Council - Regular Meeting

Mr. Sher got a haircut and he shaved. Spiffy. Mr. Spiffy. All right. Council to my left. Ready? Council to my right. You all ready to go? All right. Good evening, everyone. We're going to call this meeting to order. Ask everybody to rise for the pledge to the flag. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

We have one citation this evening honoring Sergeant. Roll call. We should call the role. The clerk will call the role. Mr. Raymond, present. Mr. Callahan present. Mr. Cologne present. Miss Daniels present. Miss Quiet present. Miss Leairard present. And Miss Leon

present. I love how you guys have my back all the time. Just call the role. Rachel. Um we have one citation this evening honoring Sergeant Dwight Schaefer. I don't believe I see him here today. But we will make sure that he gets this citation. Um moving on to the approval of the minutes. Any discussion regarding the minutes for last? Nope. Right. The minutes stand approved. Uh we will move on to public comment. The first public comment is going to be on subjects not being voted on this evening with a 5m minute time limit to allow for everyone to speak. I will start with people who signed up. Starting with John Embardino. John, I'm assuming I'm supposed to be here. Thank you for having us tonight. I don't want to get into any kind of a shouting mat or get anger or anything like that, but and I hate to be here and the neighbors hate to be here, but we're not getting any results about a garbage situation at 1953 Eaton Avenue. 6 months without pickup. They got a pile that stinks out and by the road next to the house, a shed that's full of garbage and between the shed and the neighbor's fence has stuff in it. Now, I complained to the enforcement people. Um, they gave them several warnings. I don't know why. And they're they're in violation at least five or six different codes. The one they should have started with is they don't have a contract. 72-hour notice and they should have been in violation. Weeks go by before anything happens. So finally I called the code officer. He said I got to give him a second warning. Called the code officer. They finally cited him. I said okay what's the citation for? And where's the

magistrate's office? That's right to know. This is not the CIA. It's a simple request. I was a code officer for 22 years. Never had that. You give them the simple information and you do your job. If you can't do the job, get out of the office. So anyway, I go to write the no, get online, fill out the form, send it in. One day later, they say I'm granted. I can have that information. They send me to a site. It's not there in the county. Go back to the origin, which is the code officer. I go back to the code officer and say, I would like to have the information on the citation and what magistrate. He didn't give it to me. He just gave me the magistrate's address. Okay, I'm jumping through the hoops. Okay, I'm going to be legal. call the magistrate. They have no idea what I'm talking about. Can't find a citation or anything. And now I'm supposed to It would help them if I have a docket number or a partial number. How do I get that? Nobody's giving me the information. They said call back next week. Call it back next week. No idea where that citation is. Has it been issued? Now we get it. [clears throat] In retrospect, it was it was filed. So that had to be the first one for $200. Now, tonight we get a message, I guess, from you or somebody up here that um there was a $500 fine issued. Well, that's second offense. What happened? I wanted to go to a hearing. So, today, I wanted to have my opinion brought out in court, being sworn in, and give them information. This should not be going on. They're in the fourth month of having in their office. This should not be going on. I can't believe it that I spent money on my house. We keep our properties up and we live next to a garbage dump. This is not right. If you can't do the job, get out of the office and get somebody that can. I've never in 22 years seen a process like this. Never, ever, ever. And anybody we called or text always said, "Well, we'll give

it to departments responsible." Well, they're responsible. They're not doing anything. Why give it to them? Somebody's got to take this thing, this bull by the horns. It's just disgusting. I'm I'm sorry to be here like this, but I can't live like this. There's going to be a problem in this neighborhood. They're doing this first bite, and they keep throwing more garbage every day out there, and it stinks. Code officer finally went by a couple times. I don't know what happened there. Glanced over me, wouldn't stop, kept on going. Neighbor saw him again, kept on gone. No information comes out of this code department to help us out. If we get some information, maybe it would set our minds at ease of something to be done. But no, we got to get treated like criminals while the person who's doing it gets warning after warning after warning and then parties at night and weekends. It's annoying and it's not going to last. I'm telling you there. I'm mad about it, but I'm trying to be civil. I've been a civil servant for 22 years and I'm trying to be civil. I'm trying to follow the law, but this is going to come to a head and it ain't going to be pretty. Thank you for your time.

Thank you very much. Uh, the next person I have signed up to speak is Mark Sager.

Hi.

I was born and raised in Bethleam. Pop was a steel worker. Mom worked at Sure Fit. I went trucking for 43 years. Finally got a nice house and everybody neighbors are decent. We had one person move in and God bless them. They got a nice house too. But this this like John said, I can't emphasize that it's right in our backyards. Mine, John's, Dan's, Larry's, right across the alley is this dump. And there's there's varmments running around. I mean, [clears throat] I don't even know what else I can tell you except where sometimes I think I'm a secondass citizen at times. I pay your taxes on time, you shovel your snow, and the great events we have around here. But after six months, I mean, it's like John said, we're not terrorists. We're just trying to follow a wall and we have gotten nothing, no results. We're at wit's end and it's like John said, it's going to get ugly and I'll leave it at that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Sager. The next person I have signed up is Daniel Fertzi Fertizi. Okay, thank you for the time. Uh, I guess they pretty much covered everything that I needed to that you need to hear. I don't want to get too redundant, but my whole feeling about this, which I've expressed, is we live on Union Boulevard and Eaton Boulevard is the other part of the neighborhood and the alleys in between that. And our feeling is maybe we don't have to pay a dump either. We could just put our stuff out on Union Boulevard. I bet something would happen in minutes for that. Anyway, um we've been getting good correspondence from some of the ladies, Miss Leyon in particular, and uh you know, I know it's a tough situation. I just hope you guys can uh resolve it for us because in that neighborhood, we do take care of each other. Trees fall, we're there to help each other. We snow plow the streets for everybody and it's just really sad that this has to happen. It's just not good. There's all kinds of bugs flying around there. The birds are there every morning. Crows. Nobody wants to see this or go near it. And uh if you guys looked at the pictures, it's right in the street. And there's days when this garbage blows out onto John's lawn and my lawn and I'm sure Mark's lawn and who else knows what. And while don't have a 100% proof, but I know they're picking the bags up and taking them out in the middle of the night and dumping them in other neighbors yards around the corner from us on Beverly. I saw two of the bags there and uh once somebody told the neighbor that and they said, "They're not mine." They they opened them up and they could see it's the same garbage they have. They don't recycle or anything. Not that long ago, there was a bag on Katosakqua that was just thrown out in the street

and was blown open. I can't say it was there cuz I don't have proof, but all the garbage was in that bag. Is this in garbage? It's in our backyard. So, you know, it's only going to get worse. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Fritzy. The next person I have signed up is Mike Aleni. Yeah. Did I butcher that? Okay.

Good afternoon, council. Uh, my name is Mike Albanese. I currently reside or I'm a property owner at 1930 uh West Union Boulevard. Uh I showed up in solidarity with my neighbors tonight just to express our dissatisfaction uh with the property located at 1953 Eaton A. Uh just by way of further explanation. Uh Eaton and Union is pretty much a triangle and the Genoa Street Alley runs between Eaton and Union. Therefore, all the backyards on Union Boulevard abut the Genoa Street alley and all the backyards on Eaton A also abut that Genoa Street alley. To that end, the house located at 1953 Eaton has a large pile of garbage. Uh that is leaking into the Genoa Street alley. It's at least 15 20 bags. It includes furniture, uh open bottles of liquor. Uh as you previously heard, that trash pile has been there for at least six months. For my personal information, I believe it's been there since at least February 20th. And that's also uh February 20th of 2026. That's also when communications at least communications with the city started on that date. Uh you heard from everybody else. We are still waiting for some sort of resolution. To that end, I I've spoken with my neighbors about what direction they want to go in and what direction we want to go in. You know, with exposed trash, there's kids in the neighborhood that run around that trash. There's also critters uh be it fox, groundhogs, hawks digging at that trash, exposing that trash. So then we get squirrels and mice which will lead to rats uh that spread such nice uh diseases as bubonic plague, huntovirus, ratbite fever and lepertosis. Um basically if my dog smells rat urine, it might get lepertosis. And a lot of us are pet owners and we walk our animals in that alley. Uh, so I got to figure out, you know, how to figure out how to

diagnose my dog with leptosis and then maybe take it from there. Uh, I did reach out to the city of Bethlehem Recycling Center. I did quickly send an email there. I have not seen any action uh since I sent that email. So, I'm just up here reinstating my complaints. Like all my neighbors said, it's a lovely neighborhood. It's a quiet neighborhood. There's families. There's kids. We do all try and take care of each other. Uh unfortunately at 1953 eaten there's just a giant pile of trash and it is uh discouraging, disgusting, off-putting. Nobody wants to sit back there and and look at this disgusting trash. So uh showed up tonight just to implore city council or implore the mayor just to take some sort of action uh some sort of demonstrable action that you know we can mark and follow uh as citizens of that neighborhood. Uh that's all I have to say on that statement. my spouse uh Jacqueline is here as well. I'm speaking for her if you'd like to come up. All right. Thank you for your time, council. Uh and have a good evening.

Thank you so much, Mike. The next person I have signed up to speak is Mark. I am so sorry. Your last your last name begins with an O. Ozi. Oz. Thank you so much.

Good evening, council. It doesn't bring me any pleasure to be here. [snorts] Uh, on a quick note to you guys in the trash, go through the health department, bypass zoning, go for health, health and welfare. Go after them. They'll they'll they'll probably start going after them more, won't do it. You know, just a thought. Anyway, I'm here concerning the Betham Police Department and the Steel City Gun Club. To my knowledge, the gun club made arrangements for the Bethleam City Police Department to use it and take care of it and do what they needed to do down there. And they go down and they practice. And that's fine. I got nothing against practice. But I do have a problem with it. on I believe it was the 30th of April. My phone's over there. Um I ended up calling Northampton County uh dispatch about 20110. I found out that my neighbor also called and she's a young girl with young children and she called and she called her mom who was out of town crying on the phone because when they went down there and I don't know who it was. I don't know if it was Bethleam or Betham had entertained somebody else down there but it happened two nights in a row. the first night. I should have to I should have got some notes for me. Anyway, for 23 years I lived in my house in Readington Road, which is about a half a mile from the gun club. Usually September, October, they start doing their nighttime practice and

that's fine. used to stop at nine o'clock. And I'll bet you there's a dozen kids in the neighborhood that got to go to bed 8, nine o'clock so they can get up for school the next morning. All elementary school mostly. So you got to think of them. And what happened the other night was was just astounding. If they ever tell you that there's a shortage of bullets, don't believe them. because there's not when they were down there and this went on after 10:00 I I called and then shortly after I called it was close to 10:00 I called Northampton County and the girl said she wasn't happy about the phone call but she said she would let them know the neighbor girl had Lower Sen Township go down I don't know what happened with them because they never went up to talk to her but after I called and she was supposed to relay the message. All hell broke loose. It was like you were in Iran or some other war zone. If none of you guys live there and none of you guys experience at night, you should. I'm sure every kid in all their households were probably scared to death and it's sickening and frankly it needs to stop. I don't know exactly how the city works. I would imagine council and the mayor are in charge of the police department, but somebody has to take control and shut it down no later than 9:00. I'd say 8:00. Some of my neighbors say, "Ah, 9:00. They got to practice at night." I tell them, "Hey, go rent a building and turn out the lights. There are several indoor gun clubs around." But that's what's going on. And it's been

going on for for 23 years. Like I said, they used to stop at nine o'clock and whatever was in there, whoever was in there the other night, it went on past 9:00 and the second night probably went to 20 after 10. I meant 10:00, not 9, but it it it was ridiculous. I live a half a mile away and and the girl at the horse farm who called besides me is even farther up the road. And and she called and they're farmers. They're the whole neighborhood's kind of used to it, but it's out of control and you got to stop it. The citizens that pay the taxes for everything deserve more respect than what they got. And the other problem I will tell you is there were times and I don't know who they were but I know they probably come out of the gun club because they come out 10 12 cars at a time and they'll drag race up the street and it's closed to the public. So apparently these are police officers having their U-Hawk going up the street until one of them ends up with a deer through the windshield. More than several deer have been hitting that in the road. I appreciate your time. I hope you do something about it and we don't have to tolerate it anymore.

