Lamont McClure delivered the 2022 State of the Northampton County Address on April 6th at the PBS 39 TV Studio in Bethlehem, PA. Attendees included business leaders and government officials. The event was hosted by the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) and sponsored by Workforce Board Lehigh Valley and Lehigh Valley International Airport.

The address will be broadcasted to the public on Tuesday, April 19th at 11:00AM on the LVEDC Facebook page and will be available on Northampton County’s YouTube Channel.

“The State of the County address presents an opportunity to let the people of Northampton County know what their government has done, what it is currently doing and what it plans to do in the future,” says Lamont McClure. “We are living through a difficult period in history, but the pandemic has not stopped us from making progress in improving the quality of life for our residents.”

The following is a synopsis of Executive McClure’s 2022 State of the County address.

Northampton County and the nation continue to recover from the COVID-19 crisis and programs, such as the drive-through testing and vaccination site in Bethlehem Township, will continue to operate as long as they are needed.

The stress we’ve experienced over the last two years has led to a surge in drug-related overdoses and deaths from opioids and fentanyl. Northampton County’s share of the recent settlement from pharmaceutical distributors is approximately $11 million and it will be used to raise awareness about the dangers of addiction and to increase services for those in recovery.

The County is looking into establishing its own Health Bureau to better address infectious diseases including Tuberculosis and HIV as well as providing support for chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. A study is underway to make sure the costs justify the potential benefits.

Knowing the critical role first responders play in protecting the public’s health, the County introduced the EMS and Grow NORCO grant programs. In 2021, we distributed $2.8 million to 63 different organizations. This money has kept people employed as well as making sure our Police, Fire and EMS organizations have the equipment they need when they need it.

Our economy continues to be strong. We are a prime destination for new residents because of our high quality of life which includes a thriving business community, an extensive parks and trail system, good schools and easy access to major metropolitan areas. In 2021, the Lehigh Valley ranked 8th in economic growth nationwide among metro areas with a population between 200,000 and 1 million.

Northampton County is prioritizing farmland preservation and the purchase of open space and environmentally sensitive land. Since 2018, we’ve added three new parks and purchased land to link our trail systems. The County has preserved 20,000 acres of farmland so far and we are close to celebrating the preservation of our 250th farm.

The pandemic wasn’t just a threat to our health, it also presented a threat to our economy. That’s why, as of March 2022, the County has distributed almost $25 million in grants to 1,883 small businesses. The grants can be used for rent, payroll and other operation expenses.

Northampton County will receive $30 million from the American Rescue plan this year and will use it to improve communications at the 911 center, study how to supply affordable housing, and remove lead paint from residential housing and lead pipes from the water supply. It is proposed that half of the money, $15 million, go to Gracedale Nursing Home to address nursing staff costs, capital projects and to build a day care center on site.

Information provided to TVL by:
Becky Bartlett
Deputy Director of Administration
Northampton County Government Center
669 Washington Street
Easton, PA 18042
https://www.northamptoncounty.org/

 

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