Council approves October 21, 2026 Minutes, 3–0

Approval of October 21, 2026 Minutes

3 yes, 0 no

Employee Ownership Month Proclamation

0 yes, 0 no

Resolution 67 of 2026 – Next Generation Farm Loan, Reuben Jay and Mary Ann Esch

3 yes, 0 no

Resolution 68 of 2026 – Next Generation Farm Loan, Travis L. and Amber L. Schnader

3 yes, 0 no

Resolution 70 of 2026 – $479,058 SERT Grant Application

3 yes, 0 no

MOU with City of Lancaster – JAG Grant Funds

3 yes, 0 no

Amended Agreement with GovAI Software Solutions

3 yes, 0 no

Resolution 69 of 2026 – Agricultural Conservation Easements

3 yes, 0 no

MOU with Lancaster-Lebanon LICC

3 yes, 0 no

Children and Youth / Juvenile Probation Renewal Agreements

3 yes, 0 no

Office of Aging – Spooky Nook Sports Renewal Agreement

3 yes, 0 no

Meals on Wheels of Mount Joy Area Rate Increase

3 yes, 0 no

Planning Department Contract with Osmium Data, LLC

3 yes, 0 no

Adjournment

3 yes, 0 no

Next Generation Farm Loan — Travis L. and Amber L. Schnader

420 Staver Road, Reinholds, Brecknock Township, PA

A $682,000 Next Generation Farm Loan helping the Schnaders buy a 48.3-acre preserved farm from grandparents, keeping it in the family and in farming.

Discussed — no decision yet

Esch Farm Purchase – Next Generation Farm Loan

765 Glenwood Drive, Ephrata, Ephrata Township, PA

A $680,000 tax-exempt Next Generation Farm Loan to help the Esches buy a 66.4-acre farm for a contracted chicken operation plus corn, soybeans and tobacco.

Discussed — no decision yet

Employee ownership in the local economy

The county celebrated its 27-plus employee-owned businesses, and Tandem Center director Drew Mousetis described how ownership helped him buy a home — with a new state Office of Employee Ownership just approved in Harrisburg.

What it means: Employee-owners at local businesses and workers who might gain ownership stakes in the future.

Senior services funding

County seniors get the 2027 Senior Games at Spooky Nook and slightly pricier Meals on Wheels deliveries — a quarter more per meal, paid from state grant funds.

What it means: Up to $55,000 for senior games and a 3% meal rate increase, both state-grant funded.

Next Generation Farm Loans

Two young farm couples got county-backed low-cost loans totaling about $1.36 million to buy their first farms — keeping farmland in production and in local hands.

What it means: $1.362 million in tax-exempt IDA financing; no county credit pledge.

Senior and Human Services Agreements

A batch of agreements keeps county services running: Office of Aging programs at Spooky Nook Sports, Meals on Wheels delivery in the Mount Joy area, Children and Youth and Juvenile Probation renewals, and a behavioral health MOU with the Lancaster/Lebanon LICC.

What it means: Seniors, children and families who rely on county-funded services.

Workforce Development Board funding and partnership agreement

Two resolutions would help young farm families buy Lancaster County farmland — a 66.4-acre poultry and crop farm in Ephrata Township and a 48.3-acre preserved farm in Brecknock Township. The financing is tax-exempt through the Industrial Development Authority and doesn't pledge county tax dollars.

What it means: No county tax dollars pledged; $680,000 and $682,000 in tax-exempt IDA financing respectively.

Children and Youth placement costs surge

Commissioners renewed contracts with eight providers of specialized placements for kids in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems — and noted how hard it's become to find an open bed.

What it means: Contracts funded 16% county, 56% state, 28% federal.

Farmland preservation

Three more farms were permanently preserved in Salisbury, Penn, and Fulton Townships, but new applications dropped to just five this year versus a typical 20. Over 150 landowners are still on the waiting list.

What it means: About $482,000 in combined county and state funds, with landowners taking deep bargain-sale discounts.

Sheriff's Office software and policy-management contracts

The DA's victim-witness office will get a $7,000 texting service so crime victims get faster updates on their cases — grant-funded now, no new budget burden later.

What it means: $7,000, covered by existing grant funds.

Agricultural Conservation Easements

The Agricultural Preserve Board brought forward Resolution No. 69 of 2026 on agricultural conservation easements, part of the county's ongoing farmland preservation effort.

What it means: Farm owners preserving their land and residents who value Lancaster County's agricultural landscape.

SERT Team Equipment Grant Application

The county applied for a nearly $479,000 state grant to buy a vehicle for its emergency response (SERT) team — bringing outside money in for county safety.

What it means: $479,058 grant request — no county dollars needed.