🎤😂 #BethlehemPA #Comedy for a good cause with Ross Bennett #Recovery #NorthamptonCounty

County committee hears ambassadors’ case for multi‑year hotel‑tax support Presenters from Bethlehem and Easton outlined ambassadors programs that provide cleaning, safety and hospitality in downtown corridors and asked Northampton County to include the programs in a five‑year recurring hotel‑tax grant to stabilize funding beginning fiscal 2027.

Ambassador teams in South Bethlehem and Easton are vital for community safety and cleanliness, but they urgently need stable funding to continue their impactful work!

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #CitizenPortal #EconomicDevelopment #PublicSafety #CommunitySupport

Advocates seek $125,000 county support for Lehigh Valley passenger‑rail economic impact study All Aboard Lehigh Valley proposed a four‑month, $125,000 economic‑impact study to quantify benefits of restoring passenger rail between Allentown–Bethlehem–Easton and New York City and asked Northampton County to participate alongside regional partners; presenters said the study would produce a fall report and public engagement materials.

Brett Weber is rallying support for a $125,000 study that could pave the way for a passenger rail connecting the Lehigh Valley to New York City, promising significant economic benefits for the region.

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #CitizenPortal #PublicEngagement

Council clears multiple contracts, appointments and introductions; schedules public hearings on several ordinances Beyond the Human Relations Commission ordinance, council approved contracts with HT Lyons, Patriot Workwear and Tenex, approved board appointments and personnel changes, introduced multiple easement and TIF ordinances for later public hearings, and approved a conditional $1,098,734 contribution to the South Bethlehem Greenway.

Northampton County Council made waves with new contracts, key appointments, and a hefty contribution to the South Bethlehem Greenway—all while debating significant ordinances for the future!

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Northampton County Council adopts Human Relations Commission ordinance after hours of public testimony and technical amendments After more than an hour of public comment and several council amendments, Northampton County Council adopted an ordinance establishing a local Human Relations Commission to handle discrimination complaints and expand protected categories; the measure passed 9-0 on March 19, 2026.

Northampton County Council has taken a bold step toward equality by unanimously establishing a Human Relations Commission to swiftly address discrimination complaints and expand local protections.

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #CommunityEngagement #CitizenPortal #LocalGovernance

Northampton County commission approves pilot "pop-up" voter service events ahead of primary The Northampton County Election Commission voted to approve a spring pilot of short-duration "pop-up" voter service events (up to six sites) to expand access before the 2026 primary; initial sites include Northampton Community College (Bethlehem) and Lafayette College. Ballots will be handled as absentee/mail-in ballots and processed under standard chain-of-custody procedures.

Northampton County is launching innovative "pop-up" voter service events to make voting easier for everyone ahead of the 2026 primary!

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #VoterAccess #CitizenPortal #CivicEngagement #ElectionInnovation

JoshWay founder tells committee his nonprofit grew from a personal tragedy and seeks funding to secure a community hub David Robertson, founder and executive director of JoshWay, described programs—Joshua Bridge leadership curriculum, digital diet workshops, a Joshua Lab at 913 North Hampton Street—and said the group has served 300+ families in pilot work; he asked the committee for operational support to secure the building and scale services.

After the tragic loss of his brother to fentanyl, David Robertson founded JoshWay to ensure no young person feels invisible, offering vital life skills and digital literacy programs to empower the next generation.

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #CitizenPortal #CommunityEmpowerment

Northampton County Council introduces Human Relations Commission ordinance after broad public support After multiple public speakers urged updated local protections, Northampton County Council introduced an ordinance to establish a county Human Relations Commission and scheduled a public hearing and possible vote for March 19, 2026. Supporters said a local commission would resolve discrimination complaints faster than the state system.

Northampton County Council is taking a bold step toward modernizing discrimination protections by introducing an ordinance for a local Human Relations Commission, following widespread community support for change.

