November 5, 2026 Northampton County Council Meeting

At the November 5, 2026 Northampton County Council meeting, council approved the Northampton County Deputy Sheriffs Association term-sheet resolution by a 7–1 vote. A council member supported the negotiated salaries but raised concerns about the contract’s holiday-closure provisions. The county executive also reported that Gracedale Nursing Home had received a provisional license and fines following state health inspections. The administration is developing corrective actions, has issued an RFP related to a feasibility review, and intends to hire a consultant to help restore full licensure; no consultant award was made. Council discussed budget-amendment authority and deadlines, but took no budget vote.

Council unanimously approved five resolutions authorizing applications for statewide Local Share Account grants, totaling $2,683,204: $500,000 for Gracedale laundry equipment; $1,000,000 for Community Action Lehigh Valley’s Second Harvest Food Bank warehouse roof renovation; $197,267 for ventilation and humidity controls at Historic Bethlehem’s 1761 Tannery; $700,000 for laboratory equipment for Miller-Keystone Blood Center; and $285,937 for a Suburban EMS ambulance and related equipment. These approvals authorize grant applications, not awards. A proposed resolution urging state protections against unauthorized digital use of identity, likeness, and voice was withdrawn and not adopted.