HARRISBURG, Pa. — For the first time since the Civil War, Democrats hold the majority in the Dauphin County Commissioners’ Office; at Tuesday's inauguration ceremonies, commissioners promised they wouldn't let political parties get in the way of progress.
Democrat George Hartwick returns for another term in the Dauphin County Commissioner's Office, determined to get things done.
"The team of leaders we have here are not about finger-pointing. They're not about placing blame; they're about trying to roll up our sleeves," Hartwick stated. "The good thing about county government is it's not partisan. 99% of the issues that we face are things that are going to take real solutions."
Republican Mike Pries retains his role as Chairman of the Commissioners, but for the first time, he's outnumbered. He spoke of the county's accomplishments in his previous term and called for unity.
"We work for all 286,000 residents," Pries said. "The recipe for success is simple; we don't play partisan politics."
"I'm looking forward to learning a lot over the next year and certainly over the next four years." expressed Democrat newcomer Justin Douglas.
Douglas is the first resident of Conewago Township to serve on the Dauphin County Board of Commissioners. He said he'll learn the ropes for the first hundred days and wants to make improvements quickly.
"Change is a team sport. My vision is to be part of a collaborative team," Douglas said. "We need to work together because there's a lot of things we've got to get done in our county. Certainly, prison reform is something I'm passionate about [and] for that to happen it's going to require all three of us [to give] a collective effort."
The commissioners' 2024 to-do list includes improving mental health services countywide, reducing the amount of illegal dumping in the Harrisburg area and addressing issues at the Dauphin County Prison. Each commissioner hopes that they will be able to cooperate and accomplish these goals, among others.