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A Richland resident asked questions of the Lebanon County Commissioners at their July 2 meeting concerning potential federal involvement in the mid-term elections this November.
In other business, commissioners accepted the 2026-27 fiscal year Human Service Plan to ensure block grant funding for three county agencies.
Upcoming election
Jeff Billman expressed concerns while asking questions about possible federal law enforcement involvement in the elections this fall.
“Many of us are deeply concerned about the federal government interfering with the upcoming midterm elections. Our elections are constitutionally run by the commonwealth, yet President Trump has threatened to send an election integrity army to the polls,” Billman said.
He wondered if the county had a contingency plan in case of federal interference. While the county does not have a plan, Billman was told that any changes to the voting process locally would be conducted at a public meeting.
Human Service Plan
Funding provided for Lebanon County Mental Health & Intellectual Disabilities, Lebanon County Drug & Alcohol Commission, and Lebanon County Community Action Partnership totaled nearly $5 million in fiscal year 2025-26, according to Holly Leahy, administrator of Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities/Early Intervention.
“This plan is Pennsylvania’s way of obtaining data and reports for how we’re spending our funds within the block grant,” said Leahy, noting later the plan totals 76 pages. “We’ve been a block grant county since 2017. The block grant brings us together to write the plan, but also allows for great collaboration regarding the funding in that they are more flexible funds and can be redistributed from one department who may be under budget to another department running a deficit.”
Leahy provided commissioners with a breakdown for FY 2025-26 of the $4,993,116 split between departments, with 59% for mental health, 29% for intellectual disabilities, and 6% each for the Drug & Alcohol Commission and Community Action Partnership.
“I should also note the block grant funding is only a percentage of our overall funding for each department,” added Leahy.
In an unrelated matter involving the county’s MH/ID/EI department, commissioners also approved eight contract amendments for fiscal year 2025-26, totaling just under $43,600. There were six amendments for Early Intervention and two for Intellectual Disabilities, according to Leahy.
She added that all eight amendments were necessary to cover authorized services delivered. All expenses will be covered through allocated funds for fiscal year ’25-26, meaning the agency did not need additional county tax dollars to cover the expenditures.
Other county business
In other business, commissioners unanimously voted to:
- Approve a low bid of $224,631 from Delaware Environmental Construction Services for complete stony masonry arch repair as part of Phase 9 of the Lebanon Valley Rail Trail project. American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal dollars were provided during the COVID-19 pandemic to counties for revitalization- and construction-based projects. The arch sits along the trail just outside of Jonestown.
- Release a $750,000 lien to WEPA for ARPA funding that was provided by the county to the workforce development agency for its building project.
- Accept the treasurer’s report, including a beginning cash balance of $3,706,097.61, plus receipts of $1,563,015.20, for a total cash balance of $5,269,112.81. Less expenditures of $2,711,849, less tax claim of $102,227.77, which leaves a current cash balance of $2,455,856.55.
- Grant a request for County GIS to purchase Broadcom/VMware software for the agency.
- Permit the district attorney’s office to apply for the BYRNE Justice Assistance Grant.
- Issue proclamations honoring John R. Wilson for 28 years of service in the county’s Department of Emergency Services and Beth Hoch for 28 years of service in the district attorney’s office.
- Grant various personnel transactions.
- Provide real estate tax exemptions to five fully disabled veterans or their families.
- Approve the minutes of their June 18 meeting and executive session to discuss personnel matters.
Read More: (Apr. 2024) 11 projects funded, Lebanon County seeks to spend remaining ARPA dollars
Executive session
County commissioners went into executive session after the meeting to discuss personnel matters.
Next meeting
Lebanon County Commissioners meet the first and third Thursday of the month at 9:30 a.m. in Room 207 of the county municipal building, 400 S. 8th St., Lebanon. The next regularly scheduled meeting is on Thursday, July 16.
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