All nine commissioners were present for the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners meeting April 22, which was dominated by discussions pertaining to bill 2026-14. This bill proposes a regional youth detention center intergovernmental cooperation agreement to establish a more structured approach to juvenile detention in Lehigh County.

A large showing of concerned citizens attended the meeting to convey opposition to Lehigh County engaging in the agreement. While the community naysayers in attendance outweighed the advocates, a few juvenile probation officers and individuals who support the juvenile probation efforts in the county took the chance to vocalize their support of the bill.

In support of the bill, Commissioner Antonio Pineda echoed evidence of support similar to when the bill was first read during the April 8 meeting. In addition to providing another summary of the positives the proposal presents, President Judge Douglas Reichley and chief juvenile probation officer Kevin Miller emphasized the distance and transportation challenges the county currently faces when children in detention are in different facilities and require transportation to and from court appointments.

Reichley summarized his support by saying the “reality is that Lehigh County has a need for a secure, reliable, responsibly managed short-term detention bed facility in order to secure youth who have been identified as committing the most serious kinds of offenses that are under our crimes code until their adjudication and eventual disposition.”

Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel acknowledged the community’s complaints from the previous meeting by admitting there could have been more town halls and opportunity for discussion.

However, he “encourages the board to speak with a voice of unity and move forward together” as he would “rather have a publicly-run facility than a for-profit enterprise exploit, to ignore and neglect our children.”

Commissioners Sheila Alvarado, April Riddick, Sarah Fevig and Ron Beitler and Chairman Geoff Brace all voiced their support of the multicounty-run approach to juvenile detention.

While Alvarado visited the facility and received answers to all her questions, Riddick went out into the community and spoke with individuals who experienced firsthand juvenile detention. Surprised to hear that most of them voiced support for juvenile detention through their own experiences, her support for the bill grew.

Fevig voiced agreement with the bill as she feels it meets the needs of today and is comfortable supporting a partnership — one that now includes four additional counties alongside Lehigh County. Beitler recognized that, despite the conflicting opinions felt by those in opposition, the core need to find a “balance between helping kids turn things around and protect the community at large” still prevails.

Brace made known his support of an operation such as this only being managed by government agencies, as well as indicated his belief in the plan to present “the predictability, accountability and responsibility we need for a juvenile detention facility.”

Commissioner Jon Irons remained steadfast in his opposition. He spoke of his fears and distaste with investing in state violence, as well as making reference to the statistics showing children do not benefit from being separated from their families. Irons said “building and maintaining a system of incarceration is state violence. And I will not vote for that.”

When it came time for citizens’ input on the bill, many expressed their disdain toward the fact that the commissioners had, in their opinions, clearly already made their decisions.

“Why did we elect you if you have made your mind before we spoke? Because the vote was done before I touched this podium,” said a resident of Allentown and mother who has lived through her son in juvenile detention.

Several others echoed this sentiment and additionally cited their individual beliefs as to why proceeding with the agreement is a mistake. By and large, the community requested commissioners take a pause and not vote on the bill until the proper due diligence can be performed.

Brace attempted to take a roll-call vote on the bill. Irons asked for clarification on what precisely was being voted on, given that the bill before them did not include the fifth participating county which will impact both the annual county cost and number of guaranteed beds.

After some discussion back and forth, Irons made a motion to table the bill to give time for a final agreement and to allow for more community input, as well as consideration toward the victims of juvenile crimes and more feedback from people who have been through the system. Remotely in attendance, Commissioner Zach Cole-Borghi seconded this motion.

Despite the yay votes by Cole-Borghi, Fevig, Irons and Riddick, the motion to table failed 4-5.

With nothing left but to vote on bill 2026-14 as originally outlined, the roll call vote was 6-3 in favor. Those opposing the bill were Cole-Borghi, Irons and Riddick. The bill passed.