ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A new Lehigh County Human Relations Commission has its first slate of members.
The new panel will let the county for the first time adjudicate the terms of any complaints made under its recently passed bill establishing non-discrimination requirements for the county.
A first meeting of the commission has not yet been announced.Lehigh County commissioners
A first meeting of the commission has not yet been announced.
Appointed were longtime LGBTQ+ policy activist Liz Bradbury, ReciproCITY Executive Director Luis Perez Jr., Paschall Simpson, consultant Guillermo Lopez and Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living Board Member Anthony Swartz.
The will have terms expiring in July 2025.
Also, Lehigh University coordinator for the Office of Multicultural Affairs JoAnna Armstrong, former Fountain Hill Borough Manager Anthony Branco, Assistant Director of Student Life at Northampton Community College Michael Blichar Jr. and former Upper Milford Township Supervisor Joyce Moore.
They will have terms expiring in July 2026
Former Lehigh Valley Public Media Senior Director of Development Angela Baio, Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living Executive Director Amy Beck, Keystone Technology LLC owner Andrew Gildner and Realtor Christopher Raad will have terms expiring in July 2027.
Address issues of discrimination
Lehigh County commissioners passed the much-debated non-discrimination bill 6-3 in February. It went into effect on June 1.
It outlaws discrimination in education, employment, health care, housing and public accommodations in all of Lehigh County, and establishes a set of protected classes beyond state law.
"I wish you the best in the work that you're about to do. But it's a reminder that discrimination has no place in Lehigh County. And you are now the guardians of that."Lehigh County Commissioner Geoff Brace
Complaints made to the county would be adjudicated by the new Human Relations Commission, with fines imposed to be decided by county courts.
The bill was the cumulative effort of the Lehigh County Human Relations Advisory Council, which was formed in 2021 to address issues of discrimination as it might occur in the county.
"To a large degree, you are part of a moment in history and Lehigh County, and I don't think any of that can be understated in any way, shape, or form," Commissioner Geoff Brace said to the appointees.
"You're about to do some important and what I believe is groundbreaking work. Some of you are doing it because others have set for the course and you're just continuing to carry the responsibilities. Some of you have been carrying these responsibilities for a lifetime.
"So I wish you the best in the work that you're about to do. But it's a reminder that discrimination has no place in Lehigh County. And you are now the guardians of that."
Former service
Currently serving elected officials are barred from participating, but some appointees are former elected officials or served on the county's former Human Relations Advisory Council.
Moore previously was an Upper Milford Supervisor and Lehigh County Democratic Party treasurer; she resigned from the latter to join the new commission.
Blichar currently serves as vice chairman to Allentown's Human Relations Commission and said he intends to resign to serve on the new commission.
In November, Allentown's human relations commission made a big change to forward discrimination complaints it receives to its counterpart for the State, due in part to a shortfall of volunteers.
The city recently hired Kumari Ghafoor-Davis as an equity and inclusion coordinator amid a probe of workplace discrimination and racism claims toward Mayor Tuerk's office.
Concerns remain
Some commissioners gave out selective disapproval from the pool of appointees, though all were confirmed.
Commissioner Jeffrey Dutt, citing his review of applicants' information and answers to questions, voted no on three of the appointees.
"I feel that some of the candidates with their [application] information and their backgrounds have different philosophies than I do about what should be done on the commission itself," Dutt said.
Commissioner Ron Beitler voiced some disappointment that none of the applicants was an attorney with a legal background.
Beitler said his experience has shown that such a person can keep things focused and on the legal questions at hand for a such a commission.
Beitler did commend Perez's membership of the bar and that he "consistently shows a level of empathy and objectivity."
He said he hoped he could fill that role along with Bradbury, who as a longtime activist and consultant helped form the legislation that governs the commission.
Commissioner Alvarado also voiced disappointment over not seeing a Latina included among the applicants to represent different backgrounds.
"I would like for us to keep that in mind with these terms, when they come to expire, right?" Alvarado said.
"Because there's a reason why there are expiration dates on serving, but to for us to not forget, and keep that in mind, as we attract new applicants to serve on the commission."
'Always seek to do better'
Commissioners Dutt, Beitler and Pineda voted no to Baio and Lopez, while Dutt and Pineda voted no to Moore.
Commissioner Dan Hartzell, a former Morning Call reporter, reflected on his time in the news industry and urged the new commission members to think similarly.
"I think for this to work as effectively as possible, we need public buy-in — pretty widespread public buy-in — and for" objectivity.Lehigh County Commissioner Dan Hartzell
"I think for this to work as effectively as possible, we need public buy-in — pretty widespread public buy-in — and for" objectivity, Hartzell said.
"You do need that thing, because there's always going to be naysayers and doubters. ... And I continue to worry about false accusations."
Commissioner Brace noted said it's just the beginning of the effort, and they will look for opportunities to improve, even at this juncture.
"I want to say and acknowledge that we can and always should seek to do better," Brace said.
"That there are places that we will have come up short in the works for ensuring open and accessible society, open and accessible government, doesn't mean that we should stop trying to do better."