Thank you so much, sir. I appreciate you coming. Thank you. The next person I have signed up is Dan Skinner.

I always wondered what these meetings were like. Um, hi, my name is Dan Skinner. Uh, homeowner and resident on the 800 block of Delwood Street, very close to the Elwood Park. Um over the last 5 years, my wife and I have kind of observed uh an increase in um I guess like traffic violations in the sense of like speeding. And I was wondering to see how we could go about possibly getting on like some kind of docket or city budget, some kind of speed deterrent device, speed bumps that could be removed in the winter due to plows, but just something to kind of control speed. Uh it is a very heavily visited park, lots of kids in the neighborhood. Uh I am a father of two. So um I was asking some others in the community how to go about doing something about speed bumps or the neighborhood and they said this is the best avenue. So um thank you for your time.

Thank you. And I will encourage you to stay until after the meeting. Um this it's a much more formal setting, but as soon as the meeting wraps up, I'm sure plenty of people on council would be happy to walk you through not just the speed bump process, but other avenues that you might be able to use to just draw attention to that area of the community. So, thank you for coming out. Awesome. Thank you. The next person I have signed up is Isabelle.

Hi guys, nice to see you again. Um, I wanted to thank you for all the updates that were giving me given to me in regards to spray. Uh it seems to have taken a almost a resolve. The night that I did come home from the last city council meeting, I did smell it. Um they see I was updated and they seem to have caught them in the act um in a way that we're able to uh move forward with hopefully getting some legislation down. Um I did talk to Representative McNeel and she was super nice. So nice. Um so she gave me a lot of really good information and updates. So, I just really hope that it continues forward. I have updated my neighbors. Uh, they seem to be happy with it. Uh, so I'm just I just wanted to thank you for all the communications that you have given me. I did have another thing that I wanted help with. I had last time I was here, it was brought up about Sand Island. I went to the park and I agree that it did need some help. Uh, I visited actually right before here. and uh really happy that there's trash cans near those bathrooms. Um but a lot of the park just seem to need help. I have made a website for to incentivize uh community engagement in like local cleanups and kind of uh incentivize people helping out as like an event type of forum. So, if anybody could kind of guide a direction, I would I would love that because I just, you know, want to help and we want a cleaner community. It seems to keep coming up. But thanks, guys. Thank you, Isabelle. And I will also encourage you to hang out after. We definitely have plenty of avenues to connect you with with uh community cleanups and people that might be able to help you with that. Um, that exhausts the list of people that I have signed up to speak, but I will go around the room.

Um, so does anyone on my left want to make a public comment on something that is not being voted on that hasn't had the opportunity to speak? Yes, sir. [clears throat] Hey, Mark. Good evening. Larry Kirk, I tell you, how are you, sir?

I'm good. We contacted y'all so many times about this trash. I'm going to be reluctant reductant and say it all again. I'm the sublimable message you don't want. So, I am going to definitely find some way to solve this problem with this trash. We're not quite as bad as these folks, but if you you I'm sure you all went up to your landfill. See the seagulls come down. They're eating, munching. Well, we have crows. We have foxes. I have two big dogs. huge dogs. They're in a fence and stuff. Now, the reason I bring this up is because these people party so much and I felt sorry for them at first. They came back one day and their car is stolen. Why? I have cameras all over. And sure enough, I had a camera that saw the tow truck that came down their yard and repoed their car. So, I felt sorry for them. I walked over to their house and knocked. I talked to my trash guy, said, "Hey, Don, how much to pick up their trash? how much it going to cost me? And I found out I shouldn't do it. And the reason, but I'm glad I didn't. The reason being is because they would have got used to it. It didn't stop. And then I found out there's trash in the barn. There's trash there. It is bad. I don't know how many times and people we I wrote the mayor myself personally, emailed them and got response. They're trying. We're trying. There's got to be something that can be done. I appreciate it. We would appreciate it. The PR It's It's amazing. Go down there, you can smell it. And I'm not as bad as John and Mark. They're like right there. But I trash every day is blowing into my yard. And I have a fence and I got a big line of trees and stuff. Well, they're out partying one night and whatnot. They'd come over harassing my dogs. And I tell the guy, listen, you don't want to get that dog mad because he could possibly go through that fence if he

gets his head through there and he comes out. You don't want trouble with that dog. He's going to do his job. He's got a job. He's got to protect his mama cuz if something happens to me, she ain't got to worry about it. They came in and started trying to fight on my property. They walked up my driveway trying to start a fight. Now, if they can afford to go out and go to the bar and have the bar come to their house and have this big party in the back of the yard, music you can hear, they can afford to pay for their trash to get picked up. It's bad. If you took your all's desk and flipped it up, the pile would be higher than your desk right now. It actually comes out on Genanoa Street. It's terrible. Now, I don't know if the city of Betham owns trash trucks. Get an idea. send a trash truck there and charge them for it. Pick it up. I'll even help the guy come over in a little bit, one bag at a time. I'll help him throw it in the back of the dumpster, please. Sublimable message is now over. Thank you for your time, y'all.

Thank you so much, sir. Anyone else to the left want to make public comment? Does anyone else in the center want to make a public comment? Terry, I saw you first. Hey, Mark.

Hi, Terry Kber. I live on Graan View Boulevard in Bethlehem and we're here on behalf of a traffic safety petition that we have put together. I have a copy for council and a copy for Mr. Alcohol over there. Um, we're gonna we want to request a traffic study done for um the daily speeding, the stop sign violations, pedestrian risks. I walk we walk our dogs all the time and you have to constantly watch. Parking on the east side of Grand View is angle parking. Even though they don't angle, they now park head-on. But the point being, when you go to back out of your spot, you look, nothing's coming. you start backing out and somebody's flying down the street and you have to be really careful. So, it's real hard um to pull out safely without crawling an inch at a time. So, we'd like to ask for is to have this the traffic study to install speed bumps or traffic slowing humps on Grand View and the stops the the stop sign at Glendale and Florence Glendale Avenue and Grand View and Florence Avenue in Grand View. We'd like to have flashing stop signs put there. I mean, it can't cost that much to put a flashing stop sign there. It runs on solar, I believe. Right. So, this is to improve the safety for the children, the pedestrians, the school bus riders, and all of the residents in the neighborhood. There's 61 houses on Grand View Boulevard. Three of those houses are vacant. 75% of the occupied houses would be 43.5 houses. So, that's what we need to get this pushed through. So, 46 houses have signed the petition. Every house except one that we went to with the petition was highly in favor highly in favor of these traffic safety measures. The number of children in the neighborhood has increased over the years. The number of cars that travel Grand View Boulevard has increased with the majority coming from Central Park Avenue on the west and

the Florence Avenue apartments on the east. And most of those disregard the stop signs. The stop signs are either ignored or rolled through. I have been almost hit quite a few times down at Glendale Avenue as I'm coming down Grand View. These cars just keep coming out and you lay on the horn and oh, okay, I'll stop. And they look at you like you're in the wrong. The stop signs are mostly ignored even though and even though there's minimal they're ignored even though there's minimal visibility when you go to pull out because of the cars that are parked there. You cannot see who's coming down the street. The stop sign at Glendale Avenue is also a bus stop for the local children. I reside at the corner of Graan View and Florence where I routinely observe significant non-compliance with the stop signs at both intersections. My deck sits right there. I now have a camera that I put on that intersection. I sit there and I watch these cars go by and if their windows are open and they don't stop, I yell stop sign and they're like, you know, who's that? Now, every time they go by, they're looking around to see who's going to yell at him again. So, recently, a driver coming from Central Park Avenue from that the town houses over there nearly struck me, my vehicle, after failing to stop. The only reason the collision was avoided was because I sounded my horn. I had backed down my driveway and went to go down View and he was coming and he was not going to stop until I hit the horn. It's not an isolated incident, but part of a consistent pattern of dangerous behavior. When I'm outside walking my dog or maintaining my property, I frequently witness drivers who only come to a complete stop because they see me standing there looking at them. This demonstrates a clear disregard for the posted traffic controls. Due to these ongoing safety issues, I've installed a safety camera facing the intersection to document violations and

protect myself in the event of a crash. Given these firsthand safety concerns, I respectfully request a traffic study be conducted as soon as possible. Following the study, we ask for installation of speed bumps or speed humps to reduce vehicle speeds as well as flashing stop signs to increase visibility and compliance of the stop signs at the corners with Grand View Boulevard scheduled scheduled for paving. I'm not sure when, but it's essential that the traffic study occurs before that work proceeds. Thank you for this your attention to this matter and for prioritizing the safety of the residents of the and the children of Graan View Boulevard. And I have the petition which I'll give you a copy and I'll give you a copy.

Terry, on that petition, did you put like the the specific intersections that you were talking about? It's okay if you didn't. I just I think it's all on here. Okay. Awesome. Thank you so much. Y Spanish, too. Oh, love it. We love a bilingual queen. Thank you so much. Okay. Thank you so much. That's you. Yeah. Anyone else in the broad center want to make public comment? I thought I saw your hand, Mary Joe. Uh, yeah, if we can get it out.

Mary Joe Mcool, 449 Grand View Boulevard. I want to address the apathy demonstrated by some on this council and the current administration to public safety. I have spoken out, as many others have, about the lack of attention to the safety of Bethlehem residents. The issue of speeding has been brought to light numerous times. In my neighborhood, cars constantly speed up Grand Speed on Grand View Boulevard, Broad Street, and Handover Avenue. Stop signs are ignored by cars, school buses, police, and emergency vehicles without operating flashing lights or sirens. My neighbor mentioned this to a Bethlehem police officer and he was told, "I already I already have my quota for the month." One night, the week before last, I watched from my home a drag race on Grand View Boulevard. One car was in such a hurry that I could not wait for the car ahead of ahead that he attempted to pass only to have it end up with two cars racing against each other to the stop sign at Broad Street. I fear for my safety and that of my dog when we are out walking along Broad Street and Hanover Avenue. [snorts] Even if we walk a little away from the sidewalk, we are still taking our lives into our own hands. Numerous accidents always occur happen on that curve. That is why many years ago, Mr. Bennett installed a large grassy area and moved his new cars well back from the street. Hanover Avenue and Broad Street are I believe are state roads maintained by Allentown and Bethlehem respectively. But I feel municip or but I feel municipalities and states should work together to curtail the speeding. I previously mentioned a system utilized by Salisbury Township called ENRAD. Bethlehem has recently added two electronic speed monitors to its repertoire. I would like very much

like to see them used on West Bethlehem. With increased development happening, higher traffic volumes will correspondingly happen. While climate action plans are encouraging more pedestrian and biking, there are still those that cannot utilize those modes of transportation. Mass transportation is cutting routes and times, so that's becoming problematic. Land buses used to run every 20 minutes along Broad Street and Hanover Avenue. They now are reduced to once an hour. The proposed development of the former Ben Toyota lot is several years from completion for which I am personally grateful for. Bethlehem and Allentown are playing Russian roulette with residents by waiting for this development to proceed and not addressing the current safety issues. The state regulates who can use radar to enforce speeding, but there are other weapons available in the arsenal. Rumble strips and speed bumps come to mind. consider yourselves informed and please do not wait for a death to happen and a possible lawsuit for neg for negligent behavior. Thank you.

