Published December 30. 2021 06:03PM
Lehigh County Commissioners heard a first reading of a resolution to “express intention to create a county department of health” at the Dec. 15 meeting.
The motion puts the action on the agenda for Jan. 12, 2022, the next regular meeting of the legislative body.
The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic may be credited for the perceived need for a more regional or countywide health department.
The next action will be to seek a certificate of approval from the Pennsylvania State Secretary of Health or for that agency to conduct a special investigation to determine whether the proposed county department of health conforms to state requirements.
This action breathes new life into an idea that died several years ago when a regional health bureau was nearing approval and failed to garner the necessary votes near the end of the process. The then proposed bureau would have served Northampton County and Lehigh County. It would also have subsumed the existing health bureaus of Allentown and Bethlehem.
Commissioner Dr. Percy Dougherty was a proponent of the now defunct regional plan and is now a sponsor of the revised version, a countywide health department. Dougherty, however, will not be a Lehigh County Commissioner to see the resolution through because Dec. 15 was his last meeting as a commissioner.
Dougherty did not run for re-election.
Press Photos by Douglas Graves Bipartisan support for a Lehigh County Health Department assures a smooth ride for the resolution for now. Commissioners Bob Elbich, Democrat, Percy Dougherty, Republican and Geoff Brace, Democrat, sponsored the resolution. Not pictured are sponsoring commissioners Zakiya Smalls, Democrat and Jeffery Dutt, Republican.
PRESS PHOTO BY DOUGLAS GRAVES Lehigh County Commissioner Dr. Percy Dougherty receives recognition for his career as a Lehigh County Commissioner. Commissioner President Geoff Brace, right, presents a plaque to Dougherty during the Dec. 15 meeting.
Three Lehigh County Commissioners are photographed at their last meeting as all three did not seek re-election or resigned to accept other duties. Commissioners Dr. Percy Dougherty and Marc Grammes decided not to run again and Dec. 15 was their last meeting. Commissioner Amy Zanelli resigned to accept a judgeship to which she was elected recently.
