Lehigh County Board of Commissioners voted for Emmaus resident Jeffrey Dutt to replace 5th District Republican Nathan Brown in a vote Dec. 9, 2020.

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

Dutt, a former Whitehall Township commissioner and a current social studies teacher at Louis L. Dieruff High School, touted his ability to work with the opposing party.

“In 2015, I was elected to the board of commissioners in Whitehall Township. I was able to unseat a 20-year incumbent. 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.”

He also cited his time on various committees such as secretary of the Whitehall veterans memorial committee and a member of the MacArthur Road 75th anniversary and the fall festival committees. He noted he serves as president of the Whitehall Active Community Center.

In other business, commissioners completed the final step in securing Juneteenth, or June 19, as a paid Lehigh County holiday by setting aside the appropriate funds.

Commissioners approved the measure 6-2 with Dougherty and Commissioner Dan Hartzell voting against. Both expressed support but opposed on fiscal grounds.