Catasauqua Press

The Jan. 25 workshop meeting of the Catasauqua Borough Council began with a presentation by Gary Pucini on the process to obtain a revenue bond to secure funding for the borough’s proposed municipal building on the Iron Works property.

“It is a good two- to three-month process,” he said.

Essentially, once the borough has a firm estimate on costs, Pucini can start his action.

Councilwoman Debra Mellish suggested the borough wait to start bond funding until after contractor bids are received.

Pucini objected on two grounds.

A borough-owned property once considered for the location of a new fire station has now been approved for sale by the Catasauqua Borough Council. The land is located at the corner of 13th and Pearl streets.

It has been on the market for an extended period of time.

In the past, the council has rejected bids near $100,000. The approved bid was $141,000.

When council first contemplated a sale, which was around 2008, near the peak of the housing market, the property had appraised at $375,000.

Code inspection criteria topped the agenda at the Jan. 21 Hanover Township Council meeting. According to a report submitted by Robin Yoder in his position as township code enforcement officer, he recently encountered several problems while conducting his rounds at the Days Inn on Airport Road.

Yoder noted and reported cars were parked in the fire lanes, rooms were overcrowded and the maximum occupancy signs had been removed in several rooms.

“There was a lot of activity at the motel,” Yoder said. “The banquet room was full, the hotel was booked, and the lounge was crowded.”

Since its inception, Historic Catasauqua Preservation Association (HCPA) holds an annual celebration for its friends and supporters. In 2015, the staff made a change switching the celebration from a Christmas season event to a January celebration. The switch brought in bigger crowds.

On Jan. 15, the group staged its annual event at the Biery House with an elaborate array of hors d’oeuvres and mouth-watering desserts.

Although the celebration was held at HCPA’s Biery House Gallery, the outbuildings spurred guest’s interest to venture into the cold for a peak.

The snow emergency declared by Mayor Barbara Schlegel remains in effect at least past the workshop meeting held on Monday.

“I can’t give you a time that the emergency will be lifted. I will consult with public works before I make a decision,” she said. Public works Director Jeff Mac-Hose mentioned the obvious several times – it is much easier to get roads cleared when there are no parked cars.

“We have so much snow now that we have no place to put it,” he said.

About 40 pet-friendly protesters crammed into Coplay Borough Council Chambers Jan. 12 to address council on a police hiring. Officer Leighton Pursell is on the borough civil service commission’s list of officers qualified for an open position on the Coplay police force. Pursell is being questioned for an action he took against a cat.

The officer, on patrol in North Catasauqua, shot and killed a house cat named Sugar when he suspected the cat was injured and ready to attack. A neighbor of the cat’s owner had asked for police assistance when he found the cat on his property.

At its reorganization meeting Jan. 11, the Hanover Township Council organized for 2016. There is little change in the assignments.

Bruce Paulus was appointed as council chairman and Bob Heimbecker was appointed as vice chairman. Both held the same positions in 2015.

In the recent election, Councilman Michael Woolley ran unopposed and was re-elected.

Councilman Robert Lawlor had been appointed to council to fill the term of former Councilman Frank Martucci, who retired. Lawlor also ran unopposed in the general election and was elected.

Catasauqua Mayor Barbara Schlegel took the gavel to preside over the beginning of the Catasauqua Borough Council’s reorganization meeting Jan. 4.

Council members voted to unanimously re-elect Councilman Vincent Smith as president.

Councilwoman Jessica Kroope was re-elected as vice president.

Councilman Brian Bartholomew and Councilwoman Christine Weaver were also nominated for the vice president post.

Committee assignments will remain unchanged:

• Jessica Kroope, chair of the recreation committee

The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor passes along the canal in Catasauqua. At this time, the trail is undeveloped in Catasauqua and only partially completed where it passes through North Catasauqua.

For years, there were rumors that the trail would be upgraded and connect to the trailhead in Cementon and to the Allentown portion near the proposed waterfront development.

At Catasauqua Council’s Dec. 7 meeting, D&L Trail Manager Scott Everett presented a detailed update on progress.

Emily Zacharda took the podium at the Catasauqua council meeting on Aug. 3 to address her concerns about the Catasauqua Park & Playground.

"I went to the park and it seems that anyone who wants to can come by and set up a grill," she said. "That doesn't seem fair to the people who paid to rent one of the pavilions."

Borough Manager Eugene Goldfeder confirmed the borough has no ordinances that restrict where someone can set up a grill.

Zacharda also commented some visitors are noisy and do not have any regard for others who are picnicking nearby.