Laughman Hired As Interim Chief Human Services Officer

By P.J. REILLY

Lancaster County commissioners Wednesday unanimously voted to appoint James Laughman as the county’s interim chief human services officer. Laughman will hold the position until the commissioners hire a permanent replacement for Gary Heinke, who resigned from the post in October amid allegations he falsified information on the resume he submitted for the job in 2004. A subsequent internal investigation by the county’s human resources department of Heinke’s resume and hiring found several fabrications of previous work experience. District Attorney Donald Totaro’s office still is investigating whether Heinke committed a crime by falsifying his resume. State law covering “unsworn falsification to authorities” prohibits people from obtaining jobs based on false information. Don Elliott, the county’s chief administrative officer, said he hopes the county can hire a permanent replacement within two months. Laughman, who will continue to serve as assistant director of the county’s Mental Health/Mental Retardation program, said he will likely apply for the job. In his new position, Laughman will oversee several county departments, such as Office of Aging, Youth Intervention Center and the Mental Health/Mental Retardation program. Subject to approval by the county’s Salary Board, Laughman will receive a 10-percent pay increase over his $68,028 annual salary while he serves as interim chief human services officer, the commissioners announced. In other business Wednesday, the commissioners voted to approve the acquisition of conservation easements on three county farms. The county will pay $274,098 to buy development rights to the 93-acre Carl G. and Ruth J. Harnish crop farm in Pequea and Conestoga townships; $169,671 to preserve the 49- acre H. Mervin and Arlene J. McMichael crop farm in Pequea Township; and $214,032 to preserve the 82-acre Eugene S. and Ella B. Martin crop and dairy farm in Penn Township. With these acquisitions, the county’s Agricultural Preserve Board has protected from development a total of 605 farms covering 51,700 acres. The private Lancaster Farmland Trust has preserved another 230 farms covering 14,000 acres.