Several residents of the borough’s Third Ward approached Northampton Borough Council during their meeting on Thursday, September 16 to ask council to explore the possibility of a new access point to the Nor-Bath Trail.
Residents of McKeever Lane had previously used a neighboring property to access the trail, with that property owner’s permission. The access, they said, was safer and easier to get to than the next closest access point, and allowed walkers to safely cross the railroad tracks. However, a new owner has moved into the home and placed “No Trespassing” signs on the property.
Caesar Artos, the new property owner, said he moved into the home with his wife and children 11 months ago. Shortly after moving in, he noticed trash and pet waste on his property from people using it to access the trail. His grass was damaged and he also said there were evenings when he noticed people crossing through his property well after midnight. He chose to survey his land and install the signs for the “safety of his family.”
Council understood Artos’s concerns and want to respect his wishes. Councilman Ronald Glassic and Trevor Stone, who both represent the Third Ward, will work with property owners and Mayor Thomas Reenock to see whether they can provide a solution.
In other news, the borough met with representatives of Allen Township to discuss an Act 537 plan. Borough Manager LeRoy Brobst said the discussion was “encouraging.” The borough is currently in litigation with the township regarding their sewer agreement. Brobst told council they may want to consider forming a sewer authority between the two municipalities.
“We are heading in the right direction,” he said.
The borough will also be talking to solicitors regarding their contract with their current waste hauler, Republic Services.
The haulers “have seriously dropped the ball as of late,” said Brobst. “They have really disappointed everyone.”
Brobst said there have been 546 misses in only one month.
Solicitors will look at imposing punishments on the contractor moving forward.
Finally, junior council member Ryleigh Tillotson gave her first report since taking her position earlier in the month. She has been talking to high school guidance counselors about getting volunteers together for a digital borough newsletter. She is also exploring ways to update the borough website to make it more navigable. Finally, she mentioned that the biology club may be interested in assisting Jerry Mraz and his monarch project at Canal Park.
The next council meeting will be held on Thursday, October 7 at 7:30 p.m.