Thank you, Mary Joe. The next person I saw was Mr. Shilshshire, 1890 Eaton Avenue. Uh, I almost feel guilty coming up here with a lighter note, but I have two quotes for you tonight on immigration. They're by the same person, and I want you to try to think who it was, and then I'm going to tell you, of course. The first quote, I in my own mind have always thought of America as a place in the divine scheme of things that was set aside as a promised land. It was set here and the price of admission was very simple. The means of selection was very simple as to how the land should be populated. any place in the world and any person from those places. Any person with the courage with the desire to tear up their roots to strive for freedom to attempt and dare to live in a strange and foreign place to travel halfway around the world was welcome here. Second quote from the same person. [clears throat] America represents something universal in the human's spirit. I received a letter not long ago from a man who said, "You can go to Japan to live, but you cannot become Japanese. You can go to France to live and not become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey and you won't become a German or a Turk." But then he added, "Anybody from any corner of the world can come to America to live and become an American. If you guessed Ronald Reagan, you were

correct. He's looking better these days. As are George W. Bush, [snorts] George Herbert Walker Bush, Gerald Ford, Dwight Eisenhower, and even a little bit Richard Nixon. Uh Richard Nixon did solidify a lot of the civil rights gains that happened under Lyndon Johnson. Nixon's problem was his character. Uh he had no sense of humor. I think any politician, including you all, have got to have a sense of humor. Thank you. Oh, by the way, I'd like to find out exactly where you are in relation to my [laughter] house on Eden Avenue. [gasps]

Thank you so much. [laughter] Does anyone else in the center have comments that they want to make on items not being voted on this evening? Anyone to Mr. Antalics? [clears throat]

[clears throat]

Stephen Antalic 77 rich I didn't intend to speak tonight so my comments [snorts] may not follow logic but I'll do the best I can but comments made by the people have provoked some thoughts which will provoke my comments One thing I heard this evening which is very rewarding to hear from a Bethlehemite is that these people spoke of being neighbors and taking care of each other. And if you talk to a professional city planner, they say the key to the success of any city is single family home owners, neighbors. I received a phone call some time ago and it's coming back to me. This person had friends over near the armory and in conversations it came up. A lot of the neighbors are renters, not single family owners, renters. And some don't even talk to each other. They have no interest in anybody else. I'm speaking about the majority. So, Bethlehem has been cited as a best main street, the best hotel.

But where this city is going makes that all very temporary. Why? Because a secret to Bethlehem has been the single family. And who in my mind is most responsible for that trend? You seven people. Now Bill Sher says, "I'm g number one." and he's gi number two. So I've attend more city council meetings than anybody else in the city. So I've seen council act in the interest of the city of Bethlehem. Council members then would never pass the variances that are asked for today because they had the foresight to know that will destroy the city. You have destroy the south side third new street to someone coming back to the city would be a shock. Why the commercialization? Who did it? You did it by allowing variances where the welfare of the single family became secondary to the welfare of the developer. which adds credibility to the term. If you want to play, you got to pay. And they've paid and they're in the game. Just look at Third Street.

Shame. So these people who spoke of each other of taking care of each other is very heartwarming to me to hear cuz I was born and raised in Bethlehem and I know that feeling and if you did a survey of recent arrival in Bethlehem that's gone and the whole most of you are responsible for that.

Thank you, Mr. Antalics. Does anyone else in the center have public comment and has not been given an opportunity to speak? Anyone to my right? Right now, we're going to move on to public comments on ordinances and resolutions that are being voted on this evening. Um, reminder, it is the same five minute time limit. I do not have anyone signed up to speak. Um, but I'm going to go around the room. Does anyone to my left want to make public comment on something being voted on this evening? Does anyone in the center want to make public comment?

Mr. Sh. All right. No, no longer Mr. Nice Guy. Oh, come on. It's not working. [laughter] Show here.

Wait, wait. Oh. Um, this evening you will be voting on whether to override the Historic Conservation Commission on the demolition of four buildings for a new and other sevenstory apartment building at 327 South New Street. Although at least two of the buildings contribute to the remaining historical character of South Bethlehem and there is some left, especially on Fourth Street and not third. I expect that you will vote to override because history does not seem to be high on your list of priorities even though it contributes to tourism here and the general quality of life. A week ago, I [clears throat] attended a lecture at the Moravian Archives on Moravians and a sense of place because I thought it might have something about the protection of Main Street. It did not, but I took advantage of the Q&A to ask what was being done to protect Main Street, citing your recent approval of a seven-story apartment building right behind some Main Street businesses. Only one of the three panelists responded. She is the new I for didn't catch her name. She's the new site manager of the UNESCO World Heritage site and said that and said that would protect the Maravian buildings. She did not address Main Street as a context for the main Moravian buildings. An [clears throat] attendee of the lecture told me afterwards about an experience in San Antonio. When he looked out his hotel window, he saw a sign that said the Alamo. He said that if he hadn't noted the sign, he would have missed the Alamo

because it is surrounded by urban buildings. as he put it, it is not enough to protect the historic buildings because something important is lost when the context is obliterated as well as the general equality of of our life, our neighborhoods in the city. We hear a lot about preserving the integrity of our neighborhoods, but not much resistance is being shown to developers, but that is a subject for another time. Thank you. Does anyone else in the center have public comment on something being voted on this evening? Uh, anyone to my right? That concludes public comment. Moving on to old business. Do any council members have old business to address this evening? Okay. Uh moving on um to new business. Uh before I open it up to council, just a reminder uh or sorry, not that not a reminder. We are going to be rescheduling um the council meeting for the Tuesday, May 19th. Uh I should just read this rescheduling of the Tuesday, May 19th, 2026 city council meeting to Wednesday, May 20th, 2026 due to the primary um the primary election. So, I will accept the motion and a second to reschedule the second council meeting in May to Wednesday, May 20th at 7 p.m. due to city hall being closed on May 19th, election day.

So, move second. All right. Uh, any discussion? I won't be present, but understanding that quorum uh is what counts. I'm just putting that out there. Thank you, Vice President Blair. Any other discussion? The clerk will call the role. Mr. Aman, I. Mr. Callahan, I. Mr. Cologne, I. Miss Daniels, I. Miss Quiet, I. Miss Leairard, I. And Miss Leon,

I. Passes 70. The second city council meeting in [clears throat] May has been rescheduled to Wednesday, May 20th at 700 p.m. in town hall. Um, so we're going to open it up for new business. I think it's probably best to start with uh the conversation regarding Eaton Avenue. Thanks, Eaton Avenue. Um, I feel like multiple council members might have uh questions about that in the process. So, for my council colleagues, if we can stick to that topic first and then we will go back to council members. So, opening the floor for uh counciloman.

Thank you, President um Leyon, not Colon. Um sorry about that. Uh so I have had some engagement back and forth with um one of the residents there and um she was a maybe a little less um subliminal. U she was concerned and and thankful that things have been done. Um it seems to me based on the conversation the the email conversations I've had with Mr. help Forester is that the delay has been in a lack of ability to connect with the actual homeowner and then that was resolved. Um and then the homeowner uh said that they would clean it up by yesterday and obviously that passed and so the update we got was that there was going to be another fine. But um it does sound like there are more nuisances there um beyond garbage, loud partying and and general nuisance neighborhood behavior. Just wondering if you can kind of share with us anything more about this whole process.

Um yeah, I'm happy to and I I I believe Mr. Mr. Hobforster has communicated with a few members of council, but just for for everybody being on the same page, I mean, I'll start by saying um trash enforcement does come out of the recycling bureau as of a few years ago. Um we have one trash enforcement officer who handles about 650 to 700 complaints a year. Um I will say this one is is one of the worst ones. Um it is not though in process being treated any differently than others. you know, some I'll just I'll you know, kind of explain the life cycle of a complaint as it relates to trash and then kind of talk about where the variation occurs and where this particular cases, you know, but by ordinance um what happens when we receive a complaint about about trash um is, you know, we'll go out, we'll investigate first, and the first step will be to contact the homeowner and just give a like a verbal warning and see if there's a way in which to just work with the property owner, you know, to get the situation resolved. And a lot of the resolution that we see in these cases does happen at that point. So, you know, we don't immediately start and say like, you know, we see trash out, it's been out for a certain number of days or, you know, we know that this person

uh doesn't have a hauler and like just send a citation right away. We we do try first to like work with a property owner and and that was, you know, part of what we tried to do here as well.

And just to add to that is like we try to work with a property owner not because of like sympathy or being easy on them. It's just because what happens next is this process. So like the easiest thing to do is try to just convince them that in everybody's best interest would be to clean it up now because when they don't want to clean it up then we go through the citation process. We have to deal with the magistrate. We have to deal with the rescheduling so on and so forth. So the first time and it's not different than how the police talk to people and so on and so forth is like it's an attempt to try to do this in the least painful least time consuming way possible. So any type of like warning or conversation is not about like we want to give somebody like the benefit of the doubt. It's not that. it just once you start the process like many things in the legal process it just is then guaranteed to take a certain period of time. So like when we try to talk to them first it is under this idea that that's the quickest way to resolve it but then obviously if not we go through this extensive process that we have been through that I wish everybody had stayed to hear about.

Yeah. So as the mayor foreshadowed um when that didn't [clears throat] work then we went to the violation you know notice part of the process. So between when we first got the first complaint in like midFebruary um we ended up citing them and sending it to the magistrate uh around I believe it was March 19th. So unfortunately when something goes to the magistrate is then out of our hands and you know some of the information that one of the speakers was asking about was information about who is the magistrate who's handling this and when is the hearing scheduled for and that's not information that we had. And so our response was, you know, that information is, you know, will eventually be available on the matt, you know, the the the court website. They went, the information was not there. And that's because the magistrate had hadn't scheduled anything yet. And I believe they still haven't scheduled. We have uh reached out directly to the magistrate's office. We have uh indicated that this is a a you know, a case that we consider a priority. Um I I don't think it's helped very much and that's not not necessarily uncommon, but we are we've we've tried that approach as well. Um but as that process is going on, we still have continued to try and work directly with the property owner. Um so there is a different tenant than the property owner. Um so I think you know I don't want to get into the specifics of who's engaging in what behavior. Um but we have engaged directly with the property owner. Um there was recently a promise made that sometime between last Thursday and and yesterday that there would be a hauler out there picking up the trash. Um we've continued to go by the property as one of the speakers spoke, you know, mentioned um repeatedly to assess the situation. We did go out again today and the the trash has not been cleaned up. Um we have spoken again with the property owner. Um so unfortunately after that happened that we then have cited them again which is our you really

the mechanism that we have by ordinance. Um so there's now is a second um violation letter or violation notice citation that is um also going to make its way through with the magistrate. It's a frustrating situation and you know sometimes these situations do pop up. Um when there are cases in which there is blighted property, there's questions about ownership, there's not somebody physically living in a property and there are these sorts of nuisance issues, whether it's with trash, usually not with trash if it's um vacant, but you know, high grass and weeds, these sorts of things. you know, we have small nuisance abatement funds where we can pay a contractor to go out, but there our stance has typically been um and because we also think within what's written in the ordinance, like we have the ability potentially to go out when there's not a property owner, but it is a different situation when there's somebody living in the property. Um, you know, if we were to call a third party trash hauler, for example, there's a couple questions that would arise about that. one being the the hauler is going to say like, well, do I have the authority to go onto somebody's private property and pick up their trash? And then the second question is going to be like, okay, well, the city's paying for it, but are we just putting out that money and that's it and that's the end? um and we lose that money and and some of the challenge there is as I said there are 650 to 700 trash complaints a year and not all of them rise to this level but you know a lot of them do have to do with unfortunately people being bad neighbors or maybe being in a tough financial position and like we certainly don't have the resources to pick up trash in all those instances um you know when when a situation like this arises. So it is a very difficult situation but we are um very much on top of it with the ability that we have and the tools that that we have.

