Board Descriptions



Meeting times and locations are always subject to change in the new year



 

Affordable Housing Board

Dauphin County Affordable Housing Trust Fund

The Affordable Housing Board reviews applications for programs such as down-payment assistance for first-time homebuyers and financing for new affordable housing construction, forwarding their recommendations to the Dauphin County Board of Commissioners.

Meetings are held quarterly on the third Thursday of January, April, July, and October at 10:00 a.m. at the Dauphin County Administration Building.

 

Agricultural Land Preservation Board

Agricultural Land Preservation

The Dauphin County Agricultural Land Preservation Board oversees the Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program, which protects farmland from development by purchasing permanent conservation easements. The Board reviews and ranks eligible farmland applications annually and makes recommendations for easement purchases in accordance with state guidelines. Members are appointed by the County Commissioners and serve three-year terms.

Meetings are held at 9:00 a.m. on the third Friday of most months.

 

Board of Assessment Appeals

Board of Assessment Appeals

The Dauphin County Board of Assessment Appeals is an independent board, authorized by statute and appointed by the County Commissioners, established for the primary purpose of hearing assessment appeal valuation cases. When there is a dispute over the real property assessment (value), it is the responsibility of the Board of Assessment Appeals to hear testimony from all parties regarding the property value and make a finding as to the market value which is utilized for assessment purposes.

Meetings are held at the Dauphin County Administration Building ranging from once to 9 times a month. The 2025 Schedule, for example, can be found here: Schedule. Meetings begin at 8:30 a.m.

 

AAA Council on Aging

Council On Aging

The Council on Aging advises the Dauphin County Commissioners on all matters relating to the County Area Plan of Services to the Aging. These include the assessment of the needs of older persons, the review of priorities in services to older persons, and the development of the annual service plan.

Meetings are held once every other month, usually on Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m.

 

Conservation District Board of Directors

Dauphin County Conservation District home

The Dauphin County Conservation District administers and participates in a variety of programs which work to protect the county's natural resources. The primary natural resource concerns are protection of the county's water and soil. Subsequently, programming and educational efforts are centered around these two resources. The Dauphin County Conservation District operates under the direction of the Conservation District Board of Directors and the Dauphin County Commissioners as a department of Dauphin County government. The board of directors volunteer their time and talents and includes both farmers and urban directors as well as a commissioner director.

Meetings are held on the first Thursday of most months and can last from 1 to 3 hours at the most. From December through March meetings start at 11:00 a.m. and from April through November they instead start at 7:00 p.m.

 

Children & Youth Advisory Board

Children and Youth

The Dauphin County Children and Youth Advisory Board supports the agency’s commitment to the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families. The Board encourages family-centered and community-based approaches that empower families, promote child safety, and ensure children have permanent, nurturing homes.

Meetings are held virtually the second Wednesday of every other month from noon to 1:00 p.m.

 

Drug & Alcohol Advisory Board

https://www.dauphincounty.gov/government/human-services/drug-alcohol-services

The Drug & Alcohol Advisory Board consists of concerned community members charged with reviewing and evaluating treatment, prevention, and intervention services for substance-using clients in Dauphin County. The Board makes recommendations to the County Commissioners regarding the department and services and any other matters relating to drug, alcohol, and tobacco services in the County.

Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of every other month at 11:30 a.m.

 

Gaming Advisory Board

Gaming Advisory Board

The Dauphin County Gaming Advisory Board oversees the allocation of Local Share Gaming funds to support municipal projects and community services. The Board manages grant application cycles and promotes transparency and community engagement in funding decisions.

Meetings held at the Dauphin County Administrative Building on a schedule to be determined.

 

General Authority Board

General Authority

The Dauphin County General Authority is a Pennsylvania public Authority organized under the Municipality Authorities Act. The General Authority exists for the following purposes: acquiring, holding, constructing, improving, maintaining, and operating, owning and leasing, either in the capacity of lessor or lessee, projects of the kind and character contemplated by law for a general purpose Authority, as authorized and permitted by the Municipality Authorities Act.

Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of every month at 8:00 a.m.

 

Harrisburg Area Transportation Study (HATS) Technical Committee

About HATS

HATS is a designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), an organization of federal, state and local agencies, as well as officials from Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry Counties, the City of Harrisburg and Capital Area Transit. HATS develops a Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), which documents the current status of transportation projects and programs, identifies long-term needs and recommends projects to meet those needs. The Committee is split into the Coordinating Committee and the Technical Committee.

Each Committee meets on a Friday every other month at the Dauphin County Administrative Building, as well as virtually. The 2025 Schedule can be found here: HATS Meetings & Minutes.

