Lancaster County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Lancaster County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
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.
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.
State Food Purchase Program funding for low-income residents
Nearly $758,000 in state money will fund the purchase, transport, storage, and distribution of food to low-income Lancaster County families, with Community Action Program (CAP) running the effort.
State Food Purchase Program funding for county food pantries
Community Action Partnership will keep running the State Food Purchase Program with a slightly larger $776,844 budget, helping offset rising food costs for pantries.
Behavioral health services funding increase
The board renewed a slate of contracts for mental health and disability services, including a $318,445 federal grant providing permanent supported housing for 20 people with serious mental illness.
Domestic violence awareness and victim services
The county proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Local services served 2,416 adults and children last year and answered 1,428 hotline calls — and officials stressed that anyone can be affected and help is available.
Big Conestoga bridge projects
Two new contracts — $113,140 for inspections and $76,800 for construction administration — move the Big Conestoga 7A and 7B bridge projects forward, paid from liquid fuels funds.
Electricity costs rising
The county's next electricity contract could add more than $300,000 to annual utility costs, with a not-to-exceed rate of about 10.65 cents per kilowatt hour. The county is pooling buying power with Lehigh and Dauphin counties to soften the hit.
988 Crisis Line Funding and Public Awareness
A new contract brings certified peer specialists into the county's crisis intervention response for people in mental health emergencies, supporting mobile outreach and 988 call response.
2027 County Budget Requests from Partner Agencies
Ten nonprofits and agencies pitched their 2027 funding requests, totaling well over $3.5 million combined. The commissioners will weigh these asks as they build next year's budget — decisions that shape library hours, farmland preservation, conservation work and downtown services.
Act 167 stormwater management planning update
The county is applying for $278,571 in state funding to finish updating its stormwater plan, which guides flood reduction and water quality across municipalities. Most towns would be asked to chip in under $1,000 and could get 75% reimbursement for their own ordinance updates.
Downtown Lancaster Public Safety Concerns
Commissioner Parsons said county employees and visitors don't feel safe around county buildings and demanded consistent enforcement of city ordinances, warning he'd be hard-pressed to keep funding the Downtown Investment District's request without improvement. DID leaders agreed to push for consistency and asked people to report problems.
Rising costs of IDD residential care providers
A renewed federal HUD grant will keep subsidized rent and support services in place for 12 county residents with serious mental illness. Funding rose nearly 10% this year to $190,023.
YWCA sexual assault services MOU for prison and Youth Intervention Center
A deal with the YWCA — the state-designated provider of sexual assault services for the county prison and Youth Intervention Center — was pulled from the agenda. The solicitor says the MOU needs updating and the county is studying whether other providers or competitive bidding should be considered.
Library Funding Ballot Question
A library funding question goes before voters in November. A Christiana Borough council member supports libraries but worries the money could be better spent on local fire departments, and questions how reassessment might affect the millage rate.
County Caseworker Union Recognition
Children and Youth caseworkers and Youth Intervention Center staff asked the county to voluntarily recognize their union, Teamsters Local 771, citing high turnover, heavy workloads and burnout. The board took no immediate action.
Hazardous Materials Strategic Response Plan
Hazmat incidents dropped 42% last year and response times improved 25% under the new regional team, with local fire companies getting reimbursed for first-response work. A new PEMA grant restarts radiological planning around the Crane Clean Energy Center (former Three Mile Island).
Children and youth needs-based budget for 2027-2028
The county's child-serving agencies report 45-55 more kids in out-of-home care, driven by parental meth and fentanyl use and troubled adolescents. The budget requests more state and federal draw-down while projecting a decrease in the county match next year.
Drug and alcohol treatment and prevention contracts
A new state grant agreement funds prevention, treatment, and recovery services through 2030, though the state now allocates money only year by year — $2.67 million for the first half of 2026.
DOJ grant for anti-trafficking and digital forensics work
A $349,000 federal grant will fund a digital forensics van, training, and overtime reimbursements for the Human Trafficking Task Force. The grant required a 287(g) agreement, which drew public criticism, and an LNP headline framing it as an immigration crackdown sparked sharp pushback from the DA and commissioners.
Property tax reform advocacy
A pastor argued property taxes mean no one truly owns their home, and Commissioner Parsons agreed it's a real problem, especially for seniors on fixed incomes. He pitched letting counties adopt a sales tax if they cut property taxes dollar-for-dollar.
Human services contract increases
A vendor that underbid a county RFP now wants a 72% rate increase mid-contract for power-of-attorney services protecting seniors' finances. Commissioner Parsons questioned the precedent, but staff say other providers are maxed out and the county needs the capacity.
911 Statewide Interconnectivity Grant
The county is rolling out a free app that lets 911 callers share their exact location as three words — accurate to about 10 feet, even offline. It has already helped rescues on the river and in the woods. Residents who hike, camp, or visit parks are encouraged to download it.
Covered bridge protection signs
After repeated vehicle strikes, the county is buying 35 solar-powered flashing LED signs for its five most vulnerable covered bridges. The signs flash constantly to catch the eye of out-of-area drivers unfamiliar with the low, narrow bridges.
State election funding decline
The county locked in a state grant agreement that could bring about $1.8 million to help pay for running the 2026 general election and 2027 municipal primary. It's 100% state money, so it doesn't change the county budget either way.
