At their May 6 meeting, the Northampton Borough Council tabled the creation of a study committee for a stormwater fee since a few council members were not at the meeting; it would also allow Borough Manager LeRoy Brobst to get figures from Michael Schwartz at Gilmore & Associates on what it would cost to implement a parcel by parcel billing program.
District Judge Robert Hawke is up for re-election, and was present at the meeting to introduce himself and discuss his background. Besides being a district judge, Hawke is also involved in many committees throughout the state. Hawke partnered with the Colonial Intermediate Unit (CIU) and Northampton County schools to create a pilot program related to truancy. The program allows students to take (and pass) a program, which would get their truancy case dropped for the first time.
He is also working on a similar program for people that get arrested for possession of marijuana or other drugs. If they go through a rehab program, the low-grade misdemeanor charges will be dropped; however, if they do not, they will have to go to court and will be ordered to take the rehab program anyway. Hawke encouraged everyone to reach out with any questions.
In other business, council approved the Northampton Area Chamber of Commerce’s request to hold their Uptown Street Fair on Saturday, May 22. They asked that Main Street be closed between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., and requested the use of the portable bandshell and toilets.
Two requests for handicapped parking spots at 823 and 637 Washington Avenue were also approved; the latter spot will be located on E. Seventh Street instead of Washington. Council approved the hiring of a list of seasonal employees for varying positions. Brobst also announced that they have enough lifeguards and will be operating the pool; it will open on June 5, 2021.
Councilman Tony Pristash reported that the Municipal Park bathrooms and bandshell have both experienced vandalism on at least two separate occasions. Anyone who sees or knows anything should let the police know immediately. The Atlas Museum will open beginning on June 13 and will be open through September on the second and fourth Sundays from 1 to 3 p.m. Finally, the farmers’ market opened on May 11 from 3 to 6:30 p.m. in the Municipal Park pavilions.
The next Northampton Borough Council meeting will be held on Thursday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m. The Lafayette College Technology Clinic team will be present at the meeting to give an update on their progress; the creation of a study committee for the stormwater fee program will also be discussed.
What about all the streets in Northampton. I have never seen anything like this. Our streets are the worst ones in the Lehigh Valley. What a disgrace. They all should be paved, even 329. Hopefully this is taken care of at the next meeting and then followed through with!