Paula Roberts’ appointment as Lehigh County’s Children and Youth Services director was confirmed by unanimous vote by commissioners Sept. 27. Two weeks prior the commissioners approved the appointment at the first reading of the proposal, a preliminary step to finalizing the position.

Roberts said she has been acting director for two weeks. The commissioners have now finalized the appointment and she can put on her full director’s hat.

The appointment comes from the ranks as Roberts has been with the department for 26 years. She replaces former director Pamela Buehrle.

“We have a lot of talent and I would like to build on the talent we have,” Roberts said after her appointment was finalized.

In other business, the commissioners finalized their appointments of Emily Leonardo to the Lehigh County Drug and Alcohol Abuse Advisory Board and Joshua A. Bridges as the administrator of mental health and intellectual disabilities.

In a first reading, the commissioners tentatively approved a resolution to allow Lehigh County to approve mechanical and electrical services as needed and worth over $10,000 with three professional corporations: Barry Isett & Associates, Inc., Cornerstone Consulting Engineers & Architectural, Inc. and Strunk-Albert Engineering.

The resolution will take effect when the commissioners approve it at their next regular meeting Oct. 11.