 

Human Services Block Grant Planning & Advisory Committee

Block Grant Planning and Advisory Committee

In accordance with Act 80 of 2012, Dauphin County established a Human Services Planning and Advisory Committee. The Committee consists of providers; consumers; and staff to provide insight and feedback regarding the Human Services Delivery System in Dauphin County. This input is considered as a part of the development of the Annual Dauphin County Human Services Block Grant Plan that covers the following catchment areas: Mental Health Services; Intellectual Disability Services; Homeless Assistance Services; Child Welfare; Drug and Alcohol Treatment; and Human Services Development Fund Administration.

Meetings are held virtually at 10:00 a.m. on the third Friday of every third month.

 

Industrial Development Authority / Economic Development Corporation Board

IDA, EDC

The IDA exists and operates as a public instrumentality of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for, among other things, the public purposes of alleviating unemployment, eliminating and preventing blight, eliminating or reducing air and water pollution, and creating business opportunities by the construction, rehabilitation, and financing of industrial, commercial, and manufacturing enterprises. All projects eligible to be financed by the IDA are subject to the approval of the Board of Commissioners.

The same board serves as that of The Dauphin County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC), which is a non-profit development corporation that partners in real estate development projects. The DCEDC also assists in channeling grant funding to municipalities and organizations in need of economic development assistance and support, promotes tourism within the county, and serves as an extension between communities and local government.

Meetings are held at the Dauphin County Administrative Building at noon on the third Thursday of each month.

 

Land Bank Authority

https://www.dauphincounty.gov/government/support-services/community-and-economic-development/land-bank-authority

The Board of the Dauphin County Land Bank Authority supervises the use of available resources to facilitate the return of vacant, blighted, abandoned and tax-delinquent properties to productive use thereby combating community deterioration, creating economic growth and stabilizing the housing and job market.

Meetings are held at the Dauphin County Administrative Building at 10:00 a.m. on the second Thursday of each month.

 

Library System Board of Trustees

About Us - Dauphin County Library System

The Library aims to build an effective working board of leaders that represents the population of Dauphin County. When seeking new appointed trustees there is a focus on finding committed citizens who will be actively involved in furthering The Library’s mission and vision of building community and transforming lives by connecting people, ideas, and opportunities through the access to information and inspiration.

Meetings are held at noon on the third Tuesday of January, April, July, and October.

 

Merit-Based Hiring System Alternative Dispute Resolution Panel

Dauphin County uses a Merit-Based Hiring System for employees of its human services departments. Dauphin County has put in place an Alternative Dispute Resolution Policy/Procedure (ADR) to provide a prompt and efficient procedure for fair and equitable resolution of areas of conflict regarding this system. The ADR panel will conduct a hearing on the complaint and will provide the opportunity for all parties involved to provide testimony relevant to the matter in dispute. The panel will render a binding decision including any necessary remedies within thirty (30) business days following the hearing. The decisions of the ADR panel are final and not subject to review or modification by the County Commissioners or County Staff. Applicants should be human resources professionals not affiliated with Dauphin County.

Meetings will be held as needed.

 

MH/A/DP Advisory Board

MH/A/DP Advisory Board

The Dauphin County Mental Health/Autism/Developmental Programs Advisory Board's purpose is to review and evaluate mental health and intellectual disabilities needs, services, facilities, and special problems in relation to local health and welfare needs, services, and programs. The Board works to develop, together with the Administrator, continuing plans for the program, to make recommendations to the County Commissioners regarding the program and any other matters relating to mental health and intellectual disabilities services in the County, including the purchase of services, contracts, and funds required to implement the program.

Meetings are held online on the last Tuesday of every other month from 8:30 to 10 a.m.

 

Opioid Remediation Advisory Board

Opioid Remediation Grant Program to Award Settlement Funds

The Opioid Remediation Advisory Board makes recommendations to the County Commissioners on funding grant applications that are submitted for money that Dauphin County has been allocated in settlement agreements related to opioid lawsuits.

Meetings will be scheduled in the new year beginning in February with entire days or half days blocked out according to the Board members’ schedules.

 

Dauphin County Planning Commission

About DCPC

The mission of the Dauphin County Planning Commission is to guide, coordinate and promote the wise and orderly use of land and resources in order to facilitate the growth of the local economy, enhance the quality of life and preserve the natural environment by meeting the needs of the County’s present population without compromising the needs of future generations.

Meetings are held at the Dauphin County Administrative Building at 4 p.m. on the first Monday of each month.

 

Redevelopment Authority Board

Redevelopment Authority

The Dauphin County Redevelopment Authority’s (DCRA) mission is the elimination of blighted areas for residential, recreational, commercial, industrial, or other purposes, to provide affordable housing and decent living environments for the citizens of Dauphin County.

Meetings are held at Dauphin County Administrative Building at 10:30 a.m. on the second Thursday of each month.