And to add to that when you pick up their trash once [clears throat] if they are people that lay their trash all over the place you're very much then creating the precedent and the incentive and like the weird like disincentive from them to do something about their own trash. And that's happened in other cities when you do this in the situation Miss Collins like if people think that's going to happen it's likely that they won't do this again in the future. And part of the other contributing factor too and the frustrating thing about the fines and I remember when I was in S council I learned this the first time like 15 years ago is like like the magistrates end up collecting like 18 or 20% of all fines even when somebody is cited because the same thing it's not our job it's not our responsibility to chase down like this court judgment it is the magistrate's office and they only have so many people they can send their letters but they don't send people out to be like you owe us $250 generally early. So then it becomes a situation too where people are like why can't we just raise the fines? There are some legal reasons why you can't just say it's like a million dollars for this citation. But even when we do it and we go through that process, we end up collecting and I remember you know it wasn't Chief God, it was but the previous chief I remember asking for just like a rundown of what percentage of fines we collected over a period of time and it was like one year was like 14% and like 17% then like 19%. Like the collection rate on those fines to be able to because I had that idea too. is like why couldn't you find these people and then be able to put the money back into an account to help as Miss Collins said to pay for additional trash removal on other properties and the challenge is like you can't guarantee much revenue because like the same thing that makes people not cut their grass makes them not go to the magistrate makes them not respond to the citation makes them not want to which is why as she said we try to find ways to necessarily you know come to this but this is one that's at the magistrate as the one individual said he had reached out to the mayor's office we had reached out as well got back to him said this was the process going on. So it is it is a property that we have actively been involved in on multiple levels. Um

and I will say a case that is this severe when it does get scheduled for the magistrate like these are the sorts of factors that like we will argue in front of the magistrate because there are magistrates treat these sort of issues differently and sometimes they are more sympathetic and you know we don't always get them to be as aggressive as we might want them to be. But like all of these factors that that we're describing and that we're hearing about from the neighbors are ones that we would we would make sure to emphasize with the magistrates so that we could get hopefully the sort of resolution that we would be looking for there. So I have a couple of follow-ups on this. Um the first one is um can the neighbors do they have standing in the magistrate situation or can only the city speak um in terms of um do they have the ability to be there and and and serve as witnesses or testify to the to the um you know how bad the situation is when it does finally come to the magistrate.

I I was checking with Mr. Spur. Um I I solic I I do believe we could have neighbors as witnesses to testify at the magistrate.

Um can I know that they felt some of them who spoke felt that the code enforcement officer was ignoring them perhaps you know that they needed a right to know in order to get the you know some of the some of the comments from folks. And um of course, you know, there's always more than one side to these things, but um just wondering if there's a way to keep them engaged even though we don't necessarily have all the tools at our disposal so that they know when when the hearing is scheduled and you know, if there's a way that yeah, you know,

they can feel that they're being heard more. I mean, the first thing I I w I will say is I mean, I've read a lot of the email chains myself, and I I do know that there's been pretty robust communication um both over email and over the phone with various neighbors. Um so, I'm not exactly sure where that comment came from. Um but I suppose like there's nothing that would prevent us when we have the hearing date with reaching out to the neighbors and letting them know when that is.

Great. And then my only remaining question was kind of spurred by the gentleman who said, you know, do you have any trash trucks? Can you go pick it up? If we were um a city that had a citywide municipal hauling contract that was paid for by um you know a a fee um from all residents. Um would that give us more power and more control over a property like this? Um would it be that well everybody is paying for their trash and so everybody's trash will get picked up?

Well, I would say so the example with recycling for example for example if if somebody is not paying the city their recycling fee. We don't like drop them from the list of people who get picked up. A lot of times what you see in the trash hauler situation is if an individual property owner doesn't pay their hauler for like two weeks, then they'll just stop picking up that person's trash and that's how some of these cycles begin. So I I guess the short answer would be like no. It would not be it it would be a different it would be a different situation because we would we would collect unpaid fees through a different process but likely still pick up the individual's trash,

right? And recycling is in with the water and sewer, right? So, it's it's everybody gets those quarterly bills, right? I know that not everybody pays their bills, but you know, most people do.

It's also a situation, and you see this in other cities, is just because there's a single hauler doesn't necessarily stop these type of issues because there's still compliance. You have to put your trash out. You have to use the amount right amount of uh trash bins, the all of those things. I mean, you see that in Allentown, um, where they they have many trash issues in different areas of the city, even though they pick up I is it twice a week? Um, or is it I think it's twice a week. That's part part of the reason why their contract number is so high, but they have twice a week pickups and they're just some of these trash issues once again is even difficult. Um, especially with things that don't qualify under pickup. Um, and then this these situations most happen as we know happen in like landlord tenant situations where someone says like I'm not getting rid of this whole thing like it's your responsibility but they have to hire somebody else to come because their trash guy won't take it as well.

Thank you. Any other council? Any other council member want? I have a question. Um 723 Broadway. It's a home that was renovated, gutted, and renovated by uh redevelopment authority, I believe. Yes. Familiar with the property? I am familiar with the property. Yes. Sorry. Uh is is it in regards to the the Eaton Avenue trash? Yeah. Yeah. I just wanted to give council the opportunity to do that first and then we'll open it up for everything. Uh, Vice President Lair.

Uh, so one commenter had made the, uh, suggestion that this could be a health issue, uh, in addition to a trash code issue. Um, is there something that the health bureau can do beyond what the recycling enforcement officer, trash enforcement officer has done? And is there a threshold that leads to like a condemn a temporary condemnation until a property is cleaned up where it becomes too hazardous for people to live there because of varmint or whatever.

So there is a health ordinance that deals with um like mice and things. I think we could probably look at that ordinance to see if it has different enforcement mechanisms. I mean, historically, actually, it was the health bureau that housed the person who did trash enforcement and it, you know, that has since moved to the recycling bureau. Um, but I I honestly I don't know that there's like a different enforcement mechanism under the health ordinance. I'd have to look at that. Even if it were the same mechanism, potentially additional fines levied. Sure. Yeah, possibly.

For those issues. Okay. And then in terms of condemnation, where does that I would assume that it's pretty like severe like maybe a hoarding situation is but that would lead to that. But yeah, I mean you'd honest you'd be surprised how many hoarding situations unfortunately exist. Um, and it's like typically a hoarding situation is not enough for a condemnation. Okay. So, there's a threshold, but we're far from it.

Yeah. I mean, and you know, Mr. Simson is aware generally when we have like major problem properties, we work very closely together between the recycling enforcement officer and um, you know, the the housing inspection folks. Um, but this I mean I could check with him, but it would be it's pretty far from a situation that would actually require condemnation inside the property itself. Thank you. Any other questions? Any other questions from council members? Council Mallian. So, um, why did they have to go through the the right to know request? That's what I didn't understand.

I'm I am not sure. I think they were asking for information that we just simply didn't have and we directed them to the to the court. That's that's my understanding, but I'd have to check in on that part of the conversation. The other thing I would say is that, you know, court docket information is publicly available, but they wouldn't be entitled to notice from the court as a nonparty. So, that that was something I think they were maybe getting at earlier. And yeah,

I I would just ask that, you know, whatever process they were explaining, they felt like for whatever reason they were getting the runaround. I'm not saying that they were. I'm just saying that that's what they felt like. So, if you guys could have like an internal conversation as far about how how we can tighten up the, you know, that whole process for, you know, residents. This isn't like this isn't the only area of the city that we've been hearing about garbage all over the place, you know. I mean, we we heard just um a meeting or two meetings ago about um the uh canal. So, I don't know if anything's been done done down there, but yeah, there's been significant cleanups since the last I appreciate that.

We spent a significant amount of money last year cleaning it up, and we've had those conversations with Norfolk Southern, and we continue to have a substantial amount of people down there like working to to clean it up as well. And think about how structurally up and up and down And it is a lot of different problems as far as and people talk about the unsheltered situation, but you just have people that go down there and you know it's hard to catch people that leave their stuff after they're on fishing and stuff, all sorts of things, but it is something that we're that we're we're we're on top of from a priority.

Listen, I appreciate everything you're trying to do with the parks. Really do. I was a health and phys teacher. I know how important especially for these kids with with all the digital uh things that they're doing. So, I appreciate everything you're doing with the parks, but to be honest with you, if we don't get a a handle of this garbage situation, all the good work you're trying to do with the parks is going to go downhill. And my fear, and this is my fear, is that this is just the beginning because I think, and I hope I'm wrong, that the economy is going to start getting a little bit worse. This is my opinion just on a lot of things going on in the world. And I don't think that whole situation with Iran is going to get resolved and oil is going to go up. And as the economy gets worse, people start cutting out bills. And I think that's probably what's going on over there. They don't have the enough money to to have um a garbage hauler. And I'm not sure, I think it was Miss Quiet mentioned about uh a single hauler. Mr. Reynolds, you and I were on council when that was discussed many, many years ago. Uh it's a tough fight. I'm not sure if the single hauler uh situation if that would get if changed. I don't know if Mr. Sper could chime in on that, but it it is a possibility of if we did have a single hauler that this could be resolved and if there's a way of having the the fee for the single hauler, not put in the water and sewer, but in maybe in the in the in the tax bill. I don't know if that could be done. That way, if there's not a payment uh on it, there's an there's um if the property's ever sold, then we get paid back, you know, in whole. So, I don't, you know, I don't know what the

situation is, but I would just appreciate that, mayor, that you you take the lead on this and and I'm not saying if you you can't delegate it, but that you're you're checking up on it because we we need to make sure that this is being handled. Yeah. And and I I would tell you after watching this for for 19 years, there's always been issues with trash. As I said, there's issues with trash in cities have single hauler, there's issues with trash that don't have single hauler. So the process and when the process was made and Miss Collins, what year was it made when it was switched over to Mr. Halper or from the health bureau? Do you know how long ago that was? I believe it was 2022.