Norman Wood Bridge future planning
The county is spending $36,658 — mostly federal money — on travel data to figure out who uses the 1968 Norman Wood Bridge and how. The aging bridge needs repairs soon, and this data will shape what happens to it.
Mental health service contract renewals
The county renewed eight mental health contracts, including a 32% jump for the Arch Street Center drop-in center, while a local pastor argued during public comment that spending alone won't fix the mental health crisis.
Human Services Block Grant Plan 2026-27
The county's developmental services agency is moving from serving a set number of people to managing a capped dollar allocation — about $142.6 million this year for 1,178 residents. Done well, officials say, it could actually let the county serve more people.
Child welfare intern pipeline
The county proclaimed April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Children and Youth serves over 7,000 children and 5,000 families a year and investigated more than 1,630 suspected abuse cases in 2025. Leaders urged everyone to be a caring adult in a child's life and to report concerns.
Early intervention services for toddlers
Thirteen contracts were renewed for therapy services — speech, physical, occupational and more — for children from birth to age three. Most rates went down or held steady, with a couple of notable increases.
Transitional housing for homeless families
A new $376,000 grant-funded program targets homeless families with children under 18 where someone has a mental health diagnosis — covering deposits, first month's rent, furniture and a year of case management, aiming to house about three families stably.
Eviction Prevention Grant for Mental Health Program Families
The county's behavioral health agency will accept $19,768 to help families with children avoid eviction by covering past rent or utility arrears. It's the first time the agency has applied for this funding, and it responds to community feedback in the homelessness strategic plan emphasizing prevention.
Waste system capacity and recycling
Lancaster County recycles 51% of its waste — among the best in the nation — but the landfill has only about nine years of life left, prompting plans for expansion and a second transfer station in the northern part of the county.
Forensic pathology services contract
After 33 years, the county's longtime forensic pathologist Dr. Wayne Ross is retiring. The new Keystone Forensics contract covers up to 216 autopsies a year and saves money, but the county must also arrange for an autopsy technician — a hard-to-fill position.
County Property Reassessment Appeals
Property owners will get notices of their new assessed values in June and have 40 days to appeal. Tax rates will be adjusted down so governments don't collect more overall, but roughly a third of taxpayers will see bills rise, a third fall, and a third stay flat depending on how their property fared relative to others.
Opioid settlement funds allocation
The county has about $4.4 million in opioid settlement money still unallocated, and commissioners are debating how to spend it — including Commissioner Yoder's proposal for an advisory steering committee to vet applications against the state's Exhibit E priorities.
Blueprints Recovery Center Neighborhood Safety
Residents and businesses have complained to City Council about how the Blueprints treatment center in Lancaster city is operating. The county is holding back its contract renewal until it hears how Blueprints plans to address the concerns.
Liability insurance crisis squeezing youth service providers
Commissioners heard that insurance companies are sharply raising — or refusing — liability coverage for providers serving high-risk and medically complicated children, a problem counties across Pennsylvania are facing.
Victim/Witness Services Funding
The DA's victim advocates are stretched thin — one domestic violence advocate position is open and the director is covering it herself. New court procedures like Act 44 early terminations and in-court bail hearings mean more notifications and legwork for victims' services.
Inmate medical care upon release
The county prison is partnering with Union Community Care so inmates leaving jail get connected to a doctor before they hit the street — a move officials say cuts recidivism and overdose deaths. It costs the county nothing.
Deputy sheriff recruitment
The sheriff's office interviewed 423 candidates last year and hired just seven, leaving ten vacancies. A renewed $30,000 marketing contract shifts ad targeting to new regions, with a shorter term so commissioners can reassess results.
Avian influenza in Lancaster County poultry farms
Bird flu is hitting Lancaster County poultry farms hard — the county has the highest concentration of bird losses in Pennsylvania, which could raise food prices. Risk to the general public is low, but backyard flock owners should take biosecurity precautions.
AI data centers in Lancaster County
Residents repeatedly pressed the commissioners on the proposed AI data centers — air and water impacts, EMF radiation, and data privacy. Commissioners said land use decisions rest with Lancaster City, not the county, and stressed the county's environmental stewardship record.
Declining hazmat response grant funding
PEMA hazardous materials grants have been cut roughly in half since 2022, limiting training for local volunteer firefighters and equipment readiness. The department is exploring regionalization and a strategic plan to sustain response capability.
Medication-Assisted Treatment in County Prison
The county is applying for a $158,456 state grant to expand its prison MAT program, including injectable medications and connecting inmates to community treatment after release.
Minimum Wage Legislation
Lancaster City Council unanimously backed a $15 minimum wage measure, which could mean bigger paychecks for a lot of local workers. It’s not final law yet, but it puts the city’s support behind a major pay hike. The big question is whether higher wages help workers without squeezing small businesses.
Home Rule Charter Adoption
Lancaster city just adopted a home rule charter, meaning it can set more of its own government rules instead of following the state’s playbook. Why care? This can reshape how city hall makes decisions for years, so the details of the charter matter.
Sheriff Impeachment
Pennsylvania House lawmakers are moving to impeach Lancaster County’s sheriff — a rare step that could upend county leadership. It’s a serious escalation, and the big question is how much disruption it causes for the sheriff’s office and county government.