By DOUGLAS GRAVES

Special to The Press

Lehigh County Commissioners, with no discussion, voted for Emmaus resident Jeffrey Dutt to replace 5th District Republican Nathan Brown in a vote Dec. 9.

With a 7-1 vote, Dutt was selected from a field of four candidates.

Dutt, a social studies teacher at Louis L. Dieruff High School, will take the seat formerly occupied by Brown, who resigned citing career obligations as the reason.

In his application, Dutt touted his ability to work with the opposing party.

“In 2015, I was elected to the Board of Commissioners in Whitehall Township. During this election, I was able to unseat a 20-year incumbent,” Dutt said. “During my time on the board, I was the only Republican, but effectively and cooperatively worked with my colleagues to pass three ‘no tax increase’ budgets, legislation to start a senior center in Whitehall, and secured a grant to begin the process of preserving historic Hokendauqua.

Only one other candidate, Bethlehem resident Diana L. Inglis, received one vote, that from Commissioner Percy Dougherty.

In other business, the Lehigh Commissioners completed the final step in securing Juneteenth, or June 19, as a paid Lehigh County holiday when the board approved an amendment to the 2021 budget setting aside the money to fund payroll and related expenses.

Commissioners approved the measure 6-2 with Commissioners Dougherty and Dan Hartzell voting against the measure.

Both expressed support for the sentiment, but opposed the creation of a new paid holiday on fiscal grounds.