Speaking at Hawk Mt in 2013.jpg

Commissioner Leinbach's
2022 Goals & Objectives

Budget and Spending 15 years with only a 10% increase in County Property taxes.

  • Continue to watch head count -

    • 2008

    • FT – 2132

    • PT – 459

    • 2021 (End of year)

    • FT – 1777

    • PT – 320

  • No Tax increase for 2022

  • Continued focus on SET - Commissioner Rivera

  • Use ARP dollars to benefit those most seriously impacted by COVID and to projects that provide long-term benefit to the people of Berks County

 

Elections

  • Election Dept.

    • New Director - In place in Feb. offer made and accepted

    • Restructuring of the Dept.

      • New rolls of team defined

      • Additional staff - New Key staff member hire on today's agenda

    • Additional technology - Electronic Poll Books

    • Updated detailed policies and procedures

  • Election Reforms

    • Priorities - Pre-canvassing and moving back the mail in absentee ballot deadline to 14 days. The House leadership is not really interested in election reform. They would rather play politics.

    • Other -

      • Drop box rules

      • Clarify law on dated/undated mail-in ballots

      • Clarify signatures on mail in/absentee ballots

      • Clean up voter rolls via state rules

      • Naked ballots

      • Curing Ballots

    • Better Election Equipment storage, maintenance, testing and overall training at new South Campus

    • Keep an eye on the Act 77 Mail-In Ballot case in the Commonwealth Court

 

Transportation

  • Berks 222 Corridor and the West Shore By-Pass are critically important to Berks County, but funding is a problem.

    • Declining state dollars continue to be an issue

    • Formula for transportation is a major problem - The "proposal" from the Gov. and Legislature is weak. The real key should be user-based fees. Vehicle Type, weight, miles traveled. State is looking at a combination

    • There is some help in the Bi-Partisan Infrastructure bill but not as much as some might think

  • Berks County is taking legal action to stop interstate bridge tolling - We already have support from several municipalities along and near I-78 in Berks County.

  • Passenger Rail Service – A study was completed this year that shows a plan that would not require annual subsidies from counties.  Looking at the possible formation of a tri-state authority to begin the implementation of passenger rail service.

    • Next Step is the formation of a Tri-County Passenger Rail Authority

      • Board - Three members from Berks plus a Berks Technical Advisory Committee

      • Choose Chair and hire Executive Director

      • Three-year reauthorization requirement

    • Begin negotiations with Operator Amtrak

    • Begin negotiations with Norfolk Southern

 

COVID – how it impacts the residents and businesses of Berks County.

  1. Berks CARES Vaccine Center - Run by Penn State St. Joes to continue

  • Berks County Health Advisory Panel (HAP) Local healthcare professionals that live and work in our community and are trusted by their peers.

  • DoYourPartBerks.com COVID resource

  • I pray that 2022 will be the year we exit the pandemic.

  • Be kind, be respectful, Be gracious…

 

New Berks County Jail

  • Public process

  • rehired CGL and Amended prior agreement

  • Timeline will probably allow for a decision on construction the end of 2023 or early 2024…Selecting the most cost-effective method to construct a new jail at the north campus (Again this decision is late 2023 or early 2024)

  • Right sizing the jail considering programing, alternative sentencing as well as diversion programs

    • Diversionary programs

    • Limit non-violent offenders. Bob Williams and electronic monitoring

 

Berks County Health Study

  • Results should be complete this year

  • Careful review of the study results

  • Discussion of possible actions by the county and possibly other entities as a result of the study

 

Reading Regional Airport

  • Act on the Authority Board Request to dissolve the board and move the Airport to a County Dept.

    • Hopefully complete during 2022

    • Form an Airport Advisory Committee.

      • All tenants would be members - One per tenant

      • Consider 3-5 at large members - Members appointed by Board of Commissioners

      • Would meet monthly with airport management to share ideas and concerns

  • Complete a Strategic Plan for the Airport

  • Airport Issues

    • Focus on solid long-term financial plan for airport

    • Future of the Sewer Plant - Highest and best use

    • Met-Ed/First begin construction of 69KV line. Necessary for any future development in or around the airport

    • Growth of overall aviation business at the airport