Yeah. So I think it was I think it was done about four years ago. We and it's the same problem with grass and weeds as I was saying before is you know when we get these situations we spend a lot of time a lot of work hours trying to enforce them and even and a lot of the situations don't fit into this idea that like if you had a single hauler like that would necessarily solve this issue because there still is like a missing step there. We are constantly like self-reflecting on like is there a better systemic way to do this? is there a better way to save money and so on and so forth. Just a couple of like brainstorm issues. So I'm not saying there's not like an there's not like a full opinion here. Like one of the things that we do know has changed is that there are less and less of the big haulers out there that are willing to bid on a contract like this and you saw this in Whiteall. You saw this in the city of Allentown. You saw this in other places. what the numbers were that we would have gotten back like 15 years ago for a potential like single hauler versus what it is now when there's only like two or three biders. The majority of the people now that have longunning contracts with people that are paying $340, $360 a month would pay would pay substantially more than that. And that's even rolling in and that's without rolling in your your uh recycling fee and so on and so forth. So, it's always a conversation and I'm always up for like an intellectual like look at like is there a more efficient way to do this and so on and so forth. Like we have not seen that it's gotten to a point yet where it necessarily makes sense. But like your point too and we had talked a little bit about this with like parks and like maintenance and program and staffing is like we are always thinking about like it 360 and like the whole process and it takes one one bad neighbor to have a trash problem like this and really affect everybody's life. So like we do have those conversations. Miss Collins talks to Miss Mr. Halforster and talks to Miss Wenick and so on and so forth. But like when these problems come up in the police, what's the most efficient way to be able to handle it? So like we know if like you can't handle these situations like

you're going to have a problem, but it is it is a bit independent from like park situation. But as far as your point being is like is this something we prioritize? Absolutely. And one of the things that Miss Collins, Mr. alcohol and everybody should know is like I want to know the things that you chose not to do and why you chose not to do them before I understand the things that you chose to do. So we're constantly having those conversations and in situations like this like I asked to like like a math teacher like see the work like what happened here? We sent this to the magistrate we sent this we communicated this like I would agree with Miss Collins in this situation and I understand there was bits and pieces of information. And this way it's always frustrating when people don't stick around to have their work checked is like that we communicated what the individual stages were and why we did this at different levels because people had rightfully so reached out to the mayor's office, reached out to you know trash enforcement and so on and so forth. So, like this was one that obviously we're not happy with the result on so far, but as far as what we've been able to do with the powers that we have, like I'm pretty satisfied that we've been like on top of it, but we're not going to rest until we get whatever possible resolution we have in trying to make sure that this problem is is solved in whatever manner.

That's all I ask for is that is that it's not lost in the weeds. It's it's it's stayed on top of and at some point it's it's resolved whether it takes a month or two months. I hope not. Yeah, there's and and I would tell you this, Mr. K, and I know you've certainly shared your opinions about the administration at the time, but like I think if you watch what I do all day long, it's a lot of checking on whether or not these systems work and being on top of people and paying attention to details and in the weeds that some people be like, "This isn't always a great use of your time." But I'm like, it's a reflection of whether or not the system works or not. And when there's ways to be able to improve it, like, we're going to do it. And it is the number one thing that I care about is that we have efficient systems that we're self-reflective about whether or not they're working or not. And this is a complicated one that unfortunately is not easy as far as involving police and everything else. But I I can tell you one thing that we're on top of is like if you ask us about a situation like this and especially an extensive one like this, we can we can show the work because anybody deserves to be able to see that. It's like how do we respond when something goes wrong,

right? and and just if there's a way to tweak or streamline the the reporting process of residents and taxpayers reporting this to us and us following through whether it's like a check system, whatever, because it's I mean it it's it's kind of like having an uh an eviction notice. There's a whole process that you got to go through and if you if they stop paying um their their rent, it literally takes two months minimum to get them out. Yes. So, the earlier that we start the process in in in the official process and and dotting our eyes and in and crossing our tees, the earlier we do that, I think the quicker the the problem's going to get it.

And if there's ordinance tweaks, we will absolutely come forward with them. Like we absolutely like look at like what works and what what doesn't work. And like I said, I can tell you haven't watched this for 19 years is like there is a very sophisticated group of people thinking about how this how this works and so on and so forth. Like I'll be I'll be honest with you. Like I want to know whether or not I could go out to some of these problem properties and not like show the address and just show me like asking these people to cut their grass and clean up their trash. Not for this one, but other ones throughout the city and just basically put that on social media and be like the mayor showed up at your house being like why aren't you cutting your grass for the rest of the neighborhood as a way to kind of like publicly put pressure on people? And like I was told I wasn't allowed to do that. What I'm saying is like those those are the type of things that like we really are like all options on the table as far as like public pressure and things like that as far as what these properties are because it's ridiculous. It's ridiculous if somebody's not cutting the grass. The amount of time that we have to spend the police have to show like like the amount of time it it just it's it's not good. So we're we're constantly thinking about ways.

So what's the proc so they got fined today for $500? Their second their second their second one. So what's the process if it from here on out is there when is the next fine or when is the next court hearing or what's how's I don't think the court hearing has still been scheduled yet. Correct. Correct. Correct. We're still we we're still waiting on the magistrate to schedule and we will be for this citation as well. So if they if if the magistrate doesn't schedule as soon as there another fine period like after another 30 days they get fined again and does that fine go up? I what's just the process of it? I don't remember off the top of my head like what if there's a waiting period and or what the escalating fine dollar amounts are specifically.

They often are like 250,500,000 but then I think and Miss Stewart might know is like there's a maximum that you're amount you're allowed to be able to charge by like state law like and it's like an additional per and so on and so forth. But like this is a frustrating thing like we want the magistrate just to schedule the hearing and for whatever court reasons like we don't run the courts like it hasn't been scheduled yet. Um, but we will continue to to to kind of see what we can do there. Thank you. Any other council members want to ask questions about this specific thing? Yeah. May I just ask who the magistrate is? Has it been assigned? I do not I don't it it it's the west side. So So I

I would believe it would be MDJelli. I I believe I just want to confirm on the record that we're waiting on a magistrate to do so and what the magistrate is and so that the community knows that we're doing everything we can at the city of Bethlehem and perhaps these conversations should also be having with other um arms of of the system um that could help speed this process up.

I I I would appreciate that, but also and they do get to be the judge then. Um, so I I would just move I would move carefully on the when how quickly do you determine do you choose to schedule this or not. But I I I think from an operational government point of view that would be that would be the next step. But judges move at their the pace they choose to move at. Are there any other questions regarding this specific topic? Vice President Lar.

Yeah, one more. Uh, sorry. So, um it understandably people in this neighborhood, which I used to live a block out of it, um and it it's sad to hear about like they're really nice, uh homes and and a great neighborhood. Um but it's understandable people's tensions are really high. Uh and there was some comments made that sounded like things may be escalating further. Is it possible just to have like extra eyes in the neighborhood like to be trying to tone things down or anything? Like

we can we certainly pass along. Captain Adella was here. We can pass along as far as it being a situation. I just don't want to see anybody make a choice that takes us beyond where it needs to be. I I I agree and we certainly always encourage people to be able that there is a legal process to follow. Um and you know sometimes it can be a a lot to ask people to do um uh you know conflict or identity resolution about how to deal with conflict. Um but it is something that you know as always we we roll people in on when when they when they need to know that these type of things are just floating around in case somebody has to respond.

Thanks. Yeah I'd hate to see good neighbors end up in a bad spot. Thanks. Any other questions from council regarding this specific topic? Okay, I have a couple. Um, they said that it's a a rental. So, this is one of our regulated rentals. I'm assuming that there's or is there somebody who owns the property and just somebody else is living in it? Yeah, I believe it might be like a family situation. Family situation. Okay. If it were a regulated rental, would that give us another arm of ability to go in and like inspect more because of the exterior or No, the regulated rental program only gives us like an ability to inspect for the license which is on a three-year cycle, but it doesn't change

it doesn't change things

doesn't change with respect to nuisances or anything on the outside. Okay, this is just I'm I'm thinking and I hope we're all thinking in in problem solving mode because the the systems these systems tend to work but there's always one person who escalates it to the place where it becomes such a problem and I I do feel for the fact that six 6 months is a long time and I do have a very real fear regarding um animals that tear up things especially with our our ticks and stuff. So, whatever type of situation attracts animals into a community, it's just it's dangerous in general, not just for the community members, but for um our our wonderful little critters as well. Uh so, I'm curious. Um these are all of the mechanisms that we have to put pressure on the property owner. I I can't remember. I didn't pull up the ordinance. Do we have the ability to put a lean on the house and be like, "Yeah, you can't sell this thing or any other form." And I could turn to you as well, Miss Stewart, if if that's a legal question.

Yeah. What I would say is looking at your ordination, your fee structure for first violation is a five fine of $200. Second violation is a fine of 500 and third and subsequent are a fine of $1,000, which is the maximum penalty under third class city code. And what you can do when you get to the magistrate, if you obtain a judgment, you can obtain a certified copy of that judgment file with court as a lean against property. Okay. All right. Under the law.

And not that I think that this is always the the avenue that we should take. Some things just happen. But this isn't this isn't an accident. A situation doesn't escalate this bad by by accident. And it doesn't seem like it was an illness or anything. as far as the antagonism that's going on within that little community. [clears throat] So, I'm Yeah, I I would just always transparent is like a lean's not going to clean up the trash, though. And you know, the idea that somehow like a lean is going to be punitive to landlords in the future doing this versus the amount of work and everything else as far as staff time and things like that. It's just it's part of the conversation, but like the lean's not gonna get the trash.

No, I didn't figure as much. I'm just thinking about like the we have had more conversations about trash than I think we've had about almost anything else other other than affordable housing. It's been affordable housing and it's been trash. Um and there is just a very real appetite for us to do something about trash, not just from the community, but from from council members. Um, like I think this is a time that we could look at the ordinance um or any other thing that we have that can we can change to create a a better system that works for all of us. I used to be extremely bullish on single hauler. I've been studying trash with the Lehigh kids for about four years now. I understand um why that might not always be the right situation, always be the right case in and everything. So I but I do believe that we have a very real desire to address the trash situation in in Bethlehem and anything that council can do to whether it's tweak the ordinance or or work with you guys to see what the internal process is like just to make it e these systems easier for us and that will work. It's it's one thing for us to have dump sites and that's usually the trash that I'm I'm used to and I I understand that. It's another thing to see a property fall into such a state um and be so close in proximity to other houses that that is the the real concern for me and I would hate to wait another 3 or 4 months to see a resolution and obviously it's obviously Miss Collins you're not going to go out there and pick up the trash but there does need to be some kind of resolution there. So if there's anything that this body can do to push the needle in a direction we are more than willing and able to to do it is We will we will keep you in the loop. I will tell you that you know I've had different ideas about ways to do this

that [clears throat] haven't been researched legally, Miss Stewart. But um like the idea that like if if we gave people a certain period of time to prove that they have a hauler and if they don't have a hauler, we essentially then put them on some type of like city contract and like we bid a contract. But I'm not sure whether or not we're allowed to do that or not. Once again, that wouldn't solve this situation. But it's just like if you can somehow get people to prove they have a hauler and then the people that don't have a hauler get like multiple warnings like you need to have a hauler by this date or we're going to put you on like the city like basically like delinquent hauler contract. But like this that's a process that to play out doesn't solve this person's trash next week.

