Commissioners discuss possible hazmat 'joiner' with Lancaster County; agree to workshop

Lebanon County commissioners heard a presentation on a proposed "joiner" (a contractual regional arrangement) for hazardous materials response that Lancaster County has proposed. Commissioners did not vote on the proposal; they agreed to schedule a public workshop with the proponent, Bob Dowd, for detailed discussion.

At the meeting one commissioner summarized concerns gathered from colleagues and neighboring counties about such joiners, covering operational and liability issues: cross-county equipment staging, selling or trading equipment after joining, contractor cleanup delays, staffing shortages, replacement cycles for fire engine tires, and insurance/liability differences among counties. The presenter emphasized that hazmat teams do not perform final cleanup — contractors typically perform remediation — and that response times and staging can affect how quickly evacuees can return home.

Commissioners said they preferred to hear directly from Bob Dowd and hold a workshop open to vendors and the public so questions about insurance, equipment ownership, billing and mutual aid could be answered. One commissioner said the county already has a long-standing mutual aid agreement, and described a joiner as potentially contractual and needing careful review.

No formal motion to join Lancaster County was made. Rather, the board directed staff to schedule a workshop; participants said the workshop was being planned for the following Wednesday. The conversation included cautions about quantifying savings, potential for liability where counties fall outside the same insurance pool, and the need to keep a county engine available for home-county coverage while others are deployed.

The board asked to revisit the proposal after the workshop, when Lancaster’s representative can answer questions and provide a draft agreement if appropriate.