Lancaster County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Lancaster County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Detective Association labor contract
County detectives will work under a new three-year union contract covering 2027 through 2029.
IT software renewal with ZOHO Corp.
The county will pay CDW G about $167,000 this year — an 8% increase — to keep backing up all county server data with the Rubrik service.
Institutional linens contract cost jump
The county's new linens contract comes with a 46.76% price increase, blamed on rising raw material costs for cotton and linens.
County cybersecurity
The county renewed its managed antivirus and threat-monitoring service at $116,400 — 13.78% cheaper than last year because moving to the cloud shrank the number of licenses needed.
Church tax forgiveness for Kinzers Mennonite property
A paperwork slip cost a small Kinzers church its tax exemption, sticking it with a $10,395.52 tax bill. The school district and township already forgave their shares; the county is the last piece, with action expected May 27.
Commissioner-initiated agenda items dispute
Commissioner Yoder's attempt to add an F&M intern MOU to the agenda triggered a sharp debate over whether individual commissioners can place items on the agenda or whether items must come through staff. The chairman held that staff must originate such proposals.
Disputed LNP Library Tax Article
A split vote over whether the library board needs IT expertise (Yoder's pick, Carrie Rampp) or citizen and fundraising perspective (D'Agostino's pick, Anthony Panzino) as the system migrates to a statewide IT platform.
Retirement System Data Automation
A $4,000 fix will automate beneficiary data flowing from the county's HR system into its pension software, cutting manual entry errors and staff time.
County computer refresh lease
The county will lease 195 laptops and 40 desktops from Hewlett-Packard over 48 months for $399,210 — less than budgeted.
Commissioners' dispute with LNP news coverage
Vice Chairman Parsons accused LNP of publishing false claims about the prison project vote and about attorney Wally Zimolong's hiring, calling it politically motivated. Chairman D'Agostino agreed, saying the pattern has been pervasive for years.
County engineering contract rate increases
The county's two engineering firms are getting annual rate increases baked into their contracts, with RETTEW up 3.78% for 2026. This affects the cost of county road, bridge, and facilities engineering work.
County fleet vehicle leases and the EV question
The county is leasing 22 replacement vehicles for eight departments at about $361,000 in 2026. Commissioner Yoder raised whether electric vehicles should be considered; staff said Enterprise has advised EVs aren't cost-effective without charging infrastructure.