Carbon County Weekly Brief

Tracking taxes, policy, and power.

Week of February 16, 2026

• In response to circulating rumors in Carbon County, election officials clarified that they were not improperly contacting local officeholders to make them resign. During a recent election board meeting, county representatives explained they’ve been reaching out to people who were elected to more than one position to inform them of state election law, which requires such individuals to choose which office to accept because they cannot hold two roles simultaneously. The election director emphasized that these calls are routine administrative work to keep records accurate, people aren’t being forced to resign, and individuals can decline both positions if they wish.

• Jennifer Ketchledge, who has been serving as Carbon County’s election director since March 2023, submitted her resignation letter to county commissioners and will step down from the role on March 5. As a result, the county is actively seeking a replacement and has posted the job, which involves overseeing elections and voter registration and requires relevant experience and legal knowledge.

• Nesquehoning officials are taking steps to address the possibility of a data center being built in the borough by drafting and refining a zoning ordinance that would define data centers and set specific requirements for them and related uses within the community. The Carbon County Planning Commission recently reviewed the proposed amendment alongside a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection permit review for a related development project and agreed it was a proactive measure to guide how such facilities could be developed. The commission forwarded its review to borough leaders for further discussion. Upcoming meetings include a borough planning session and a zoning hearing on the proposal. The effort to update local regulations began late last year after plans for a potential data center off Industrial Road were announced.

• The Weatherly Borough Council adopted its final $7.8 million 2026 budget, which includes a 1.25-mill property tax increase and higher utility rates to cover rising acquisition costs and to fund infrastructure improvements for aging water, sewer and electric systems. The budget had been reopened by the newly reorganized council earlier in the year to adjust for a larger tax anticipation loan. In addition to fiscal measures, council voted to convert a long-time part-time police officer to full-time status and approved a pay raise for part-time officers as part of efforts to strengthen the borough’s police force.