During the Nazareth Borough Council meeting on Monday, April 7, solicitors addressed a proposed zoning ordinance amendment involving elementary school off-street parking that would allot two parking spaces per elementary classroom with a proposed parking lot built at Floyd R. Shafer Elementary School next to the softball field, which is near the corner of South Liberty Street and East Center Street.
The project will be completed by the 2025-26 school year and will help alleviate parking issues that cause teachers to park on Victory Lane.
Council voted 8-1 to approve the ordinance amendment with Councilman Charles A. Donello in opposition.
Under public property agenda items, council unanimously approved a $250 donation to American Legion Post 415 to help offset costs associated with the annual Memorial Day Parade, demonstrating continued support for veterans and community traditions. In the same spirit, council approved the rental of a public address sound system, not to exceed $250, to be used during the Memorial Day Parade Honors service at Council Chambers. Additionally, active military personnel and veterans will receive free admission to the community pool on July 4, with proof of service or veteran status required, reinforcing the borough’s commitment to honoring those who serve.
For the 2025 swim season, a pool pass rate of $50 for a single Firefighter Pass and $75 for a Family Firefighter Pass was unanimously approved and further efforts to enhance community engagement and accessibility include setting the admission rate at just $1 for all-day pool use on Nazareth Day, July 19.
Council also moved forward on infrastructure and conservation initiatives, approving a resolution to submit a 2025 PA DCNR Community Conservation Partnership Grant application seeking $350,000 toward the purchase of Black Rock Woods, and a new engineering survey will be conducted by Keystone Consulting Engineers on Parcel No. 2, the 25-foot roadway connecting Black Rock Woods to West Beil Avenue.
In a step toward facility improvements, council approved a partial payment of $46,341—half of the total cost—for a complete roof replacement at Council Chambers, with work to be completed by GSM Roofing of Ephrata, Pa.
Next, council unanimously approved a series of finance-related motions. Among these was the certification of the 2024 Annual Borough Audit submission to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, officially filed electronically by the borough’s auditing firm, Campbell, Rappold and Yurasits, on March 27.
In alignment with audit findings and state requirements, council also approved the return of $7,567.14 from the general fund to the state by April 25, due to an overpayment of state aid stemming from incorrect data in the AG385 filings. Similarly, a motion passed to contribute $3,915.82 to the Non-Uniformed Pension Plan and to deposit $83,748.81 into the Uniformed Police Pension Plan by April 25, addressing missed contributions and ensuring both plans remain properly funded with accrued interest.
Council also made key financial moves to optimize the borough’s investments. A total of $140,000 in liquid fuels funding will be deposited into the state fund PLGIT account at an interest rate of 4.23%, and council approved moving $750,000 from two PLGIT sanitation funds into a 90-day PLGIT certificate of deposit at a 4.34% interest rate. An additional $500,000 from the borough’s PLGIT reserve account—which currently holds $724,797.25—will also be moved into a 90-day CD at the same rate.
Council then formally acknowledged receipt of $50,000 in grant proceeds from the 2023 Monroe County local share account, which was used to purchase a new 2024 Ford Interceptor Police SUV, enhancing the borough’s public safety resources.
A motion to advertise for an amendment to the Compensation for Certain Officials Ordinance to increase the annual compensation of the council members and the mayor, effective Jan. 1, 2026, passed 8-1 with only Councilwoman Laureen Pellegrino in opposition. Per Act 131 of House Bill 2265 that was passed on Oct. 22, 2024, the maximum compensation for council members of boroughs with a population between 5,000-10,000 increased from $2,500 to $4,190 per year and the maximum compensation for mayors increased from $5,000 to $8,385 per year.
Following, four police motions were unanimously approved by council, which included the request of the American Legion Post 415 to stage the annual Memorial Day Parade through the downtown on Monday, May 26 beginning at 10 a.m., the hiring of Jamie Hricko as a part-time police officer pending passage of all certifications and other background checks and clearances, the hiring of Thomas Grube as a full-time police officer and the hiring resolution for Thomas Grube to become a full-time police officer. Additionally, David Tashner was unanimously hired as a part time yard waste monitor.
Mayor Lance E. Colondo provided the monthly police report for March, which showed 299 total police activity/calls for service, including 28 crimes reported and investigated, 17 criminal arrests, four drug-related crimes, one Part 1 offense, 51 traffic violations, 72 warnings issued, four reportable and 10 non-reportable traffic accidents, as well as 254 total parking tickets issued for the month and $10,811.24 in fees collected from accident/police report/RTK requests, fines, permits, receipts and tickets.
In other news, a motion to advertise for an ordinance dealing with special events passed 6-3 with Councilpersons Christopher D. Crook, Kayla Green and Pellegrino opposing the motion. Part of the ordinance will require all “special” events to be advertised and residents to be notified at least 14 days in advance. Crook opined that the ordinance is not yet ready for “prime time” since he felt that the ordinance should only require increased notification measures for new events.
The Vigilance Hose Company No. 1 fire chief’s report for the month of February included 39 total service calls, consisting of eight motor vehicle accidents, seven fire alarms, two wire problems, one EMS assist, one gas leak, one police assist, three elevator rescues and one dwelling fire, as well as 15 mutual aid calls for three fire alarms, five motor vehicle accidents, three dwelling fires, one wire problem, one gas leak, one industrial structure fire and one carbon monoxide alarm.
Last, council unanimously approved the following Public Works agenda items: the 2025 low bids for highway and road materials which are part of the annual aggregate and paving materials bid solicitation; direction for the secretary to re-advertise for bids for Public Works rental equipment since no bids were received for any of the equipment during the initial bid solicitation; and the placement of two signs in the Circle for a 30-day period for the May 31 Pet Parade.
Upcoming borough events include the Vigilance Hose Company No. 1 Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 12 at 1 p.m. in Borough Park and the rotary cleanup of the park on Saturday, May 17 from 9 a.m. to noon at Borough Park.
The next Nazareth Borough Council workshop meeting will be held on Thursday, May 1 and the next regular monthly meeting will be held on Monday, May 5. Until the Council Chambers expansion has been completed, both meetings will begin at 6 p.m. in the Nazareth Regional Ambulance Corps training room, which is located in the back of 519 Seip Ave. Council anticipates moving meetings back into Council Chambers in September.
