The Affiliated Chambers held its State of the Counties webinar on Wednesday morning.

The presentation featured four high-profile speakers, who presented information and give many local updates. The Affiliated Chambers consist of the Greater Bath Area, Hellertown-Lower Saucon Area and Nazareth Area.

Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong noted that a big accomplishment was creating the county’s COVID-19 Steering Committee.

“Because of this committee, we were able to give aid to over 900 small businesses and all of the local governments,” Armstrong said. “We helped over hundreds of nonprofit organizations. … we also gave aid to our local fire and EMS companies.”

Lehigh County also secured a $24 million grant for housing and rental assistance. The grant not only helps those who can’t pay rent, but landlords who have a hard time paying their mortgages, taxes and heating bills.

“We have seen though with great challenges; we have come up with what we think are great solutions. We’ve been working with unbelievable great people,” Armstrong added.

Armstrong plans on expanding the county’s Rails-to-Trails program.

“As you noticed in the last year, people have used our rails-to-trails more than ever before,” said Armstrong. “We must work to expand these trails for recreational facilities for members of our county.

“We are actively seeking grants to connect neighboring counties, which includes an undeveloped portion of the D&L trail.”

Armstrong noted all of the progress was done without a tax increase. Neighboring Northampton County does not plan to raise taxes either, Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure said.

Additionally, McClure said Northampton County will aim to help local businesses out more.

“We are planning on having another round of our small business grant program,” McClure said. “We’ve heard the human cry for small businesses that they need our help again. If I can get it passed through council, and it’s permitted by the law, we’re going to do that again.”

Education

The pandemic started over a year ago and it forced educational models to change worldwide.

Dr. Elaine Eib, executive director of the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21, gave a glimpse of what the future of the education might look like across the Lehigh Valley.

“It did really put a spotlight on the inequities that exist in our communities,” Eib added. “The second thing that it did, was that it demanded that we as educators, all of us, respond to providing education in a diverse setting.

“I think that what came out of it, the conversation I’m hearing from superintendents, we know that we can provide some degree of remote learning for students that opt into that for the future.”

Eib is confident that the future is bright and perhaps that online learning could be an option for families and students moving forward.

“I think that it will be stronger, better and can be built with more planning - rather than be conducted in an emergency situation for parents who want it, for kids who are looking for more diversity and for students who are looking for more courses,” Eib said.

“There are so many opportunities that we know are available. I think in the future, we will see more choices to expand the educational platform for more students. I definitely see that.”

A common theme among presenters was the plea to continue COVID-19 mitigation efforts.

“For some of our students, we have seen that virtual learning has been beneficial for them,” said Dr. Christopher Wolfel, executive director of the CLIU 20.

“I think you’re going to see an opportunity for our students to have a more diverse educational learning as we move forward, which is fantastic.”