But you know the idea that like you don't go to a single hauler across the city. You basically have people prove that within the ordinance they're able to meet the current trash or like trash hauler requirements. But then beyond that, if you don't prove that or if you're a landlord and you don't prove that, then somehow like we put you on like a bid contract and then almost create like a public option for a single hauler. Um, so then people have the opportunity to like buy into that, but like what I just mentioned in two minutes is an incredible amount of work. um and it would take a long time and it's not necessarily able to be able to solve this person's like these type of issues that pop up. Um but once again that's just back to like Mr. Calling's point. It's like that's the level of like detail that like we think about playing out is like ways to potentially improve the improve the situation.

That was just the we have spoken about this before and that was where my head was at. I know that there are our thoughts um about how we can handle trash going forward. Again, that won't address this one specific situation. Um, but I think that there is a certain amount of public pressure that we can apply uh throughout the city when it comes to we are changing the way we see trash just like aggressive driving. Like it sometimes it takes a community of public pressure with trees and speed bumps that say no this is just not the standard that we hold in Bethlehem. So that's and we have 80,000 people. So unfortunately not all of them are going to be like the seven of you as far as their trash is concerned. I mean that's why we have the police department. I mean that's why we have laws. Um but you know absolutely

90 days imprisonment that's on the I'm not Yeah I know we're not going there but that is on in the ordinance. Alternatives to the financial penalties which include imprisonment options. Yeah that was ill time joke on my part. I apologize. [laughter] So we're and aggressive drivers should be um sent over to my

Jeez dude hatch hacks. Um so uh I think that will close the that conversation. I will follow up with the community members. I I know that they they have left um but I am in contact with them as is with Miss Miss Quiet. So we will speak with them. So opening up um to council any new business that council wants to address that is not regarding the eaten avenue. That would be me. Yes. And I actually did want to make a comment on eaten avenue. Um, it seems to me that the bottleneck is with the district magistrates and it's not just with garbage, it's with citations in general. Um, yeah,

I know firsthand that they literally can take up to a year to schedule things. And with that type of uh schedule being that far out, there really is no punishment being given to the homeowner in this case for the garbage situation. So, they're just going to continue to do it as long as they can get away with it if there's if we have no other recourse outside of the district magistrate. So, um I guess I'm thinking is and this may be a question for the solicitor if there's any way of being able to remove the district magistrate from the process or find another penalty, another way of penalizing.

No, that is the legal process. The the other thing I will mention because it is in your ordinance um is that if anybody fails to comply um with the ordinance, the um city can undertake to do the cleanup and the costs of the cleanup plus a 20% penalty can be leaned against their property. So that's another mechanism and I understand why sometimes that may not be the best mechanism to try and and use, but it's it is there in the in the ordinance. Um,

and you also have to put city employees then potentially in the space of doing the cleaning up on private property, which is not a small either union or moral and ethical kind of issue. It's like, hey, we need you guys to go do this. So then you'd have to have like a third party. You're asking for them to pay back. So there's the real potential that the public ends up subsidizing cleaning up the people which but yeah it's something else we've gone down the road on but in respect to a lot of our employees like it's a hard ask for them to to to go do that as well.

Okay. All right. Um if we can go back to my original question minutes ago 723 Broadway. Uh this was a home that was purchased by the city and gutted and renovated very nicely. um and was supposed to be put up for sale as an affordable housing option. Uh the home was completed late 2024. It's still not up for sale and from what I've been told it didn't pass code. There's some code violations. You know anything about that?

Sure. So the 723 Broadway project, it is an RDA project, the redevelopment authority. Um but it we've worked in um partnership with Community Action Lehigh Valley. So Community Action actually owns the property at this point and they have since the fall. Okay.

And so the um uh the way that process has played out is it is it is community action right now who's responsible for getting the property in a condition ready for sale. Um there were some uh issues that were noted in the inspection process. I believe that they are working on um correcting those, but they're they're not ones that were actually part of the RDA city component of the process. So, we are we are we are working with though on completing it. RDA is responsible for the actual renovation. Correct. Yeah. Yes. Yeah.

Okay. So, I guess where my confusion lies is that house was taken down to the studs. new mechanics put in, plumbing, electric, everything. And I'm assuming our inspectors were there every step of the way to inspect things to make sure everything was up to code prior to drywall being hung, all that good stuff. So, I I I'm at a loss as to how pretty much a brand new build at the completion is found to be out of code when that wasn't found throughout the the renovation process. And it's been sitting for about a year and a half at this point.

Yeah. And I apologize. It's And I a couple things I just got wrong there. I was confirming with the people who are closer to the project. So it actually was community action who was responsible for the renovation component and the issues are not like uh I don't believe code on the city side that had to do with the renovations. Well, it was code inspections. I mean, who's aren't we responsible for that? the city inspecting during the renovation process. Yes, but there are different things that are inspected along the way. I'd have I honestly I would have to double check and make get the correct details. I can't answer on the spot. Okay. Yeah. It's just sad because granted it's only one home, but I'm sure there's one family out there, you know, that will love to

No, I agree. We we've we've been pushing pretty hard to to to to get it moving. Okay. Yeah. And I Yeah, but there's also been a little bit there's been a little bit of turnover as well. at at community action in their housing division which I think has been a component of the challenge that we faced. Okay. But we let's check with community action to kind of see where they're at because Miss [clears throat] Collins is correct is that who has been working on that project on their end has changed

um during this period which has been it happens people leave people get let go but we can find an update and email to you or contact you as soon as we we find out about it. But it is it is something else that we have discussed, but it is community action has been involved in that and they obviously have a lot going on, but we we will reach out and see what's going on and get you an update as soon as we can. Thank you. Absolutely. Can you follow up with an email to the clerks just that all council has information? Thanks so much. Any other questions? U Vice President, we're on to any topic now. Any topic.

Okay. Yeah. So, um I just wanted to make a general comment that um it's been heartening to see tonight like it's been um numerous examples of neighbors and lots of conversation about neighbors uh coming forward together and supporting each other or representing groups of people. You know, we had uh neighbor uh back from a former group of neighbors that came to give an update. Uh we've got neighbors working together to try to solve a problem uh regarding the trash. neighbors uh looking out for each other, talking about the uh gun range question and um you know, communicating with each other about that and then neighbors coming together with a petition. Um and it it's not too often that we see that many groups of neighbors working together, but it seems like it's more like we see people coming out to represent their own interests. Plenty. Uh but this is awesome to see the group and kind of spinning off of that um the assertion that was made that um and it and it comes up repeatedly uh that only single family home owners are the people doing this kind of supportive work. Um it it's harmful to the community to make that assumption. Um, you know, and speaking personally as someone who rented for over 10 years, um, as a community leader and built enormously positive relationships with my neighbors, uh, that still continue and knowing that there are people on council presently and in the past who are renters um, and certainly give to the community. Um, you know, I just wanted to thank and recognize the acts of community and service and neighborliness that come from all of our residents. um whether they are unhoused, whether they're renters, whether they're crashing with somebody, or whether they own property in the city, I think that

we see a lot of of good coming from everybody. Um so, uh and my question is, uh regarding the gun range, um I don't know who Yeah. Okay. The [snorts] podium is like blocking who's actually over there. [laughter and gasps] Um yeah. So a couple of questions on that is uh you know first of all is that gun range in the city limits? No it is not. Okay. Uh secondly are uh do we actually presently have an agreement with the police uh department going to that gun range to practice? Yes we do. And does that include after hours practice?

Uh sometimes. So like uh the residents spoke to uh during the fall we do our nighttime qualifications. So, it is common for us to be we have to wait for the sun to go down. Um, it's an important piece, but right now we are doing our daytime qualifications. So, for the most part, the officer should be out of there by 5:00 at the latest. Um, it is possible that we held a class there and that class may have required low light. Um it's not a frequent thing especially this time of the year uh to and during the fall time in order to get all the officers qualified. It takes many days of training. You can't you know you have to have small classes in order to get the best out of it. So um I'll have to check on it and see if we maybe held a class,

but I believe he said it was two days. So, it it could have been a a a one-time u two-day qu uh class that we we held on the gun range. Okay. Um and our officers also outside of classes and qualification, is that a spot that our officers go to practice um just independently? Yes. So, our officers are allowed to go there and and practice independently. Um they purchase their own ammunition for that. Um but we would uh pay for any training ammunition they have and and all the um you know different things that we might need to use because we utilize different weapon systems. So we have to have the ammunition and weapons for that. But um

for this I really do believe it was probably just a training uh that we held one time and it's it's not a very frequent thing. Um but we can certainly discuss the times that we're we're having these. Uh it's unfortunate that it it you know bother them, but I think it's something that we can address.

Okay. Um and just I'm not saying to you know that it needs to be looked in for this one specifically if if you're already looking into whether there was a class, but um is there like a log of when officers are going so that if there were ever an issue to look into like we would know, oh yeah, the the officers were there training for these hours or this was independent practice or whatever. So are you asking that individually or through the department training? I guess it would only be if it's department business training, right? Like

So if it's department business, yes, there is a a definite way to track it. Um we notify Northampton County Dispatch that we're going to be out there. We have a number of safety precautions that are in place in case of an emergency. Um so yes, we we would be able to track that. Okay. But certainly somebody could just have a private membership and be going on their their own whenever. Yes. And that's that's the gun clubs. Okay. Um I think that's that's all the questions that I had. Thanks. Any other council?

Thank you. Not for officer, but just a quick question for Miss Collins, Mr. Alol. Mr. It's regarding traffic. Does is there still the I forget the the formal name. is like a citizens traffic advisory committee that was uh quarterly or bimonthly. Does that still meet and can you send Mr. Miller where that I tried finding it on the website today or tonight while I was here and I couldn't. I know we've had previous years conversations about making sure it was posted and uh accessible. So I guess two questions. One, is it still active? And then two, can you send us send Mr. Miller the link to forward everybody?

Um yes and yes. Uh they meet the first Tuesday of every month at 8:30 a.m. and I will find out where it is on the website and send the link. And that is a public meeting, correct? Yes, it is. Yeah.

And just to add to that is we will all have our chance to put our money where our mouth is when it comes to traffic infrastructure when our complete streets plan comes back and takes a look at what the different things are we can do to treat the streets and try to find a way to physically stop people from speeding and driving reckless, which is absolutely a problem. Um I was talking to one police officer in when he was walking out today at the end of his shift and he told me about how he had you know had problems with three different drivers today on Stephco Boulevard. Um, so like it is absolutely a problem, but that's going to be a real opportunity for us when that complete streets plan comes back and we both look, we know what the biggest problem streets are, but if they're not penned out roads, how much money it's going to take us to be able to do physical improvements to those streets, that may be the only way to get people to slow down is make it impossible to to do this because we can't use radar and we can't have police officers catching people everywhere. And we all know there are some streets that work where it's it's almost physically impossible for people to speed and there are going to be other ways for us to be able to do that, but they're not going to be cheap.

A drawbridge. Yeah. Yeah. Um so yeah, thank you, Miss Collins. Thank you, Mayor Reynolds.

Any other new business from council members? Um I do want to point out that we Build Bethlehem is an amazing website that has not only our complete streets program, but 40 and 10. as our community continues to come out to these meetings, a lot of the the things that we're talking about can be found on this this website, the We Build Bethlehem website. Um, so a lot of questions can be answered there, as well as information that can with avenues that you can get involved in the community. I did have a question for you officer Adello and it was more about when there is a a nighttime training is there any requirement or if there is not a requirement is there any like courtesy heads up to the community that there is going to be um nighttime shooting gunfire can be um quite a startling thing to wake up to especially if there are children around. Um I I have a kid who went to elementary school did one active shooter drill and decided that we needed to figure out how to fortify the house to the knots. So, like I I'm very mindful of how gunfire affects people, but mindful of the fact that we do need lowlight practice. That's absolutely a thing our officers need.

