(4/2022) On Saturday, April 2nd at 2PM, a statue will be dedicated in front of the historic Adams County courthouse for a native son, who first rose to greatness in Adams County, before becoming a national figure in the U.S. Congress. Thaddeus Stevens would significantly impact our nation’s history for championing equal rights and public education.

The public is invited to attend the ceremony as part of a 3-day Stevens event. Living in Gettysburg from 1816 to 1842, Stevens was not only an outstanding lawyer, but went on to greater fame as the savior of public education in Pennsylvania, and as the primary framers of the extremely important 14th Amendment to the Constitution. The Thaddeus Stevens Society is looking for assistance in making the statue dedication a fitting tribute to Stevens.

They are requesting contributions to help pay for the preparation of the statue site, and the wayside sign that is going next to it. A professional video about the statue and Stevens which will be presented at a free public showing the night of the dedication at The Majestic Theater. The Society is also working toward the restoration of Stevens's house in Lancaster, where Stevens moved to in 1842.

The Land Conservancy of Adams County is in its 27th year of operation. It has recorded 177 easements, enabling Adams County landowners to preserve 12,198 acres of farmland, water sheds and open space. LCAC volunteers and members are the core of the organization, donating time and funds to the organization to support its goals and purposes. LCAC recently held its annual Membership Meeting, which celebrated last year’s achievements and honored the Conservation Benefactors who generously granted land preservation agreements.

Along with their popular Road Rally in October, April 24th is the LCAC Art Auction to continue its mission through the sale of works by local artists. In 23 years, the auction has raised $300,000 to preserve and protect open space. Go to BiddingOwl.com There will be a Wine & Cheese Reception at the Adams County Arts Council to celebrate the artists on Friday, April 1, 5 to 7 p.m..

Adams County recently received good news that both the distributors and J&J announced they will be moving forward with the opioid settlements. The next steps will be to enter the consent decree to formalize the settlement, set up the Trust and start getting money out to counties. Adams County is slated to receive approximately $2.2M toward opioid mitigation. The Trust overseeing distribution

of the settlement funds is governed by a Board of 13 Trustees, including a non-voting chairperson appointed by the Governor, a secretary of one of the state’s health and human services agencies, four legislative members, and seven regional trustees, two of whom are appointed by the mayor of Philadelphia and the Allegheny County executive, and the remaining five of whom are selected by the counties within the regions that are set out in the settlement agreement. The Attorney General’s office has decided to dispense with the complicated nomination and election system for the initial selection of the five regional trustees, and instead give the counties in each region the opportunity to select their trustee in the way they best see fit.

Adequate Broadband is a big deal in Adams County for personal, business, and educational benefits. Some areas of the County are significantly underserved. The state Broadband Development Authority, created under Act 96 of 2021, met for the first time on February 15 to discuss initial plans for the commonwealth’s use of federal funding to tackle broadband deployment and access across the state.

The authority serves as the one-stop-shop for broadband in Pennsylvania and is responsible for strategic planning and funding for broadband development to unserved areas and underserved areas, including access to millions in federal funding allocated to the commonwealth in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Pennsylvania is guaranteed at least $100 million for broadband under the federal infrastructure law, with the prospect of applying competitively for more dollars under the act’s $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program.

To access funds, the authority must develop a statewide broadband plan, which is required to include local government input, and will further be creating a broadband project repository, which will help provide a more complete picture of ongoing projects and infrastructure available for deployment in the commonwealth. Adams County is in the process of finalizing a Request For Proposals to seek the services of a consultant/firm to perform a Countywide Broadband Community Assessment.

The Adams County Board of Commissioners consider affordable broadband high-speed internet a critical infrastructure important to the long-term viability and livability of the county. Adams County’s goal is for the Broadband Community Assessment to be the first step in a process that ensures critical broadband infrastructure meets the current and future needs of our residents, businesses, and institutions.

Recently the Adams County Board of Commissioners approved the Adams County Treasurer collecting taxes for the boroughs of Abbottstown and Arendtsville. In many smaller communities it is becoming increasingly difficult to find residents to seek and accept the position of tax collector. Treasurer Crissy Redding and her staff have stepped up to the plate to fill this void in Adams County. With no one seeking the position in these two municipalities, the Treasurer has worked with the officials of Abbottstown and Arendtsville to become their tax collection agency.

At a recent Adams County Council of Government meeting, officials of both municipalities commended the Adams County Treasurer’s Office for her experience and willingness to provide this service to them. The Treasurer’s Office will collect all three taxes, County, Municipality & School Tax allowing those residents to use one source. Treasurer Crissy Redding is very familiar with the procedure - having formerly been Straban Township Tax Collector. The Board would like to recognize the Adams County Treasurer’s Office for taking on this important responsibility that will probably see increased demand in future years.

It's a great time of year! No matter what you do, get out there and enjoy all the historic, recreational, agricultural, natural, and cultural opportunities that beautiful Adams County has to offer!