The Nazareth Borough Council met Tuesday, September 5 to discuss resolutions for grants, a playground dedication ceremony, school crossing guard rates, upcoming events, the Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan Implementation Agreement, and an electronics recycling event.
During new business, council unanimously approved the following public property requests: for the Lehigh Conference of Churches to hold the 2024 Adult Soapbox Derby Race on June 1, 2024 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the closure of West Prospect Street from South Main Street to Wood Street; for Action Karate to use the park on October 28 after 2 p.m. for a trunk-or-treat event following Cops n’ Coffee from 8 a.m. to noon; and for the Greater Valley YMCA to conduct the 15th Annual Pumpkin Pie 5K Race/Walk on Thanksgiving morning, November 23, from 9 a.m. to noon.
In addition to the approval of the playground dedication event on Sunday, October 8 at 1 p.m. for the new facility adjacent to Council Chambers, council also approved the replacement of the flooring in the office of the police administrative assistant at a cost of $1,046.96 by Brian’s Professional Flooring Company and for the placement of two signs in the Circle for 30 days by the Memorial Library of Nazareth and Vicinity announcing their annual Touch-A-Truck event.
Council then approved public property resolutions for the submission of two 2023 Statewide LSA Gaming Grants for the acquisition and preservation of Black Rock Woods and an undetermined project, in addition to the borough’s municipal sponsorship of a Nazareth Regional Ambulance Corps grant submitted to the Monroe County LSA Gaming Grant Program for the purchase of a Ford T350 transport van and a grant submitted to the Northampton and Lehigh Counties LSA Gaming Grant Program for the purchase of a Chevrolet “Box” ambulance.
Under finance, council unanimously approved the submission of a list of delinquent taxes, Refuse & Recycle fees and sewer charges to the Northampton County Assessment Office for the September Upset Sale, the 2024 Police Pension Budget calling for no borough contribution because the plan is overfunded, the 2024 Non-Uniformed Pension Budget calling for a borough contribution of $7,088.40 above the approximate amount the borough will receive in state pension aid, and the renewal of borough health insurance with Highmark Blue Shield through Nov. 30, 2024 with a 1.1% cost increase.
After approving motions to advertise ordinance changes for the removal of the parking sign in front of Vista Grill and to set new regulations and parking patterns near Shafer Elementary School, council approved the following changes to the rates of pay for school crossing guards following increases to the length of each crossing guard shift: morning shift $22, afternoon shift $33, and a $5 per shift bonus will be given to parking enforcement officers when they fill in for crossing guards as part of their regular shift, and if parking enforcement officers are called in to work as substitute crossing guards on days when they are not scheduled, they will be paid the crossing guard rate.
In other business, council unanimously approved the following motions listed under fire: the donation of $1,000 to Vigilance Hose Fire Co. to help with costs associated with the 2023 Fire Prevention Week; the donation of $1,000 to Vigilance Hose Fire Co. to help with costs associated with the annual Halloween parade on Saturday, October 21; and the low alternate bid of $150,202.50 from Engleman Construction for the complete removal and replacement of the floor of the firehouse.
Under law, council unanimously approved a resolution by which Nazareth Borough Council officially adopts the new Nazareth 2022 Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan Implementation Agreement prepared and presented by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, as well as an ordinance to amend Chapter 15: Parking to regulate parking on public streets and establish new “special” parking zones on Main Street in the vicinity of the Borough Municipal Offices.
Additionally, council unanimously approved the environmental steering and light motions to hold an electronics recycling event in the park on Thursday, September 14 from 4 to 6 p.m. for borough residents only and direction to advertise the event.
Under technology, council approved Phase One of the Infrastructure Overhaul of Borough IT with Infradept at a cost of $17,935.
Last, council unanimously approved a public works motion to direct the borough engineer to compile a specification bid for ballistic protection and a protective door for the police administrative assistant’s office in the police department and direction to place bid solicitations on PennBid for the project.
Nazareth Borough Council will have a workshop meeting on Thursday, September 28 at 6 p.m. and the next regular monthly meeting will be held on Monday, October 2 at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers.