So, the first thing I would say is that we're not the only gun range around there. There are three, I believe, um, in that vicinity. So, depend two, depending on where you are, you might hear another range. Okay. Um, I can actually hear it from my house. Uh, so I know when my officers are out there. Um but yeah uh contacting uh individuals outside the city is not just like an easy thing. I mean like for emergencies we can use reverse 911 or something like that.

Um I suppose we could discuss internally some sort of notification. Um, but yeah, it's it's not always the easiest thing to let everybody know what you're [clears throat] doing and what's happening. Even like with our our half marathon that we do, as much as we try to put it out there, so many people are unaware and it's it's just hard to make that

communication is very hard, especially if it is outside of city limits. I I completely understand. I think my mind went there because you were talking about giving Northampton County the heads up. So, I was curious if there was a way to use that avenue to increase communication. That's that yeah that's just dispatch though letting them know um that we're there in case they receive a phone call they you know they'll know that officers are out there training um but also to be aware that if there wasn't case of an emergency um that's where we are and that's what we're doing. Okay. All right. Thank you. I'll have some follow-up questions but not right now. Thank you so much Mr. Officer Delo. All right. So that completes our new business. Um we're going to move on to communications. had

an April 29th, 2026 memorandum from city solicitor John Fsburg Jr. with an attached use agreement and resolution. Permit is DK Enterprises and the event is the mom market 2026. Activities will be from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on May 17th, August 23rd, and October 25th in the Bethlehem Rose Garden at 101 West Union Boulevard. Resolution 10A is on the agenda. Communication 6B.

An April 29th, 2026 memorandum from city solicitor John Parker Jr. with an attached use permit agreement and resolution. [clears throat] Permit is Arts Quest and the event is the 2026 Sangria Fest. Activities will be from 1 to 5:00 p.m. on May 16th. Premises will be First Street from Pulk Street to the Eastern Terminus and Founders Way between First and Second Streets. Resolution 10B is on the agenda. Communication 6C.

An April 29th, 2026. Memorandum from city solicitor Johnsburg Jr. with an attached use permit agreement and resolution. Permit is the Bethlehem Economic Development Corporation buy and through its initiative Southside Arts District. Subpermites are the Colony Metery and Five Maidens LLC doing business as Five Maidens Cery Company. The event is the 2026 Live on the Greenway. Activities will be from 1 to 3:00 p.m. on May 24th and 31st and June 7th and 14th. Premises will be the greenway between Webster and Taylor Streets, including the Harmony Pavilion.

Resolution 10C is on the agenda. Communication 6D, an April 29th, 2026 memorandum from city solicitor Johnsburg Jr. with an attached use permit agreement and resolution. Permit is Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. Sub permites are the Lost Tavern Brewing LLC and County Seed Spirits LLC. The event is the 2026 Live in the Garden Concert Series. Activities will be from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Saturdays between May 9th and June 27th. Premises will be the Bethlehem Rose Garden and Band Shell.

And resolution 10D is on the agenda. Moving on to the president's report. The committee of the whole meeting originally scheduled for February 24th to receive training from the state ethics commission was postponed because of a technical difficulty. The meeting has been rescheduled for 3 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12th in town hall. This training session will be open to the public and will meet city article 104. The meeting will be forformational purposes only and no actions will be taken. The only agenda item will be the ethics training. Um, I have nothing further uh to report this evening. So, turning to the mayor for the mayor's report.

Uh, yeah. Have a couple administrative orders. Um, the first one is I hereby appoint Lynn Olenov of 2004 Johnson Drive to membership on the redevelopment authority. This appointment is effective through May 2031. Administrative order appointing Lynn Olenoff redevelopment authority. The resolution is sponsored by Miss Leairard and Mr. Aean. The clerk will call the role. Mr. Aean, please. Sorry. Discussion. My bad. Thanks. No discussion. If I can call the RO. Mr. Raymond. I. Mr. Callahan. Hi. Mr. Cologne. Hi, Mr. Daniels. I. Miss Quiet. I. Miss. Leard. I. Miss. Leon. I.

Thank you. I hereby appoint Christopher Kern of 917 Prospect Avenue membership on the Bethlehem Revitalization Improvement Authority. This appointment is effective through May 2031. Administrative order to appoint Christopher Curran to the Bethlehem Revitalization and Improvement Authority. The resolution sponsored by Miss Leairard and Miss Mr. Amon. Discussion. The clerk will call the role. Mr. Aean I. Mr. Callahan. Hi. Mr. Cologne. Hi. Miss Daniels. Hi. Miss Quiet. Hi. Miss Leairard. I. And Miss Leon. I.

Uh just a couple other uh updates. one is there was the communication, but uh Live in the Garden does kick off for its fifth year here on Saturday. Um 5 to 9:00 p.m. is when the permit is. The music will be 5 to 8. Um but you know, it's certainly been something that um has grown over the past four years. Uh we can't wait to um for Saturday kick it off again. So um please if you have a chance, come check it out. I know some of you live in the neighborhood. Um, but it's really been an opportunity for us to uh bring people together, highlight all the the physical improvements in the Rose Garden and just really design something that is um has has kind of centered the Betham experience. On uh May 14th, Thursday, um if you're free, we have the police awards ceremony over at Northeast Middle School from 6:00 to 7:30. uh which is always a great night as we hear um the letters of commendation that are awarded to our officers for all of the great work that they do oftentimes in stopping small situations from becoming bigger. Um it's one of the only times that you know people in the public get to hear sometimes all of the great work. So if you do have an opportunity to come out um it's 6:00 to 7:30. It usually isn't that late. Usually about an hour hour and 10 minutes or so. And then finally, um, uh, in 12 days from now, Friendship Park, we have a ribbon cutting. We talked about this the parks meeting. Um, but a project is at the center of North Side Alive that we've worked for a couple years on, uh, at 3M. So, we have our our block party over there from 3 to 6 on May 16th. We're turning the water on into the water feature. Uh, the grass has come in, the baskets are up. So, it's really going to be a wonderful, wonderful day there. So, if you have an opportunity to come out, um, uh, we're doing the ribbon cutting at 3:00, but the block party will be going from 3 until 6. And that concludes my report. Um, uh, Council President, thank you.

Thank you so much, sir. Uh, committee reports. Vice President Lur. Yes. The Parks and Recreation Committee, uh, met today prior to the city council meeting um, Tuesday, May 5th, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. here in town hall. Um, the committee reviewed the 40 and 10 parks plan. The session was forformational purposes only. No votes were taken. Uh the full report is available on the city website for any interested uh people to take a look. Um and the committee extends its gratitude for the significant efforts invested in creating that plan uh and enthusiastically looks forward to the improvements that are to come soon.

Thank you so much, Vice President Leard. Moving on to ordinances. We have no ordinances for final passage and we have no new ordinances. So we're going to move on to resolutions. Councilman Col. President, I'd like to make a motion to group the use permanent agreements together. So my motion would be to group agenda items 10A through 10D. There's a motion on the floor. Is there a second? Seconded. Seconded by Councilman Aean. Any discussion on the motion? I would just say they're all use permit agreements, so it makes sense to vote on them once. Any other discussion? Yes, this is something we have done before. So, um All right, the clerk will call the role on the motion. Mr. Aman, I. Mr. Callahan, I. Mr. Cologne, I.

Miss Daniels, I Miss Leard, I. And Miss Leon, I. Motion passes 70. The clerk will read the resolutions and call the roles.

Resolution 10A. Be it resolved that the council of the city of Bethlehem that the mayor and controller and/or such other city officials is deemed appropriate by the city solicitor are hereby authorized to execute a use permit agreement with DK Enterprises for the mom market 2026 resolution 10B. Be it resolved by the council of the city of Bethlehem that the mayor and controller and/or such other city officials as deemed appropriate by the city solicitor are hereby authorized to execute a use permit agreement with Arts Quest for the 2026 Sang Gria Fest. Resolution 10 C. Be it resolved by the council of the city of Bethlehem that the mayor and controller and/or such other city officials is deemed appropriate by the city solicitor are hereby authorized to execute a use permit agreement with Bethlehem Economic Development Corporation by and through its initiative the South's arts arts district for the 2026 live on the greenway and resolution 10D be it resolved by the council of the city of Bethlehem that the mayor and controller andor such other city officials as deemed appropriate by the city solicitor are hereby authorized to execute a use permit agreement with the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce for the 2026 Live on the Garden Concert Series. These resolutions are sponsored by Miss Lair and Mr. Aean.

Any discussions? The clerk will call the role. Mr. Aean, I. Mr. Callahan, I. Mr. Cologne, I. Miss Daniels, I. Miss Quiet, I. Miss Leairard, I. And Miss Leon I passes 7010E. It resolved by the council of the city of Bethlehem in accordance with the municipal records manual hereby authorizes the disposal of public records in the water and sewer resources department as set forth in exhibit A. Resolution is sponsored by Miss Lair and Miss Mr. Aman. Discussion. The clerk will call the role. Mr. Raymond I. Mr. Callahan. Hi. Mr. Cologne. Hi. Miss Daniels. I miss I Miss Leairard

I and Miss Leon I passes 70. Um [clears throat] I will accept the motion in a second to consider resolutions 10F through 10H as a group. So moved. Second. Uh motion by council a second by council cologne. Uh any discussion? I will just say that these three, we have four uh certificates of appropriateness. We tend to group together ones that are not as [clears throat] controversial. There is one that I think there are questions about. So, I've only grouped or I've only requested three grouped together that are standard um COAs. Any other discussion? The clerk will call the role on the motion. Mr. Raymond, I. Mr. Callahan, I. Mr. Cologne,

I. Miss Daniels, I. Miss Quiet, I. Miss Leair, I. and Miss Leon. I passes 70. The clerk will read the resolutions and call the role on the resolutions.

Certificates for appropriateness under the provisions of the act of the Pennsylvania legislature Bethlehem resolution are hereby granted for 10f 15 East 4th Street to install new fabric with new logo graphics on the existing aluminum awning frame and also install new window and door decals as signage for a new commercial tenant. Resolution 10G, 25 West 3rd Street to install three new signs on three different facades. And resolution 10H, 306 South New Street to replace existing glass transoms above two entrance doors with metal ventilation louvers. These resolutions are sponsored by Miss Lair and Miss Mr. Aean.

Any discussion? The clerk will call the role. Mr. Aean, I. Mr. Callahan, I. Mr. Cologne I Miss Daniels I Miss Quiet I Miss Leard I and Miss Leon I passes 7010i I certificate of appropriateness under the provisions of the act of the Pennsylvania legislature Bethlehem resolution is hereby granted for 327 South New Street to demolish all four existing structures to construct a new sevenstory mixeduse building with groundf flooror retail and tenant amenity space. Resolution is sponsored by Miss Lair and Mr. Raymond.

Right. Before I open it up for discussion, the reason I removed this one from the the group is because this is regarding a demolition that the HTC, correct me if I'm wrong, the HCC recommended the demolition of of this site. Um, it was my understanding that this was something that had already been decided. So, if you want to talk us through a little bit what we're looking at here. Um, I believe that they had already been g given permission to demo. So, I just want to make sure we know what we're looking at. Now, I don't have the historical uh background on on this um in that I wasn't here in June of 2021, but there is a note in the HCC's um written recommendation that says that this COA uh replaces a previously COA, I mean, previously issued COA supported by the HCC on June 21st, 2021 and subsequently approved by council um that identified what structures could be demolished and what facade was to be retained along with overall shape, massing, size, scale, and proportions. HCC is now recommending the um demolition of the existing historic Italian facade at 321 323 South New Street, which is one of the structures to be demolished. Mhm.

