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

A handful of citizens echoed their concerns at the meeting, focusing on the effects of mental health of inmates. Commissioner Dave Harrington assured all this issue will 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 www.lehighcounty.org.

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

In other business, budgetary discussions will be the main focus of the upcoming Lehigh County Commissioner meetings scheduled for September and October, with County Executive Phillips Armstrong presenting his budget Aug. 29.

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 6 p.m. Sept. 12; the second meeting will be 6 p.m. Sept. 19. If necessary, a third meeting could take place 6 p.m. Sept. 27.

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

Finally, a number of motions were carried, including Bill 2022-32: Waiving 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 the next meeting Sept. 14.