By MARIEKE ANDRONACHE

Special to The Press

Once again, the issue of solitary confinement was raised at the Aug. 24 Lehigh County commissioners’ meeting.

A handful of individuals echoed their concerns at the meeting, focusing on the effects of solitary confinement on the mental health of inmates.

Commissioner Dave Harrington assured all this issue would be addressed at the upcoming courts and corrections committee meeting, which he chairs.

This meeting, scheduled 6:30 p.m. Sept. 7, will be a Zoom only meeting.

Instructions and additional information will be posted on the Lehigh County website at lehighcounty.org.

Harrington also made it clear anyone who would like to raise a concern or question pertaining to this meeting may contact him directly at DaveHarrington@lehighcounty.org.

In other business, budgetary discussions will be the main focus of commissioner meetings scheduled for September and October.

Commissioner Jeffrey Dutt, who chairs the finance committee, told The Press the key dates are as follows. Commissioners receive the budget Sept 1. The first finance committee meeting will be Sept. 12; the second meeting will be Sept. 19. And, if necessary, a third meeting could take place Sept. 18.

The first reading of the budget is scheduled Oct. 12 and second reading Oct. 26.

Finally, a number of motions were carried, including a waiving of the competitive advertising and formal bidding or soliciting requirements for the purchase of sorting equipment and software for use by the office of voter registration.

The first reading for this bill is scheduled for Sept. 14.