The Carbon County Commissioners heard from a Lehighton resident concerned over Lehighton’s ordinance regarding creating a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance zone.

Dennis Blocker spoke to the board last week about the ordinance on naming all of the borough as “economically depressed” to be able to be in the LERTA zone. Blocker said that the borough as a whole doesn’t meet the definition set forth in the act to create LERTA zones. He also said that there were too many questions on how the program would be administered for it to be feasible.

LERTA is a tax assistance incentive program that helps economically depressed communities build business.

The commissioners agreed several outstanding questions need to be answered.

Commissioners’ Chairman Michael Sofranko said that he looks forward to having more discussion on this matter with the borough before the county would vote on whether to approve a LERTA zone.

Under the regulations, the school district, county and municipality must all vote on whether they would accept this program before it could be utilized. Two of the three entities must approve it to move forward. As of now, neither the school district or county have voted.

The issue arose last year after Lehighton Ford approached the borough asking for a LERTA zone to be created so that it could build a new dealership on its site along Route 443.

Other business

The commissioners also acted on the following items:

• Approved the 2024-2025 Pennsylvania Counties Risk Pool insurance at a cost of $524,530. This represents an increase of $71,882 over the current insurance.

• Approved a revision request for the Community Development Block Grant 2020 contract with Nesquehoning and Packer Township. The revision moves $9,410 from Nesquehoning’s street improvements along Diaz Avenue to Packer Township’s culvert replacement along Ochre Mill Road.

• Approved an agreement between Area Agency on Aging and Behavioral Health Associates to provide career employment opportunities to BHA students at the Jim Thorpe/Penn Kidder and Panther Valley senior centers. The agreement runs from Aug. 1 through July 31, 2025. There is no cost to the county.

• Approved the retirement of Paul J. Levy of Allentown as the chief public defender, effective July 7.

• Hired John C. Davis Jr. of Weatherly as a part-time kennel worker at the animal shelter, effective June 3.

• Acknowledged the resignation of Wendy M. Vasquez of Coaldale from the fiscal/data processing department, effective May 23.

• Acknowledged the employment separation of Richard D. Spiker of Sugarloaf from the sheriff’s department, effective May 23.