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #CommunityEngagement #CitizenPortal

Northampton County Council passes resolution opposing conversion of warehouses to ICE detention facilities, 5–3 (1 abstention) After a heated debate, Northampton County Council approved a nonbinding resolution opposing the conversion of industrial warehouses into ICE detention facilities, citing humanitarian, infrastructure and tax-revenue concerns; opponents warned the county lacks authority to bar private property transactions and objected to language urging owners not to sell or lease.

Northampton County Council's recent resolution against converting warehouses into ICE detention centers sparks heated debate over property rights and community impact.

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #CivicAccountability #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #HumanitarianConcerns

Registrar outlines redistricting changes, polling‑place relocations and absentee‑mail notifications ahead of May primary The registrar told the commission about redrawn polling districts and multiple polling‑place moves in Bethlehem, Easton and Freemansburg, confirmed seven county drop boxes remain in place, and said 67,523 permanent absentee/mail‑in letters were mailed Jan. 24 with staff processing roughly 11,000 paper returns now.

Major changes are coming to polling places and election procedures in Northampton County—are you prepared for the May primary?

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #VoterEngagement #ElectionAdministration #CitizenPortal #NorthamptonCountyElections #RedistrictingUpdates

LVPC tells Northampton County committee the region will grow; housing shortage and multimunicipal planning top concerns The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission reported projections of roughly 108,000 new residents and 80,000 new jobs regionwide by 2050, described LVPC’s housing dashboard and multi‑municipal planning work, outlined environmental and transportation initiatives, and answered committee questions about data centers and municipal plan participation.

The Lehigh Valley is on track to welcome 108,000 new residents and 80,000 jobs by 2050, but a significant housing shortage looms—will coordinated planning be the key to overcoming these challenges?

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #CitizenPortal #ClimateAction #TransportationInnovation

Solicitor: Court orders mean Northampton County will continue counting undated mail‑in ballots unless a higher court rules Assistant County Solicitor Michael Vargo told the Northampton County Election Commission that current court orders require the county to count undated and misdated mail‑in ballots and that a U.S. Supreme Court petition could change that outcome but is not guaranteed.

Northampton County will keep counting undated mail-in ballots for the upcoming elections, but a pending Supreme Court appeal could change everything!

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #CitizenPortal #LegalUpdates #NorthamptonCountyElections #ElectionIntegrity #VotingRights

Commissioners approve contingency funds for one-year Conway police coverage The Northampton County Board of Commissioners approved short-term funding from contingency reserves to support Conway’s special-assignment police coverage for the remainder of the fiscal year and set a budget placeholder for 2026–27.

Northampton County Commissioners have taken bold action to enhance public safety in Conway by approving special-assignment police coverage—will this move reduce crime as it has in neighboring towns?

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#NorthamptonCounty #NC #CivicAccountability #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety

PETA urges countywide ban on tethering; offers grant for enforcement officer PETA presented photos and a sample ordinance to Northampton County commissioners urging a ban on continuous chaining of dogs and offered grant support to fund an enforcement officer and outreach measures if the county adopts an ordinance.

PETA is pushing for a crucial ban on dog tethering in Northampton County, revealing shocking images of animals suffering in freezing conditions and offering support for enforcement.

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#NorthamptonCounty #NC #CitizenPortal #CivicEngagement #PublicSafety #AnimalWelfare

Finance committee backs recommendation for BSI benefits brokerage and awards precast contract under budget for garage project Finance committee concurred with administration recommendation to approve a benefits-brokerage contract with BSI Corporate Benefits and moved forward a contract with High Concrete Group for precast panels on a replacement downtown parking garage; High Concrete's bid came in about $4.2 million versus a $6 million estimate. BSI representatives and county HR described services and RFP response levels.

Northampton County's finance committee has taken a significant step by backing a contract with BSI Corporate Benefits and securing a precast concrete deal under budget for a new parking garage!

