Striding into Cocal-Cola Stadium dressed in a Highlander jacket and kilt, escorted by bagpipers, Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong told attendees of his annual State of the County address, “Trust in the people that are surrounding you,” Feb. 20. Those people included supporters, county employees and Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce staff, as well as Armstrong’s wife and family.

“We got rid of party politics. We’ve gotten along with all our municipalities. We’ve gotten along with the board [of commissioners] and we’ve gotten things done and that’s very, very important.”

His second and last four-year term as Lehigh County Executive ends this year, and with the assistance of Chamber Senior Vice President for Allentown Initiatives Brittney Ciardi, who held topic cards for the audience’s benefit, Armstrong quickly went through a substantial list of accomplishments.

Cedarbrook

He said Cedarbrook Senior Care and Rehab has been designated a Five Star facility and received national recognition.

“We have two and in our senior home they have gotten the five-star rating. They have been picked out by Newsweek magazine and by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best nursing homes in the state of Pennsylvania.”

He also spoke of the currently under construction “E-Wing Project” which will increase capacity at Cedarbrook by 240 beds. It will add 145,000 sq. ft. of floor space with four stories and accommodate 249 residents.

Public Defender’s Office

Armstrong touted the Public Defender’s “Pardon Me” program, saying that 111 people were accepted into the program in 2024. Armstrong said they are being matched with coaches to help them find jobs.

He said the program has a 98 percent success rate. ”

Those people don’t end up on our tax burdens as people in our jail. It’s a great program.

“Our public defender’s office, besides the Pardon Me Project, gives a day, a community day, where they provide food, clothing, and free legal advice to all the members of our community.”

Risk Management

“We said we need to bring in a new position, a risk management position and we did.”

According to documents released by Armstrong’s staff, a study was done to look for areas where Lehigh County may have over or under insured. The study included analyzing deductible limits and out-of-pocket expenses to see if they could be adjusted to reduce costs of premiums.

“I really am very proud that we have done this in our risk management.”

Human Resources

“[We] started what we call the Sparks Program.” He said it was a program supporting positive attitude [and] relationships.

“I want people to want to come to work. I want people to enjoy working and I want to have an atmosphere where we do this. And this department has brought in health fairs, [and] different fun activities. They even eat lunch with me!”

Procurement

“We make sure that if we’re shopping with the vendor that you’re going to do the correct job. You’re going to have the correct employees to meet the standard that we want to have happen. d I’m very, very proud that we do this.”

Veterans Affairs

“We have a fantastic [Veterans Affairs Office]. Not a very large one, [but] a small but efficient veterans department. We want to make sure our veterans of Lehigh County get all the benefits [and] all the programs that are offered to them and that they are never left behind in our department Tom Applebach does a fantastic job on making sure that that happens.

Department of Corrections.

Armstrong said the county has contracted with the Lehigh Valley Workforce Board to initiate a Linking to Employment Activities Pre-Release program in the Lehigh County Jail which assists inmates to navigate the job market.

He lauded a Medication Assisted Treatment program which recently received a grant to aid in conducting a drug and alcohol case management program for inmates with substance abuse problems.

`The Lehigh County Executive said his administration initiated a Community Correction Supervision program to held incarcerated people live in their own homes which being supervised and monitored by Global Position System.

Among other achievements highlighted by Armstrong:

Successfully negotiated a union contract with correctional employees without having to go arbitration,

Got a PennDOT identification program to give ID cards to inmates as part of a re-entry program so that they can more easily get identification papers upon their release.

Expanded the county program that lets inmates have access to the internet via tablets.

Started a Community Action Partnership Board that, in cooperation with Corrections Department administrators, community professionals and formerly incarcerated people to review and recommend enhancements to procedures.

Worked with Muhlenberg College to create the Inside-Out Program to allow students to engage with inside students in a class held inside the jail.

The county trained staff in Trauma Informed Care, a program facilitated by United Way.

He said the County had established a Re-entry Coalition to help released inmates successfully re-establish their lives once out of jail.

According to documents released at the State of Lehigh County Address, Federal Community Development Block Grant money was used to improve accessibility to sidewalks ($1,411,000) and improve safety for people with mobility challenges and for reconstruction of roads ($1,411,000).

The county used $372,000 from the COVID money to buy firefighting equipment to include: A rescue pumper truck for Fountain Hill, six airpacks, face masks and cylinders for Slatington, and a compressed air system and a fire interceptor vehicle for Coplay.

It also allocated $250,000 for rehabilitating affordable housing apartments.

The county spent $246,000 for the rehabilitation of sewer lines while $102,000 went to preservation of historic properties like the George Taylor House in Catasauqua and the Mickley-Prydon Farm in Whitehall.

Armstrong said his administration created a “Blight Project” to help municipalities reduce blight. He said that this led the County to “breathe new life” into and reactivate the Lehigh County Redevelopment Authority.

