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York County proclaims January Human Trafficking Awareness Month; resident raises concerns about opioid settlement spending
Summary
The York County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 22, 2025, issued a proclamation recognizing January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month and heard a public comment from a local recovery advocate who said the county has “problems” in how it is spending opioid settlement funds.
The York County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 22, 2025, proclaimed January 2025 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month and invited representatives from the YWCA of York and YWCA of Hanover to accept the proclamation.
The proclamation, read during the public portion of the meeting by a commissioner, states that “human trafficking is a devastating crime that exploits vulnerable individuals” and declares that the board “do hereby proclaim January 2025 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month in York County.” Commissioner Hoch read the text as presented and the board signed the proclamation.
Crystal Perry, community education director for the YWCA of York, thanked the commissioners and emphasized education as a primary prevention tool. "One of the biggest questions I always get ... is, how do we stop it? ... My number 1 answer is education and awareness," Perry said. She invited county residents to the YWCA’s Red Sand Project event on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 12 to 3 p.m. on Beaver Street between Pennsylvania and King streets, describing the project as a community awareness activity and urging attendees to dress warmly.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, Gina DeMaria, who identified herself as representing the Anthony's Wade Foundation in Hanover, spoke about opioid recovery work and raised concerns about the county’s handling of opioid settlement funds. DeMaria said her organization, established in memory of her son and operating for about 10 years, has created four transitional reentry recovery houses and performs harm-reduction work. She told commissioners that she had contacted “the trust” and local “abatement gatekeepers” and said, "Your county has some problems. They have some issues with how they're spending the money and when they're spending the money." DeMaria also recounted that her son had been prescribed "320 milligrams a day of OxyContin," which preceded his addiction and death.
No formal response from the board or a staff report addressing DeMaria’s concerns was recorded in the meeting transcript. The meeting proceeded to routine business, including approving agenda items and minutes by voice vote.
Votes at a glance
- Approved: Minutes of the Jan. 15, 2025 Board of Commissioners meeting (motion to approve; second; approved by voice vote). Motion details and individual roll-call votes were not recorded in the transcript.
- Approved: Adoption and acceptance of agenda items 1 through 17 (motion to adopt; second; approved by voice vote).
- Adopted: Proclamation declaring January 2025 Human Trafficking Awareness Month in York County (proclamation text read by Commissioner Hoch and signed by the board).
- Salary board (convened immediately following the commissioners meeting): Approved minutes of the Dec. 23, 2024, Jan. 6, 2025, and Jan. 15, 2025 salary board meetings; approved positions, salaries, hours and fringe benefits as provided by existing collective bargaining agreements or county policy (motion; second; approved by voice vote).
The board adjourned after routine business. The transcript records no follow-up action directed to staff regarding the public comment on opioid settlement spending.