Um because the new design uh appropriately references that facade through massing scale all all of the things that um that they look at. So and they also note that there are technical challenges involved with retaining and integrating this facade into the project. So where I struggle a little bit understanding this is is that the structure was being knocked down and now it's it's adding a facade that was going to be retained. So just that's my own limitation in terms of being able to picture that. Um

but that is what this uh proposed COA does. Okay. So it's just um kind of expanding the scope a little bit of the prior approval. So rather than amending that approval, you just it's like repealing an ordin repealing and replacing an ordinance. Okay. You pass a new COA. All right. So before I answer my questions, I want to open up to council if anybody has any questions. Councilman Cole.

Thank you, President Leon. I just want to kind of give a little more historical kind. My understanding is we passed a COA 4ish years ago. We're given a certain scope. It was retaining the facade. The applicant submitted a new application to the HCC. There is a provision under 1714 on reasonable economic hardship. It was reviewed in that it would be not economically feasible to kind of adhere to the original COA. So they requested to demolish the facade. Am I summing that up correctly, Miss Collins for more or less? Okay,

thank you for that. Yeah. No, and that's so that's my understanding is I I remember we had voted on this a couple years ago. They were going to retain some of that. Now, it's not going to be retained. And again, article 1714 is the establishing ordinance, which if you read it, it has the unreasonable economic hardship provision in there that I believe was referenced in the hearing for the COA and that the board was unanimously um recognizing the hardship approved the new conditions as are in front of us tonight. Miss Collins, please correct any where I have misspoke.

No, that that is all correct. Um, there was a COA in 2021. The project has since changed in a couple of ways. Actually, in 2021, the project was nine stories tall. Um, it had more units. It can levered over the greenway. And for a variety of reasons since that time, the project has changed, including that we didn't want them to go over the greenway, even though the HCC had had allowed that. Um, and also the project has now come down two stories. So, it's seven stories, doesn't go over the greenway, so it's a little bit thinner. Um, but also in that time in working on the design, there's a few design features that have changed, including that of the four structures, one facade was like meant to be kind of like saved and incorporated into the new building. And along with some of these other changes, that the that facade could not be retained. So that was a part of the overall discussion and yes the argument that they made was both about the structural integrity of the facade and also the economic hardship argument. But so unanimously um the HCC you know allowed those changes from the original COA but yes the original COA did include demolition of the structure. So there's not really new demolition. It's just some design features and not saving the facade.

Thank you Miss Collins for the historical background. Thank you, Attorney Stewart, for your words, too. And I'll just conclude with I'll be supporting this tonight and affirm what the HCC had unanimously supported. Any other questions for members of council regarding this COA? Vice President Lair.

Yes. So, um there's more detail that sidebyside compares um the existing COA that was passed and the newly proposed one. Um and it it is concerning to me. Um one thing that I'm wondering um is the active COA was dated June 21st, 2021. It's now 2026. What was happening in those almost 5 years? Um because I my concern is is this a slippery slope of demolition by neglect where the demolition was approved in

right but the facades right so if there would have been measures taken to live up to the spirit of the COA 5 years ago to preserve the facade like did the facade degrade enough in that time and I want to be clear it's not that they were saving the entire facade so there are four different and only only one of them it was actually a

a fairly small component of the overall design. So what happened in those intervening years like a number of design changes the project is you know like it's one that we want to see happen right like these these buildings were approved for demolition at the time because they were in bad shape at the time like that's that's it's not um it's not a situation in which like we were going to like they were going to retain all of the structures and then it has since been you know they've they've fallen into disrepair. I mean it's it's a block that is a priority block to be redeveloped. Um and so a few of the changes I mean they all they they come from a variety of different

and there were also changes that had nothing to do. I mean the ownership group kind of changed somewhat and I don't necessarily want to reveal every conversation we've had with them about those things but it's we're going to put our plans in now but then this person's out this person's in like different things went on as far as that's concerned. There was a separate conversation having to do with the canon lever portion as far as like this is getting into this idea that some of it came up publicly is like are you paying for air rights? Can you go over different spaces which we had made clear to the previous group that like no matter what the HCC says these are real development issues that we're going to have conversations about that led to then potential redesign of the building. And just while I have the microphone, it's like some of the history too is like at one point the building was 104 feet and then it came down to 88 feet which is when which was also nine stories which was the ninestory building that the HC approved back in June of 2021. So [snorts] this one now is and I appreciate that they started using our Walnut Street garage height that you have to give different height based on what the the ground is as far as slope is concerned but this one is like 76 and a half 77 as far as what the height is averaged out or whatever. So, it is substantially shorter than it was that they had recommended before. Um, which is another piece of it. But the delay, Councilwoman, I I don't did not have to do with them. Sometimes it does, and I think you know me well enough to know like I' I'd say that, but there were a lot of other issues that had nothing to do with their design that kind of slowed down this particular project.

That's helpful to know. I guess my my question still stands of even not thinking about this specific site but including it. If um one of our historic preservation boards says a certain element of a structure must be maintained in a new proposal. Is the property owner obligated to make a reasonable effort to maintain that element in between the proposal being approved and the the actual project happening? Or if it falls down in the meantime for any reason, there's a delay for literally any reason. Is it just guess that didn't happen? like do they have to try to maintain it?

I'm not going to speak from the legal side of it as far as like understanding what their legal requirements are. I can tell you that those are things that we are sensitive to as far as like understanding and making it clear and saying like these are the type of things we'll support if there's any public conversation or not. But from the time and and I would start too and this goes back to the trash guy as well is like private private property owner like private property owners have a lot of rights as far as their property is concerned as far as like what we're able to force them to do or what we're not able to force them to do. But in this particular situation, like I don't know of something that necessarily in this situation would say like you approve a project in like June of 2021 and then you wait a certain period of time like to get approval for whatever your new project is at some point. If you wanted to not have that and do a new project, you would have to go back to the HTC, which is essentially what they did here. But I will tell you from our administration's point of view is as Miss Khan said, like we do want to see it get redeveloped. if they'd come back and they said we want and like the HTC had said we want to recommend that this like stayed we weren't gonna say not like we wouldn't say not to do it like we would very much follow them as far as that recommendation or not

and and I also want to add that um so the the original proposal that was approved in 2021 like there was an interest in in saving the facade and and as part of their overall financial plan but they would have had the opportunity at the time to also make an economic hardship argument which would have been hey it's really difficult to save this facade and and here's the financial cost and it is too much to bear. Um but the project was different at that time. It was taller. It had more units. we were at a different point in the construction world and like over the intervening time and holding on to the property like those are financial realities and challenges that the project faced and they made a valid under the ordinance economic hardship argument in conjunction with the argument that it is like structurally like the integrity like anything anything could be saved for a certain amount of money but the combination of the structural integrity is such that is like it's going to cost a lot of money and it that's an econ economic hardship on the overall project and you know from the HCC perspective they then evaluated that which they are allowed to and you are allowed to under the ordinance um and unanimously recommended like approval of the re red remodeled or or redesigned project.

Okay, thank you for the answers. I have a question. Um, so the buildings back in 2020 [clears throat] 2021, you had mentioned they were in bad repair. Were they condemned at all at that time? I [clears throat] do not know. I was not here at the time. Yeah, that predated. We'd have to like look that up. I think it was a situation where, and I'm talking a little bit off the cuff here, so we'd have to like look up what it was. Previous administration, previous department, things like that. Miss Carner's not here. Their solicitor is not here. The mayor's not here. So, but I believe that they started thinking about this redevelopment project. They had then told their tenants. We were leaving at a certain period of time.

The city worked with, I believe, two of the tenants to go find new locations for their businesses. And then at that point, they had closed the properties. So, nobody was leasing or renting them. So, at that point, there was no active people in there. I don't we don't know what they necessarily did and I don't know if we have any requirements there if somebody's not we have requirements when somebody has to go in there but as far as like whether or not they had like turned off the electricity or anything like that I don't know because I think they have all been vacant since then if that answers your question. So, and it did partially, but my concern with that building and any other building that's been sitting idle for years is the structural integrity of it

and the potential for it to collapse within itself or outward and [snorts] potentially harm people, other buildings, homes, things of that nature. Yeah. So, so do we have um an ordinance, a law of some sort that states that if a building, if I purchase that building, those group of buildings today, and I know that they're structurally not stable,

is there anything that the city has to tell me I have um 12 months to get it shed up? not necessarily starting the renovations, but at least to get it shared up so it's no longer a danger to anybody or, you know, I have two or three years to get construction underway, anything of that nature to keep the property from, you know, falling apart, literally similar to what happened on Main Street. So that's not something we want to see, you know. [laughter] So is there anything in place

if you're talking about situations where properties are vacant, right? So the the standard is different if somebody is occupying a building residentially or commercially than if the if the property is vacant. So you know of course the the code sets out requirements for people to ha like inhabit a building

or to to occupy it for commercial purposes but in this instance when it's completely vacant the standard by which we would get engaged is much higher. So, like, you know, if a if a building is, as you're describing, like literally falling down and interfering with a neighboring property or something, that would be a situation where we would we would potentially get involved. Often what happens though is if you've got a building that's completely falling apart, if it's not interfering with its neighbors, the most we might do is require, you know, that you fence it off so it's not a nuisance, so people don't get into the property. Um, but if it's not causing a problem necessarily to neighbors or or a danger in that regard, like there's not really much that that we would do with an unoccupied building. We get into a related problem we talked about with the trash where sometimes buildings do and people don't want to pay for them and then you potentially have to because we've done that before too as far as like the redevelopment authority and other people are concerned to much criticism from people necessarily paying to bring down a structure that is uninhabitable and the people aren't doing it or aren't moving it. And there's other places too where we've asked people to fence it off and then it's falling down and then that becomes a situation too. We're like you need to do something about this and we will contact them. This is not that situation though as far as these buildings are concerned. There are other buildings that are falling down that we become much more active about and Mike Simson and the building code and so on and so forth will get engaged at that point.

Okay. Thank you. Any other discussion for members of council? Uh, the only question I had was for attorney Stewart and um I I believe that this this COA will pass one way or another, but if it weren't to pass, does it just revert to the previous COA that allowed for demolition anyway? The previous COA passed and it stands, this is seeking to replace it.

Okay. So, the demolition stands anyway. The only thing that would be changing is the preservation of I think it's Pat's new stand, which is the facade that would be be saved. Okay. So that I think that's the context that's necessary to understand is the the demolition stands regardless of the outcome of this evening because the demolition that was approved years ago. Um so if there's no further discussion from members of council then I will ask the clerk to call the role. Mr. Raymond I. Mr. Callahan. Hi. Mr. Cologne. I. Miss Daniels. Nay. Miss Quiet. I Miss Leard. Nay, Miss Leon.

Nay. Passes 43. That concludes this evening's agenda. Get home safe, everyone. Jesus, that was close. Wow, Rachel played it close to the vest to the end. Did you think it was going to be that close? I just I think they should preserve the facade. I don't think it's that big of a deal. I had no idea. I had no idea. Heading right to