This social services agency investigates allegations of child abuse and neglect and arranges housing and care for children who have been removed from their homes. It oversees the county's foster parent program, as well as a program of volunteer mentors, tutors and parent educators.
This elected official controls the purse strings for Bucks County. He or she oversees the county government's financial dealings, including payments to outside vendors the county might hire as well as payroll and retirement for county employees. The controller's office prepares the county's annual financial report and also is charged with auditing county departments.
As you might guess from the title, the county Treasurer collects and invests county money. The general public is most likely to need the services of the Treasurer's office, however, for dog licenses and hunting permits. And if you want to host a big bingo night, you'll need the Treasurer's stamp of approval to do so.
Shortly after Doylestown was named the county seat of Bucks County, residents lobbied to create Doylestown Township from the surrounding countryside. The township elected its first officers in 1819; today, the township is governed by five elected supervisors. Most of Doylestown Township's important departments are headquartered here, from police to parks to the water authority.
The police department can be reached at 215-348-4201.
Unfinished home repairs, shoddy construction and arguments with landlords are just a few of the issues that can end up in the hands of this government-sponsored office. The advocates here can help mediate disputes when goods or services are not delivered as expected or promised. The Bucks County office receives more than 8,000 calls each year for assistance.
Part of the county's finance department, this division is charged with determining the current market value of all real estate properties in the county. The resulting assessment directly affects how much property tax the property owner pays.
Penn State runs this community-outreach educational office, which offers practical, how-to advice based on research done at the university. It is a valuable community resource for information on a wide range of topics, from commercial agriculture to backyard gardening.
The Register of Wills records all wills and other legal documents needed to administer a person's estate. The office is also a resource for genealogists. More than 300 years of Bucks County family history has been preserved, digitized and indexed for easy searching in the office's Archive Research Center.
The courthouse is the heart of Bucks County's government and its court system. Three courthouse buildings have occupied the triangle of land at Doylestown's Court and Main streets since 1813. Opened in phases from 1960 to 1962, the current courthouse is home to a rectangular wing, which houses the county's administrative offices, and a circular wing, which houses courtrooms and court offices.
Doylestown Borough Office is the official organization representing information for the borough of Doylestown. It offers information to residents and visitors on upcoming public meetings, shopping, dining and businesses in the area.
This state government office oversees state-owned roads within Bucks County's borders. The staff is responsible for more than 960 miles of roadway and more than 800 bridges.
Tiny New Britain Borough, covering just over 1 square mile to the west of Doylestown, can trace its roots back to a colonial-era village that grew up around the intersection of what is now U.S. 202 and Almshouse Road. The borough split off of New Britain Township in 1928 to form its own government. Today, the borough council meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 7:30pm.
A member of the Bucks County Division of Human Services, Bucks County Drug & Alcohol Commission (BCDAC) works to reduce tobacco and alcohol use and illegal drug addiction through treatment, education and prevention.
One of the three elected commissioners who govern Bucks County, James Cawley has held the office since 2005. The Republican lives in Middletown Township.
From preserving open space to reviewing development proposals for new construction, the county's planning commission shepherds development county-wide. The commission's staff of more than 30 is headquarted in Doylestown's historic Almshouse building.
Diane Ellis-Marseglia is one of three commissioners for Buck County. The only Democrat on the board, Ellis-Marseglia won election in 2007. She lives in Middletown Township.
Register to vote, locate your polling place or find out the results of past elections in this important county department. The Board of Elections office handles all election-related duties, from receiving candidates' filing paperwork, preparing all materials used for county elections and tabulating election-night returns.
The Opportunity Council helps low-income Bucks County families reach economic self-sufficiency through a wide range of programs. It does provide financial and emergency assistance, but its main goal is to offer people the education and training to become independent and financially able to stand on their own.