The Armstrong administration disbursed over $150,000,000 in COVID relief money, according to Armstrong, “At a time when other similar political subdivision rushed money out the door with few controls, Lehigh County established a collaborative process that guaranteed that every dollar was awarded thoughtfully and ended up in the pockets of those most in need.”

Lehigh County’s COVID money was spent on: $44 million for emergency rental assistance, $9.7 million to small business, $33 million to nonprofit grants, $4.1 million to the Hospitality Recovery Program Assistance which went to 114 recipients.

COVID relief money went to small businesses, non-profits, local municipalities, local education, broadband and work force development agencies. Money was also earmarked for local and regional tourism agencies, drug and alcohol and behavioral health agencies and some went toward County expenses such as Cedarbrook, IT, homelessness relocation expenses and administrative fees.

According to the press released passed out by County staffers,

“At a time when Americans were rapidly losing by Executive Order, protections from discrimination that we thought were safely enshrined in law, Lehigh County moved to create a Human Relations Commission to protect the rights of all of our residents at the County level.”

Some example projects receiving COVID funding to include: the Bradbury Sullivan LGBT Community center to support their annual Lehigh Valley Pride Festival, the DaVinci Science Center’s annual national traveling exhibits like Land of Fire and Ice and the Expedition: Dinosaurs, and the Martin Luther & Corretta Scott King Memorial to assist with upgrades for their memorial and with the annual Juneteenth event.

Other projects receiving COVID funding: the Allentown Band to support its annual Veterans Tribute & Holiday Concert at Symphony Hall the Allentown Police Athletic League for its youth programs including summer camp andbasketball programs for kids.

Also receiving COVID funding: America on Wheels Museum to assist with Seniors Free admission days, Burnside Plantation, Community Bike Works, Lehigh County Historical Society, the Chamber Foundation the PA Shakespeare Festival at DeSales University.

Armstrong also lauded having a clean audit every year, maintaining a $25 million stabilization fund, and no tax increases during his administration.

He also described improvements and investment in some General Services projects: the 911 Emergency Call Center and the Emergency Management Plan,

The Lehigh County Executive said $572 million from the American Rescue funding went to programs such as: public health initiatives, small business and non-profits, and to support local governments to mitigate loss of revenue due to the pandemic.

Oher American Rescue money went to social and justice equity programs.

He recognized Lehigh County as the regional leader for hazardous mitigation control, for work on bridges (Coplay Bridge, Wire Mill Bridge, Walnut St. Bridge, the Geiger Covered Bridge, and the Cementon Bridge).

Armstrong highlighted initiating and receiving a grant to complete the trail extensions in Catasauqua, the trail extension from Hamilton St. in Allentown to Race St. in Whitehall and for completing the Trexler Mature Preserve Master Site Plan.

He said Lehigh County was in the final stages for the Jordan Greenway Trail project and is creating a plan for the Lockridge Furnace renovation and has completed a plan to upgrade the historic Saylor Kilns. He said a plan has been created to upgrade Cedar Beach Park West and to resurface the track at the Velodrome.

The new mountain bike trail at Trexler Nature Preserve was completed on time and on budget, according to Armstrong. A plan was also completed to mitigate invasive plants like Autume Olive trees in Trexler Nature Preserve.

Also on Armstrong’s list for recognition was the completion of the historic Lehigh County Courthouse (circa 1812) for nearly $15 million.

Armstrong said $4.5 million was slated to upgrade Coca Cola Park and that upgrades were made to two “comfort cottages” to house children in need of a safe home.

He said the Farm Preservation Program achieved a new milestone by having 28,000 acres of farmland in the program.

The County was credited by Armstrong as having “the first ever Lehigh Valley Equity Housing audit.”

He mentioned other projects: investments in zoning and planning for “effective and smart development,” and investing in freight analysis to create a “roadmap for effective transportation grid planning.”

Also getting county investments are environmental issues such as “climate equity,” police training, municipal fire training facilities for Emmaus, Allentown and Whitehall.

He said the County has initiated an Aging and Behavioral Health Task Force, initiated a shared housing program, and revitalized the Elder Abuse Task Force.

He said Lelhigh County is screening for human trafficking.

Armstrong said that over the past seven and half years, Lehigh County Mental Health has added services to help police when they encounter citizens with mental health issues.

He discussed alcohol and drug abuse, saying, “Addiction is a family disease.” He described programs to help families who have members with drug and alcohol problems.

Lastly, Armstrong praised the County’s Department of Law his said had prepared 286 resolutions and 203 bills for the Board of Commissioners. He gave other statistics to illustrate the extent of work the Department of Law provides in various areas: human services contracts, County agreements, farm preservation contracts, Orphans Court proceedings, assessment appeals, right-to-know requests, bail hearings, Sheriff’s sales of property, representing the County in 140 legal actions to include election litigation.

Armstrong also credited the Dept. of Law with drafting a Human Relations Ordinance.