Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure presented his State of the County message April 20.

“It’s been a rough couple years for our families, for our communities and for our country,” McClure said at the event, hosted by the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation. “One lesson this pandemic has taught us is when a crisis appears, don’t ignore it. Do what you can to get in front of it. That way, you’ll have enough time to handle all of your regular business as well as taking on new projects to improve the lives of the people you serve.”

McClure said county officials moved quickly during the early COVID-19 warnings to set up an early center to provide access to testing, especially for those with mobility issues, while limiting exposure.

Meanwhile county facilities closed to nonessential visitors while vaccinating staff when shots became available. Transmission among residents was kept under control, and the last cases in county facilities were recorded in early February.

“Now that cases are trending lower, we’ve been able to reopen Gracedale (Nursing Home) to family and compassionate visits. Work release and educational programs have restarted at the county jail,” McClure said. “But it isn’t the only pandemic we’re currently battling. The stress we’ve all experienced these last two years has caused the nation’s drug-related overdoses to surge.”

McClure cited a 4.5-percent increase in deaths from heroin and other opioids, especially fentanyl, in the last year.

The state and county were part of a $1 billion settlement with opioid distributors, of which the county is receiving $11 million, to be spent on new equipment, educating youths about the dangers of opioid use, transportation to addiction treatment, job training, certified counselors at college campuses, intervention services and other programs.

McClure said the pandemic also highlighted the benefits of local health bureaus and has prioritized the county’s long-debated plans for creating one.

“The beauty of having our own health bureau is that we could be assured that our rural areas would receive just as much focus as our inner cities,” McClure said. “We are studying the issue now to make sure the costs justify the benefits.”

Continued development has created many opportunities in the area and helped retain many jobs, McClure said, but it must be balanced with preserving the land we have. While farmland preservation will soon hit the 20,000-acre mark since the 1990s, an additional $1 million will be spent this year with $3 million more for open space. He said this is a priority to ease warehouse proliferation.

“Open space trails and park land are beneficial on a number of levels, even for those residents who never set foot on an unpaved surface. Open space reduces truck traffic, preserves air quality, mitigates floods, improves water quality, retains soil and provides a habitat for pollinators and wildlife,” he said. “I see Northampton County’s future as green - green for the environment and green for the economy.”

McClure also lauded the American Rescue Plan and other federal programs for tens of millions of dollars provided during the pandemic that were used to keep small businesses afloat and soon another $15 million toward improvements at Gracedale.

“It’s been a rough two years, but we’re all in this together. I believe there are better times ahead,” McClure said.

The recording is available on the county’s YouTube page at youtube.com/watch?v=mv4VO_cJLPA.