July 16, 2025
— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
Northampton County Council‘s Human Services Committee agenda for Thursday lists “Update From Gracedale – All Departments” on its agenda.
Gracedale, the county nursing home in Upper Nazareth Township, is often up for discussion, and that was before a resident was reportedly subject to an exorcism.
The nursing home’s finances and staff level are often debated, along with how many people it should accommodate. The official potential occupancy is 688 people, but the number of people living there, known as “the census,” has been around 400 or so.
Relatives of mine have worked in nursing homes, so I’ve heard stories about how difficult that can be. Gracedale is the home of last resort for some residents who are demented or infirm.
Whether a county should even be in the business of operating a nursing home has been questioned. Northampton County Executive Lamont G. McClure has supported keeping the home publicly owned.
His second term concludes at the end of this year. McClure is one of three candidates in the Democratic primary for the bid to represent the Lehigh Valley in the U.S. House of Representatives. The winner will face Ryan Mackenzie, the incumbent first-term Republican.
The meeting could be interesting, although some items related to personnel and potential litigation may wind up in what is known as an executive session; that is, discussed privately.
The Northampton County Council Human Services Committee will meet Thursday, July 17, in council chambers on the third floor of the government center in Easton.
The meeting is open to the public and will be shown on the county’s YouTube channel.
Here is a cut-and-paste version of the agenda, and there is a link above:
Human Services Committee Meeting Agenda
July 17, 2025
3:30 p.m.
I. Courtesy of the Floor
II. Presentation from Battle Borne
III. Update from Gracedale – All Departments
IV. Adjournment
Lehigh Valley News Briefs 