Come January there will be two new County Executives in the Lehigh Valley. Eight years ago now, I had just managed the election of one, and was chairing the transition of the other. People can say whatever they’d like, but both were successful. One leaves office as everyone’s favorite uncle, a two-term Executive that lead the county through a period of massive change and advancement, and will some day be remembered for vast improvements to Cedarbrook and guiding his county through a global pandemic and societal unrest, while preserving open space and a county nursing home. The other lead for eight years of the same conditions while not raising taxes a dime, preserving a record amount of open space, and keeping Gracedale county home, all while not cutting services. Both are being succeeded by a candidate from their own party.

People liked what they had.

That is now the past tense though. I think both are leaving popular, but most of the public doesn’t like the idea of just “running it back.” Why would they? Times change, society changes, communities need new things. It’s just life. And so we are getting their new transition teams. First, on Northampton County Executive-elect Tara Zrinski’s:

The committee, which will appoint key advisors and set policy priorities for the nascent Zrinski administration, will be chaired by Glenn Reibman, who was county executive from 1998 to 2006.

Zrinski also appointed two other senior leaders to help oversee the process. 

Mark Aurand, an attorney who currently assists Zrinski as deputy controller, will serve as transition chairman. 

Megan Beste, previously a staffer for former U.S. Rep. Susan Wild who now works for Bethlehem consulting firm Taggart Associates, will be the committee’s senior advisor.

The job of managing communications for the committee falls to Kelly Prentice, an Easton resident who works as a writer and marketing strategist.

Four additional members round out the group: Nazareth School Board member Brandon Faust, Northampton Community College environmental studies professor Anita Erdős Forrester, former Colonial Intermediate Unit supervisor and county election commissioner Margie DeRenzis, and controller’s office solicitor Steve Goudsouzian.

The Executive-Elect is also setting out several issues of priority for her team to address:

They are: health and human services, housing and homelessness, economic development, infrastructure, public safety and criminal justice, equity and environmental issues.

In all, the resulting advisory body could grow to include more than 90 people drafted from the worlds of organized labor, finance, law, social services, small business, nonprofits and public advocacy.

I would say this is pretty ambitious. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Some of these are more within the county’s legal range than others, however there are some things the county can do even in areas that are traditionally outside of their realm that can be helpful. I’m particularly interested in the infrastructure, environmental issues, housing, and health and human services areas, so I’m looking forward to see what they say.

Then, we’ve got Lehigh County Executive-Elect Josh Siegel’s transition:

The transition team will be chaired by Jim Irwin, President of the Lehigh Valley Labor Council and Business Agent for the Operating Engineers Local 542 and Samantha Pearson, Director of Development at the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission.

I don’t know Samantha, but I was kind of hard on the LVPC. Knowing Josh, if he picks her, she’ll be solid. As for Jim, he’s an A+ guy. I’m a fan. Josh is organizing his transition into policy areas too.

The transition team consists of the following committees that will begin meeting in December.

Human Services Subcommittee:

• Chair: Marci Lesko, President and CEO of the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley
• Kate Cohen: Vice President, Institutional Advancement River Crossing YMCA
• Marc Rittle, Executive Director, New Bethany
• Brad Osborne, Former Lehigh County Commissioner & Chair of Board
• Eric Ruth, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Kellyn Foundation

Housing Subcommittee:

• Jonathan Strauss, Co-Founder and Partner Cortex Residential
• Abby Goldfarb, Executive Director, Lehigh Conference of Churches
• Robert DiLorenzo, Director of Planning and Construction, City Center Group
• Phil Malitsch, Director of Land Development Tuskes Homes
• Asher Schiavone, Director of Government Affairs, Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors

Economic Development and Regional Growth Subcommittee:

• Jason Salus, Montgomery County Treasurer
• Dave Nasatir, Chair of Firm, Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippell LLP
• Alex Michaels, President and CEO Discover Lehigh Valley
• Frank Facchiano is COO and Executive Vice President, Member Relations, Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce
• Kristin Cahayla-Hoffman, Vice President of Business Development and Attraction, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation
• Paul Anthony, Business Manager/Financial Secretary International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 375 and President of the Lehigh Valley Building Trades

Labor/Personnel Subcommittee:

• Joe Scoboria, Business Representative, AFSCME 13
• Andy Hilt, Business Agent, SEIU 668 for Lehigh County
• Danielle Joseph, Executive Vice President, Business & Diversity Councils, Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce
• Chris Naylor, Legislative and Political Director, UFCW 1776

Public Safety Subcommittee:

• Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca
• Jeani Garcia, Director of Operations, Promise Neighborhoods
• Katarah A Jordan, CEO of Boys and Girls Club of Allentown
• Jeremy Warmkessel, President of IAFF Local 302
• Tinku Khanwalkar, Member of Pennsylvania Prison Society, Member of Allentown Environmental Advisory Council focused on environmental sustainability, justice and equity

Local Resilience and Response to Trump Administration:

• Chair: Jon Iron, Lehigh County Commissioner
• Jasmine Rivera, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Immigrant Coalition
• Mary Erdman, Immediate Past President, Lehigh County League of Women Voters
• Adam Hosey, Policy and Political Director, Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates
• Nicole Folino, Community Services Manager, Second Harvest Food Bank

I’m intrigued by a lot here. Human services, because that’s what counties do. His economic development team is dynamite. I’m again interested in what the county wants to do to get involved in housing, and obviously what they come up with to respond to the Trump Administration.

Both Executives are being a bit ambitious here, but that’s not a bad thing for someone who just got elected. If you start from the “we can’t do anything” stance, you’ll be asleep in a few months. Josh went heavy on labor, while Tara’s team has a lot more of the core team around her as both Controller and a candidate. They’re solid groups with lots of people I like. I wish them both well.