The Oct. 8 Lehigh County Board of Commissioners meeting began with Chief Fiscal Officer Tim Reeves taking to the podium with some unfortunate news regarding the financial picture.

Reeves explained there was hope of a state program that would lend funds to counties as a means to help bridge the gap in the continued absence of a state budget. After he recently filled out the applications, Reeves discovered the program would only allow Lehigh County to borrow $6 million toward one specific line item, which, in this case, was toward child welfare programs.

“I told them, in the nicest terms possible, $6 million doesn’t even cover the unpaid portion for last year’s budget that you haven’t even paid us,” Reeves said.

He then continued to plead with anyone who may have the right contact at the state level that they propose ideas to allow a “mechanism that allows the counties to get paid just as the lawmakers continue to get paid during the budget impasse.”

Commissioner Geoff Brace followed with insight into another attempt at a budget that was voted on earlier in the day. Unfortunately, comments from the Senate majority leadership seem to indicate there still does not seem to be a pathway toward a majority vote on the budget.

If “the prospect of a rape crisis center closing in Philadelphia, … legal services and food pantries being forced to shutter … isn’t getting people to the table with a sense of urgency, I’m not sure what’s going to,” Brace said.

Commissioner Jeffrey Dutt questioned Reeves as to the impact of the money-earning interest lost on the 2026 budget. Reeves responded while it is still troubling, this consideration was fortunately built into the budget as the anticipated direction was likely.

County Executive Phil Armstrong clarified, “It should be very clear that the state now is sitting on that money, making money. So, they are making the money on the money that we should be having.”

During the citizens input portion of the meeting, Sharon Finnegan, of Allentown, summarized in her recent visits to the Lehigh County Jail that she repeatedly has been seeing inmates report improper retaliation, punishment, cruelty with food and challenges with filing grievances. She closed by announcing her strong support for the creation of a more inclusive public prison oversight board.

Ed Angelo, of Milford Township, requested the board “adopt a resolution opposing fascism as it has been perpetrated in a federal government, particularly by one man.”

He went on to describe evidence of fascism in the military, in ICE operations, in the justice system and the request to “perp walk” the former FBI Director James Comey.

Continuing on with the regularly scheduled agenda items for the evening, two bills were unanimously approved.

The first approved an extension to the lease agreement with Davison and McCarthy PC for the lower level of the Hamilton Financial Center building. The second is between the same parties, seeking to enter into a new lease agreement through June 24, 2029.

Additionally, a resolution was approved to support an application for a grant from the Commonwealth Financing Authority, Pennsylvania Gaming Local Share Account, to help fund the Da Vinci Discovery Center of Science and Technology’s workforce development project.

Two bills received their first reading. The first looks to adopt the 2026 Lehigh County budget, amend the job classification and pay plans for consistency and keep the real estate tax rate for the county at 3.78 mills.

Dutt went on to comment he is proud to be part of yet another no-tax-increase budget. The board will be voting “on the budget as proposed by the county executive” due to the absence of any proposed amendments.

The second bill seeks to award $260,000 in Lehigh County Affordable Housing Trust funds to four different organizations, which could bring on about 40 units.

Near the conclusion of the meeting, a reminder was given about a household hazardous waste disposal event. This will take place 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 1 at Coca-Cola Park, 1050 IronPigs Way, Allentown.

Due to the largely anticipated turnout, preregistration is necessary and can be done on the county website. No electronic wastes will be collected, and more information about the different types of household hazardous wastes can be found on the Lehigh County website.

Additionally, the last date to register to vote for the upcoming election was Oct. 20.

Commissioner Zach Cole-Borghi stated it had been 41 days since he was arrested and “paraded through the Bethlehem City Hall. Still haven’t been afforded due process, which is my constitutional right, and I still haven’t been provided the affidavit of probable cause. Forty-one days.”

The next regularly scheduled board of commissioners meeting was to be held Oct. 22.