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #CitizenPortal #CommunityDevelopment #PublicFinance

Northampton County aging services seeks two supervisory upgrades to reduce protective-services caseloads Area Agency on Aging requested two position upgrades to address rising protective-services referrals — proposing promotion of an Aging Care Manager 2 to 3 and an Aging Care Management Supervisor 2 to 3, funded from the aging block grant, not county general funds. Presenters cited a jump from 723 reports of need in 2018 to 1,907 in 2025 and veteran caseworkers carrying caseloads above 70.

Northampton County's Area Agency on Aging is pushing for critical upgrades to address a staggering rise in protective-services workloads, with veteran caseworkers juggling over 70 cases each!

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #CitizenPortal #ElderCare #ProtectiveServices

Finance committee hears plan to amend 2025 books with roughly $7 million for Gracedale shortfall Acting director of fiscal affairs Brandon Dunstan told the finance committee the county needs an approximately $7 million 2025 budget amendment to cover Gracedale Nursing Home's revenue shortfall driven by lower census and Medicaid pendings; he said this is a prior-year closing journal entry and should not affect 2026 budgets. The DA asked that opioid funds be transferred back to the office and that element was included.

Northampton County's finance committee is tackling a staggering $7 million budget shortfall for Gracedale Nursing Home while also addressing the urgent transfer of opioid funds to the district attorney's office.

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #OpioidResponse #CitizenPortal

Northampton County updates operation, staffing and oversight timeline for Gracedale nursing home County officials and Gracedale administrators told the Human Services Committee on Feb. 18 that Gracedale is in substantial compliance but remains on provisional status for staffing; a mock survey by an external consultant is scheduled next week and the county will begin biweekly reporting and develop a dashboard to monitor staffing and inspections.

Gracedale nursing home is on the path to improvement with a mock survey on the horizon, but will it be enough to boost its provisional status?

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #CivicAccountability #HealthCare #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety

County presents completed EPA brownfields cleanup at 400 Washington Street in Easton County staff and consultants told the Economic Development Committee that an EPA Brownfields‑funded cleanup at 400 Washington Street removed more than 800 tons of contaminated soil (about 1,000 pounds of lead), used a risk‑based approach for a recreational end use, and has an Act 2 report under PADEP review.

A major cleanup at 400 Washington Street has cleared over 800 tons of contaminated soil, paving the way for a new recreational trailhead in Easton!

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #EnvironmentalCleanup #PublicHealth #CitizenPortal #RecreationalDevelopment

Developer says Dixie Cup Factory remediation nearly complete, seeks TIF support for redevelopment Developer Brian Barty told the county committee the Dixie Cup Factory in Wilsonborough has been largely remediated (about $4 million invested), is on the historic registry, and will need tax‑increment financing as part of a financing package; first residential units are projected by August 2027 if construction financing closes.

The redevelopment of the historic Dixie Cup Factory is nearing completion, but the project’s future hinges on securing crucial tax-increment financing—will Northampton County give the green light?

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #CitizenPortal #EconomicDevelopment

Rep. Bob Freeman outlines lease‑to‑purchase bill to expand path to homeownership State Rep. Bob Freeman presented House Bill 1696 to the Northampton County Economic Development Committee, proposing a statewide lease‑with‑guaranteed‑purchase program administered by PHFA that would place at least 20% of monthly payments into escrow, add consumer protections and cap payments at 110% of fair‑market rent.

Rep. Bob Freeman's new bill could transform renters into homeowners by allowing them to build down-payment funds through their monthly payments—could this be the game-changer we need for housing affordability?

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #ConsumerProtection #CitizenPortal

County to apply for $500,000 state RCAP grant for Dixie Cup Factory redevelopment Council authorized Northampton County to serve as grantee on behalf of Skyline Investment Group Easton LLC for a $500,000 Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program application to support redevelopment of the Dixie Cup Factory site in Wilson Borough; council approved the resolution 8–1 after clarifying county will act as a pass-through applicant.

