(1/2025) The Adams County Court of Common Pleas of the 51st Judicial District has four Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas Judges. Adams County President Judge Michael George will be retiring at the end of this year. After serving as District Attorney in 1996, Judge George was elected to serve as Judge in 2001, embarking on a 23-year distinguished tenure on the bench. In 2013, Judge George succeeded President Judge John Kuhn for the 51st Judicial District. Judge George received many awards and honors during his time on the bench, including the Golden Crowbar Award by the Pennsylvania Conference of Trial Judges for his significant contributions to advancing the goals of the judicial system. He was also a candidate for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Until the position is filled next year via the May primary and November General Election, Senior Judges George & Kuhn will hear most of the vacated docket, supplemented by other Senior Judges. Judge Thomas Campbell will be the new President Judge.

At the Commissioners December 18th public meeting, Judge George was recognized by the Commissioners, other Judges, and staff. The portrait of Judge George that will hang with the other Adams County President Judges was unveiled. Judge Michael George’s leadership, wisdom, firmness, detailed preparedness, and compassion has had a profound and lasting impact on the Adams County Community. Judge George, we thank you and wish you well in retirement!

On Friday November 15, at the Maring Tri-Centennial Farm in Cumberland Twp., I had the distinct pleasure of participating in Adams County’s milestone of preserving 25,000 acres of farmland in Adams County. Preserving 25,000 acres doesn’t just happen. I want to recognize all the Adams County staff that played a part. It takes a village! I especially want to recognize Adams County Ag Land Preservation & Rural Resources Manager Ellen Dayhoff for her tireless and passionate advocacy for the past 32 years. Also, thank you to the members of the County Ag Preservation Board, both past and present, for their service to our community. For those that have been around awhile, they know that our current Board members walk in the footsteps of some giant preservation visionaries before you!

I can recall when this Board of Commissioners took office 13-years ago, and there just may have been some nervousness about these New Guys commitment to Agriculture and Preservation. I am proud to look back and report Agricultural Land Preservation has always been a priority of this Board since Jim, Marty and I took office. When we first took office, I was often asked, what one of the most difficult parts of our job was? The answer was easy – and the answer wasn’t raising taxes! It was balancing Adams County’s rich history, agrarian culture and panoramic viewscapes, with the need for appropriate housing and economic development at appropriate locations.

One of the first projects we embarked on was prioritizing with the Planning Department the development of the Preservation Priority Areas Map as well as Economic Development Areas which helps us identify the area’s most suitable for preservation and economic development. During our tenure, I am pleased to say that together we have preserved more than 6,000 acres and allocated $5,285,080 in county funds to the Ag Preservation Program. Without other partners like Cumberland Township, we would never have achieved this milestone, and the preservation of the Maring Farm.

As Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russel Redding pointed out in remarks at the event, although we need to celebrate a significant and notable milestone in Adams County farmland preservation, loss of farmland in PA is outpacing farmland preservation by almost a 3/1 margin. It rests upon the shoulders of our generation, and future generations, to support farmland preservation for the sustenance, economic, environmental, cultural, and spiritual necessities that it provides - and that we too often take for granted!

We were asked many times why we had to spend 2-days re-counting the ballots for the Casey/McCormick race. Pennsylvania re-count law requires automatic re-counts under certain guidelines. No matter how one personally feels about the outcome, the value, or the cost of the re-count, Pennsylvania state law requires when the margin for a statewide office is less or equal to 0.5% of the total votes, a re-count is mandated!

After conducting an exhausting and flawless Presidential election in Adams County, none of us looked forward to the 2-day McCormick/Casey re-count. Poll watchers from both candidates were in attendance taking notes from start to finish. The process was also live-streamed and took us about 14-hours. Naturally, about 2-hours after we completed the re-count on Thursday, November 21, Senator Casey conceded. I can report that in Adams County the few allowed provisional and the allowable post-election arriving military ballots did not move the needle for the outcome in Adams County.

This Presidential election resulted in Adams County voters turning out in record numbers. Of our approximately 76,000 registered voters, 81% either submitted an absentee or mail-in ballot or cast their vote at the polls on election day. Of the approximately 19,000 mail-in applications, 18,488 ballots were returned. Thus, approximately 23% of our registered voters chose to vote by mail-in.

Again, a big shout out to our Elections office staff, and our Administrative Staff, that rolled up their sleeves per usual to assure this fundamental plank of democracy is carried out efficiently and effectively in Adams County!

The 2024 Fall County Commissioners of Pennsylvania Conference in Hershey marked the end of my 12-year tenure as the Region 3 Representative on the CCAP Board of Directors. Region 3 is Adams County and 9 counties to our west. To be elected and then re-elected after my 1st year in office for 12 consecutive years by my Region 3 peers, was certainly an honor and privilege. It was also a very gratifying professional and personal life-time experience. It made me a better Commissioner by garnering a wealth of additional knowledge and establishing a state-wide network of resources and contacts. I announced to Region 3 colleagues last Spring that I was considering stepping down if anyone was interested in stepping up. I was happy to receive feedback that 2 newer commissioners expressed an interest in the position if I was not seeking re-election. I wish Blair County Commissioner, Amy Webster, the best in her new role as CCAP Region 3 Board Representative beginning in 2025. She is also an attorney, real estate agent, and a graduate of the CCAP Academy of Excellence. I am sure she will do a fine job of representing Region 3!

Do you lie in bed at night wondering what the total value of all Taxable Real Estate in Adams County is? Well, stay awake no more. The Adams County Board of Commissioners, sitting as the Board of Assessment Appeals, and with the recommendation from Daryl Crum, Director, pursuant to the Pennsylvania Consolidated Assessment Law, (53 Pa. C.S. § 8844(f), certify the assessed value of real property, value of occupations and the number of persons subject to personal taxes as follows:

• Assessed Value of Real Property = $10,167,554,600 (Yes -That’s Billion)
• Value of Occupations = $17,582,000
• Number of persons subject to personal taxes (per capita) = 77,997. That’s from a total population of approximately 106,000.

At the October 30 Commissioners Public Meeting, the Board of Commissioners re-appointed Michelle Kirk as Farmer Director to the Adams County Conservation District Board for another four (4) year term effective January 1 through December 31, of 2028. Commissioner Jim Martin was also re-appointed as the Commissioner Representative for another one (1) year term, effective January 1 thru December 31 of 2025. The Adams County Conservation District is vital to benefiting and maintaining our agrarian heritage, economy, and stewardship of our environment. We are very appreciative of all our Adams County residents who engage in important community service by volunteering to serve on these Boards!

No matter what you do, get out there and experience all the Historical, Recreational, Agricultural, Natural, and Cultural opportunities that beautiful Adams County has to offer!