(3/2019) On Tuesday, February 12, the Adams County Commissioners held a neighborhood informational meeting, at the Prince of Peace community room, regarding the Mercy House Substance Recovery Center project. The tenor of those attending was very positive and the information provided answered numerous questions. It was reinforced to the group that Mercy House Center will be a very structured living environment, with clients being accepted only after a thorough screening interview, and that residents will be required to hold down a 40 hour per week day shift job, attend mandatory counseling sessions in the evening at the center and adhere to a 10 p.m. curfew. The residents sign an agreement to follow the policies and any deviation leads to immediate expulsion from the program.

Besides administrative and counseling staff there will be a 24/7 live-in resident supervisor. Computer tracked door swipes, cameras, and monitored ingress/egress will also enhance security. The center will be administered by the RASE Project which is short for Recovery, Advocacy, Service & Empowerment. The RASE Project has experienced better than average success in running several similar centers in Central Pennsylvania. The Commissioners have visited the RASE live-in center in downtown Lancaster which is a block from the Lancaster County courthouse. Seeing with our own eyes how the center operated in a former residence similar to Mercy House relieved some of our initial concerns.

Besides the needed and primary benefit of providing recovery services for our residents, this historic and currently abandoned county owned building is slated to be renovated largely with grant funding through Adams County's Health/MHIDD joinder with York County. Adams County will still own the building and collect rent from the RASE Project, and the historical integrity of the building will be preserved. Generally, the only changes in the historic exterior footprint will be the addition of new historically appropriate windows and an elevator shaft in the rear.

On some days when you go by the new Adams County Human Services Building the parking seems like it is already 3/4 full. Looking back it's a good thing the parking was expanded during construction! As planned and anticipated, a number of Court Hearings have transitioned to the Adams County Human Services Building. MDJ Beauchat has been there for the past year, Central Court moved out there in November as did Juvenile Court, Dependency Court and Domestic Relations Court. MDJ Harvey relocated from E. Middle Street to HSB on January 3. The HSB has built in technology and digital recording of proceedings has have been phased in. Initially there was a court reporter to make sure there were no gaps in a complete record. This process has now progressed to hearings being conducted fully with digital coverage without court reporters. This naturally results in monetary savings. Both the public and staff seem extremely pleased with the facilities and especially the free ample parking. Public transportation is available to the complex 4 times a day Tuesday - Friday via the Freedom Transit Blue Line.

Here is some information for seniors having to fil out those pesky income tax forms. My colleague, Commissioner Jim Martin, is on the Board of Directors for Adams County Office of Aging and reminds our residents that are over 60 years of age, there is an opportunity for free tax preparation service provided by the Adams County Office for the Aging. The service is available to low and moderate income individuals with less complicated returns (i.e. rental income). It is a very popular service and may require waiting for an available agent. Waiting time is generally longer in the mornings. The agents that help with the preparation are volunteers trained to assist with tax return preparation. The Office For Aging is located on West Middle St. in Gettysburg between West St. and the Foursquare Gospel Church. For information on dates and appointment times call 717-334-9296.

As the County Commissioner Association of Pennsylvania Board of Directors Region 3 Representative, I represent Adams County and 9 other counties to our west. As the New Year begins, Pennsylvania County Commissioners have chosen six legislative priorities for 2019, each of which highlights a commitment to county core responsibilities and ultimately to the residents and communities of Pennsylvania.

The counties' priorities are led by a call for a strong state-county partnership to meet the requirements of a recent litigation settlement agreement between the Pennsylvania Department of State and the Jill Stein campaign which, among other things, requires voter-verifiable paper audit trail voting systems to be in place by April 2020. The State has the authority to de-certify existing machines - even though they leave a paper trail and work well. While Gov. Wolf's administration has indicated its intention to seek state funding of at least 50 percent of the cost of new systems, a chief county objective under this priority is obtaining full funding, noting that every dollar that does not come from federal or state funding will come from local property tax. The price tag is estimated to be $500,000 for Adams County.

Counties also continue to prioritize the expansion of resources to allow more options for care and treatment of individuals with mental illness and developmental disabilities outside of the prison system. Commitment of full state and federal funding for human services also remains a county priority. Programs have suffered more than fifteen years of funding stagnation or decline, even in the face of the daily challenge of serving the ever-growing needs of vulnerable residents. Funding is critical to protect children suffering from abuse, those fighting substance abuse issues, individuals with mental illness, and seniors in need of long-term care.

The 2019 priorities are rounded out with a focus on developing strategies for rural broadband expansion, encouraging all counties to use newly developed tools to maintain fair and uniform assessment practices, and implementing a comprehensive approach to addressing substance abuse in all of its forms. As a Board member of the Pennsylvania County Commissioners Association (CCAP), I will keep you apprised of the status of these priorities as we progress through the year.

On December 11, Commissioner Jim Martin and I announced that we would be seeking another term. In a contested campaign a variety of messages are thrown out there for public consumption. Commissioner Martin and my campaign message is a very simple message that we very strongly believe in, and reflects both our personal commitment as well as the work we have done as elected officials. The message is not complicated: Experience, Leadership, Common Sense, Vision = Results. Right now Adams County is a product of those results and is in the best overall shape in recent memory.

The following are some examples of major successes. We have an extraordinary and unique working relationship with our federal & state legislators that has provided proven results for our residents. We have effectively consolidated, realigned and restructured several departments for a variety of benefits. Nothing is more important than the safety and welfare of our residents and emergency responders. At the beginning of our term we took a critical county-wide emergency radio project that was sitting stagnant and un-funded, funded it, created strong fiscal oversight, implemented, tested, blended it for a period with the old analog system to assure coverage, and then turned it on with overwhelming positive results. The Adams County Human Services Building will be an asset for decades offering dramatically improved service to our residents while also being fiscally responsible in relieving taxpayers of approximately $475,000 per year in rents and leases.

Due to a public/private partnership that I helped lead, the long awaited Adams County Law Enforcement Firearms Training Range beside the 911 Center became a reality at no expense to county taxpayers. I am very proud to report that the state of Adams County fiscally is in excellent shape because of overall fiscal conservatism, prudent budgeting, good investment, and effective fiscal oversight for the past seven years that have resulted in 2 bond increases. On a professional note, besides being the Adams County Commissioners Board Chairman, I am also on the County Commissioners Association of PA Board of Directors, selected by my peers from Region 3, not only representing Adams County, but also nine other counties to our west. This statewide engagement allows me to better serve our Adams County residents. As I complete my second term, I can sincerely say it is an honor and a privilege for me to serve my life-long community in this capacity.

Adams County has so much to offer. Regardless of what you do, get out there and experience all the extraordinary historical, recreational, agricultural, natural and cultural opportunities that beautiful Adams County has to offer!