Northampton County is taking a bold step in revitalizing the long-abandoned Dixie Cup Factory site with a $500,000 grant application that promises to boost local jobs and investment.

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #CitizenPortal #CommunityInvestment #UrbanRevitalization

Northampton County moves $7 million to close 2025, approves appointments and vendor contracts Council approved budget amendments that reallocate roughly $7 million to cover Gracedale Nursing Home’s 2025 expenditures, confirmed multiple board appointments, upgraded county positions and approved contracts for benefits brokerage and parking-deck work; most measures passed unanimously.

Northampton County Council has taken decisive action, reallocating $7 million to ensure Gracedale Nursing Home's 2025 budget is balanced while also approving key appointments and contracts that will shape the county's future.

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#NorthamptonCounty #PA #CitizenPortal

Commissioners approve agreement to accept Commerce funds for sewer expansion at county commerce park The board voted to execute an industrial development fund agreement to accept Department of Commerce funds (part of earlier announcements including a $3 million Golden Leaf award) and to proceed with design, engineering and permitting to expand sewer at the Northampton County Commerce Park.

Northampton County is set to boost its industrial growth with a unanimous board vote to accept $1.5 million in funding for sewer expansion— paving the way for new opportunities!

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#NorthamptonCounty #NC #CitizenPortal #InfrastructureGrowth #EconomicDevelopment #SewerExpansion

Votes at a glance: Feb. 16 Northampton County commissioners meeting The board approved acceptance of a Commerce grant agreement for Commerce Park sewer expansion, authorized the tax official to advertise delinquent tax lists, and adopted budget amendment #7; all motions carried by voice vote.

Big decisions were made at the Northampton County Commissioners meeting, including a major grant for sewer expansion and plans to tackle delinquent taxes!

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#NorthamptonCounty #NC #CitizenPortal #EconomicDevelopment #TaxAccountability

#lehighvalley, #northamptoncounty #Pennsylvania expecting up to 3 to 5 in of #snow

new day, same shit, more #snow ! it's hard to celebrate #blackhistorymonth with all this white shit coming down! #lehighvalley #northamptoncounty #Pennsylvania

Northampton County Council adopts CCAP priorities, authorizes AAA donations and introduces budget amendment Council adopted CCAP's three 2026 county priorities (911 funding, mental‑health funding, timely property reassessments) and approved a resolution allowing the Area Agency on Aging to accept event donations; an ordinance to amend the 2025 county budget was introduced and scheduled for public hearing on Feb. 19.

Northampton County Council has taken a bold step by adopting crucial priorities for 2026, including enhanced 911 funding and mental health services, while also allowing donations for senior events!

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#NorthamptonCounty #VA #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #FairTaxation #MentalHealth

Northampton County leaders outline corrective steps after Gracedale downgrade, provisional license issued County officials described corrective actions after Gracedale nursing home was downgraded and given a six‑month provisional license by the Pennsylvania Department of Health; council accepted written plans of correction, requested biweekly reports and voted to discuss personnel and litigation in executive session.

Northampton County officials are taking urgent action after Gracedale nursing home received a troubling downgrade and provisional license from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

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#NorthamptonCounty #VA #CivicAccountability #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #HealthcareReform

Commissioners approve $50,000 refundable deposit to secure $20 million New Markets Tax Credit for new high school project The Northampton County Board of Commissioners approved a reservation agreement with BlueHub Capital and authorized a refundable $50,000 deposit to secure a $20 million New Markets Tax Credit allocation for the county's new high school project; officials said the allocation reduces the county's expected contribution and the deposit will be refunded at closing.

The Northampton County Board of Commissioners just secured a massive $20 million New Markets Tax Credit for the new high school project, promising significant savings for taxpayers!

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#NorthamptonCounty #NC #CitizenPortal #CommunityDevelopment #EducationInvestment #PublicFunding