CHAMBERSBURG – Franklin County Commissioners proclaimed May 17-23 as Emergency Medical Services Week during their meeting Thursday while hearing concerns from residents about data centers, taxes and development pressures.
The proclamation honors the contributions of first responders, emergency medical technicians, paramedics and other EMS personnel who provide lifesaving care around the clock.
“Calling emergency services is something we all hope to avoid, yet it’s reassuring to know that highly trained, dedicated professionals are there when we need them most,” Commission Chairman Dean Horst said. “Words will never fully express our appreciation for the selfless, humanitarian service these men and women provide to support our communities and the people who live in them.”
Doug Bitner of the Franklin County Department of Emergency Services detailed the system’s scope and 2025 activity during the meeting.
The department handled 135,777 telephone calls and created 84,088 computer-assisted dispatch events, with EMS and fire agencies alerted to 25,790 incidents, an increase of 2,000 calls from the prior year.
Bitner recognized multiple clinical saves and pre-hospital deliveries by providers from agencies including Shippensburg Area EMS, Chambersburg Fire Department, WellSpan EMS, Blue Ridge Fire and Rescue and others.
He also recognized county native Robert Paul Miller, a longtime EMS provider, who will be honored at the National EMS Memorial Weekend in Arlington, Virginia, in July.
The commissioners approved a proclamation for Memorial Day on May 25 to remember fallen service members. Veterans Affairs Director Josh Curry presented an update on efforts to modernize veteran burial and memorial records.
“One of the things I ran into over the past year is we’ll have vets’ family members call in,” Curry said. “I want to be able to have that accessible and searchable … if I have a family member call in, and they want to ask about a loved one, where they’re buried, I can go into a document, type their name in, and have it pop up and get all their information.”
In other business, the board appointed Jason Nunnally to a three-year term on the Franklin County Area Agency on Aging advisory board ending Dec. 31, 2028.
Commissioners approved changes to the county pay policy to comply with requirements from a Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency grant for indigent defense stipends.
Public comment featured concerns about data centers and development. Harry Ross, a lifelong Green County resident and former small business owner, warned about tax impacts from abatements and infrastructure costs.
“For every dollar of tax money generated on each acre of agricultural land, it costs a dollar and one cent for infrastructure upkeep,” Ross said, citing earlier research shared with him. “Urban land … for every dollar of income generated tax, it costs a dollar and 31 cents for infrastructure upkeep.”
Finally, Valerie Jordan of Fayetteville cited county budget figures showing operational spending changes between 2024 and 2026 while questioning priorities.
She pointed out that the county’s operational budget dropped from $151.2 million in 2024 to $132.4 million in 2026, yet judicial services rose by nearly $900,000 and the entire $2.2 million cultural and recreation account was eliminated.
Jordan argued the cuts had not lowered residents’ taxes but had reduced services, asking why culture and recreation, something everyone needs regardless of politics, was completely removed while questioning the wisdom of further moves like privatizing the jail.
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Franklin County honors EMS providers, hears concerns on data centers, taxes
CHAMBERSBURG – Franklin County Commissioners proclaimed May 17-23 as Emergency Medical Services Week during their meeting Thursday while hearing concerns from residents about data centers, taxes and development pressures.
The proclamation honors the contributions of first responders, emergency medical technicians, paramedics and other EMS personnel who provide lifesaving care around the clock.
“Calling emergency services is something we all hope to avoid, yet it’s reassuring to know that highly trained, dedicated professionals are there when we need them most,” Commission Chairman Dean Horst said. “Words will never fully express our appreciation for the selfless, humanitarian service these men and women provide to support our communities and the people who live in them.”
Doug Bitner of the Franklin County Department of Emergency Services detailed the system’s scope and 2025 activity during the meeting.
The department handled 135,777 telephone calls and created 84,088 computer-assisted dispatch events, with EMS and fire agencies alerted to 25,790 incidents, an increase of 2,000 calls from the prior year.
Bitner recognized multiple clinical saves and pre-hospital deliveries by providers from agencies including Shippensburg Area EMS, Chambersburg Fire Department, WellSpan EMS, Blue Ridge Fire and Rescue and others.
He also recognized county native Robert Paul Miller, a longtime EMS provider, who will be honored at the National EMS Memorial Weekend in Arlington, Virginia, in July.
The commissioners approved a proclamation for Memorial Day on May 25 to remember fallen service members. Veterans Affairs Director Josh Curry presented an update on efforts to modernize veteran burial and memorial records.
“One of the things I ran into over the past year is we’ll have vets’ family members call in,” Curry said. “I want to be able to have that accessible and searchable … if I have a family member call in, and they want to ask about a loved one, where they’re buried, I can go into a document, type their name in, and have it pop up and get all their information.”
In other business, the board appointed Jason Nunnally to a three-year term on the Franklin County Area Agency on Aging advisory board ending Dec. 31, 2028.
Commissioners approved changes to the county pay policy to comply with requirements from a Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency grant for indigent defense stipends.
Public comment featured concerns about data centers and development. Harry Ross, a lifelong Green County resident and former small business owner, warned about tax impacts from abatements and infrastructure costs.
“For every dollar of tax money generated on each acre of agricultural land, it costs a dollar and one cent for infrastructure upkeep,” Ross said, citing earlier research shared with him. “Urban land … for every dollar of income generated tax, it costs a dollar and 31 cents for infrastructure upkeep.”
Finally, Valerie Jordan of Fayetteville cited county budget figures showing operational spending changes between 2024 and 2026 while questioning priorities.
She pointed out that the county’s operational budget dropped from $151.2 million in 2024 to $132.4 million in 2026, yet judicial services rose by nearly $900,000 and the entire $2.2 million cultural and recreation account was eliminated.
Jordan argued the cuts had not lowered residents’ taxes but had reduced services, asking why culture and recreation, something everyone needs regardless of politics, was completely removed while questioning the wisdom of further moves like privatizing the jail.
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