(2/2021) The Adams County Commissioners have navigated through perhaps our most challenging year since taking office. The memories and life adjustments we carry into 2021 are very sobering. Also sobering is the fact that media proclaimed that it is a great day when free speech of conservative thought is silenced. That being said, are we satisfied with hearing only one viewpoint and the handlers of that viewpoint become the manager of the "truth"? (This sounds like the theme of the book "1984".) The First Amendment of our US Constitution was not written and given to us to be ignored? Protecting everyone’s free speech is essential to be free people and remain a republic. Thus, protecting our Free Speech needs to be a top priority for our nation and to be guarded at all levels of government; federal, state, county, and municipal.

As I expound upon the priority of Free Speech, County Commissioners across Pennsylvania have set noble priorities for 2021. The experiences of PA counties during the course of conducting county business, promulgates the need to bring forward priorities for action. The top priorities are then determined by majority vote of members of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP). These top priorities are then brought to our State Legislature by the CCAP delegation for legislative action.

It was no surprise that after a challenging election what the top priority would be. CCAP’s top priority, by a significant margin, was Election Code reforms. For the record my vote for the top priority was also Election Code Reforms. Under ACT 77 the time frame prior to election to apply and return mail-in ballots was reduced to seven days. This created basically an impossible time frame in which to process the ballots with our usual election staff; extra employees had to be hired, temporary transfers were made, and working overtime was necessary to meet deadlines. Pre-canvassing would have alleviated this situation, but ACT 77 made no allowance for this.

It is the consensus of CCAP that the above non-controversial issues be addressed by the legislature for corrective action. During a recent conference call legislators admitted that the mail-in ballot issue was not vetted well enough and County Commissioners should have been included in the discussion. Commissioners are the ones responsible for the execution of elections and therefore they are most familiar with election logistics. Just for the record, I contacted our local legislators and told them to vote "no" for ACT 77.

This is only part of the picture of our challenges. To really make reforms outside the CCAP proposal, I would like to recommend that the mail-in ballot process be suspended until thoroughly vetted with County Commissioners at the table. If we continue with mail-in ballots, I suggest that registered voters must personally request the application for a ballot directly from the county elections office. Additionally, that application must be bar coded to that individual. This would tighten the distribution process and provide a measure of integrity far greater than that provided in ACT 77. Similarly, for greater integrity mail-in ballots must be signed by the voter and verified in like manner as are signatures of walk-in voters voting at their polls.

Speaking of elections, I need to interject an important reminder. Pennsylvania is headed into another high profile election cycle which could have a huge impact on our daily lives. This being an odd numbered year, the focus will be upon judicial candidates. Statewide we will be electing a Supreme Court Justice, two judges to the Commonwealth Court, and a judge to the Superior Court. This year’s election should be taken seriously. In reality it is not an off year election but a high profile election that demands our vote to seat judges that interpret the law, not create the law.

Moving away from the subject of Election details; the second CCAP priority is Broadband Expansion. This is mainly an issue for most rural areas and the delay has been caused by huge start-up costs and very slow return on investment. This initiative has been a reoccurring priority of many years. Frustration by many rural counties has moved It to the number two priority. The lack of broadband discourages business and industrial growth. Rural business has left our area to operate elsewhere where their business can grow and reach greater efficiencies that the broadband offers.

Some businesses have opted to stay and pay a huge installation cost and high service fees. Beside businesses, broadband would raise the level of service and efficiency for schools, medical facilities, and local governments and agencies. We need to find a way to incentivize providers to make the move to expand the infrastructure. Over 100 years ago the incentive to build the Lincoln Highway became a reality without the fear that something better will take its place. That type of fear I believe is a major obstacle to broadband providers (How long will the investment remain viable until something more advanced will replace it?) My hat is off to Community Media working toward a solution for the eastern portion of Adams County.

The third CCAP priority for 2021 is to find solutions to the Emergency Medical Services crisis. In rural areas this service is in a state of decline because of financial difficulties, retention and recruitment of emergency workers, training costs, and lack of resources. The loss of EMS would definitely be crippling to any community. I am not an expert in this field, but we need cooperation from various segments to create incentives, better revenue streams, training that is not a financial and time burden, and more. Legislatively, counties want statutory changes that would allow counties and municipalities to work together on regional services that would enhance sustainability.

The fourth and fifth priorities are related but are different in delivery. The fourth is to Protect Funding for County Human Services and the fifth is Increase Funding for Mental Health Services. Both Human Services and Mental Health Services have programs mandated at the State and/or Federal level and administered by the counties. The funding of many human services is directed locally. However, there is a push in the legislature for funding to be directed in a regional structure. Counties feel that the new structure will deliver poor service.

To fully cover the expenses of Mental Health Programs counties are required to fund the shortfall using tax dollars. That shortfall becomes greater every year. To deal with shrinking funds, programs have been modified with less intensive care. As a result, the concern is that the most vulnerable are not getting the level of care needed. CCAP will be lobbying the legislature to find a means to appropriate additional funding.

Let’s hope and pray 2021 will be a year of goodwill and conquering Corona.