The Nazareth Borough Council met Monday, April 3 with a brief agenda.
Under public property, council unanimously approved to open the borough pool at full capacity on Saturday, May 27 and to reopen on Sunday, May 28 and Monday, May 29 for Memorial Day at noon each day, weather permitting.
Council also unanimously approved a two-year contract with the SOAR non-profit group with a $110 daily rental fee for their 2023 SOAR Summer Camp, payable only for days that are not canceled due to weather and a daily fee of $125 for days of operation for a period of six days during the week only, as well as a donation of $250 from council to American Legion Post 415 to help subsidize costs associated with the annual Memorial Day parade.
Next, council unanimously approved an emergency authorization for the critical repairs to the roof of the Public Works garage for $50,000, an expenditure that was not in the 2023 budget, with Newswanger Roofing Specialists performing the necessary work, as well as the repairs to the roof of the large pavilion in the park at a cost of $20,000, which was also not in the 2023 budget, but the funds will come from the American Rescue Plan monies.
Council then unanimously approved the rental of a public address sound system for the Memorial Day Parade Honors Service at the Council Chambers for a cost not to exceed $300, an additional $280 to the amount approved in March for the locks to be changed at Nazareth Center for the Arts, the request of Reed Grover and Nazareth Blast Junior Blue Eagle Softball for use of the softball field in the park for the spring/summer season, and for NEDC Downtown Manager Lisa Borick to stage a block party on Friday, July 14 from 6 to 10 p.m. with Belvidere Street being closed between Main Street and Spruce Street during the event.
The plans presented to council for the building addition to Council Chambers during the March meeting were also approved and will now begin procedurally.
Next, council formally acknowledged receipt of the 2022 Statewide Local Share Account funding in the amount of $40,000 for a pickup truck to be used in the park for recreation purposes.
Under finance, council certified submission of the 2022 annual borough audit to PA DCED by the CPA auditing firm Campbell, Rappold, and Yurasits, issued a $668.80 tax refund to a resident for a property assessment decrease, directed the treasurer to designate and send Mayor Lance E. Colondo’s 2022 Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce Mayor of the Year award monetary prize of $1,000 to the Nazareth Center for the Arts to help with their kitchen renovation project, and approved the motion to finance whatever is necessary in the way of a down payment or deposit so that the borough can secure a firm price for the Pierce Fire Pumper vehicle to be acquired through the 2022 Statewide Local Share Account grant.
Under police, council unanimously approved the request of the American Legion Post 415 to stage the annual Memorial Day parade through downtown on Monday, May 29 beginning at 10 a.m. and the Honors Service that follows at Council Chambers, an ordinance amending Chapter 15 of the Motor Vehicle Code to establish Section 111 “Unregistered Vehicles” and to ticket and remove the plates of unregistered vehicles, a handicapped parking space at 215 S. Main St., and the purchase contract for the Police Total Station Device at the borough’s May 1 business meeting following the opening of bids at the March workshop meeting.
During the month of March, the Nazareth Borough Police Department had a total of 267 police activities/calls for service, with 33 crimes reported and investigated, 16 criminal arrests, six drug related crimes, seven Part 1 offenses, 79 traffic citations, 57 warnings issued, three reportable traffic accidents, and 11 non-reportable traffic accidents. Parking Enforcement had a total of 295 parking violations with 42 officer issued citations and 337 parking tickets issued for the month. In total, Nazareth collected $15,996.83 for fees, fines, permits, receipts, tickets, and rentals during the month of March.
Under fire, council approved the motions to lock in the price, provide necessary deposits or down payments, and place the order for the Pierce Fire Pumper vehicle to be acquired through the 2022 Statewide Local Share Account gaming grant, as well as the formal acknowledgement of the receipt of the grant, which was for $700,000. The borough will be responsible for the purchase balance above this cost as its grant matching funding.
During the month of February, Vigilance Hose Company No. 1 answered a total of 15 fire service calls, which accounted for three fire alarms, two gas leaks, one wire problem, one EMS assist, one odor investigation, one carbon monoxide alarm, one police assist/incendiary device, and five mutual aid calls for two motor vehicle accidents, one dwelling fire, one EMS assist, and one structure fire.
Next, under public works and law, council unanimously approved the 2023 low bids for the highway and road material bid, which is part of the annual aggregate and paving materials bid solicitation, direction for the secretary to re-advertise for bids for some specific 2023 highway and road materials because no bids were received for some specific materials during the initial bid solicitation, direction for the secretary to re-advertise bids for the 2023 borough public works rental equipment because no bids were received during the initial bid solicitation, the placement of two signs in the Circle for a 30-day period for the May 20 Pet Parade and the Library Book Sale, the removal of the storage tanks at the Council Chambers by JMT Environmental Services at a cost of $7,650, and to advertise an amendment to the Motor Vehicle Code Section 412(A) relating to parking violations, which will add “on a curb” to the list of places where people are not allowed to park.
Nazareth Borough Council will have a workshop meeting on Thursday, April 27 at 6 p.m. and the next regular monthly meeting will be held on Monday, May 1 at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers.
