning for the future of the county with their Buck...

In this episode of Bucks County Conversations, we’re talking about a recently passed county-wide ordinance that aims to crack down on human trafficking by regulating the operation of massage parlors.  Chelsey Jackman, assistant county solicitor, joins us to break down how the ordinance will function, specifically through the Consumer Protection Department, as well as the Health Department. And lat...

In this episode, we are celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Bucks County Human Services Connect Hub. We also catch up with Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia, who was inspired to run for county commissioner to “be a social worker for the whole county.” Since taking office, she has made it her mission to create programs and initiatives, like the Hub, to help residents succeed.  Created to s...