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Record of Proceedings

Bethlehem City Council Meeting - September 2, 2025

Council Meetings — Tuesday, September 2, 2025
BodyBethlehem, Pennsylvania
SessionCouncil Meetings
DateTuesday, September 2, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:54:22

Original source
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0:03

Okay, we're live.

0:05

We are recording to sort of by no.

0:08

Good evening, everyone.

0:10

I ask that we all rise for the pledge to the flag.

0:16

Pledge allegiance to the flag.

0:19

United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

0:23

One nation under God with liberty and justice.

0:32

Mr.

0:32

Miller, please call the roll.

0:34

Mr.

0:34

Callahan.

0:35

Present.

0:35

Ms.

0:35

Cramcy Smith.

0:36

Present.

0:37

Ms.

0:37

Quitak.

0:38

Present.

0:38

Ms.

0:39

Laird.

0:39

Present.

0:40

Ms.

0:40

Leon.

0:41

Santa.

0:42

Ms.

0:42

Wilhelm and Mr.

0:43

Cologne.

0:44

Present.

0:45

Thank you, Mr.

0:46

Miller.

0:46

So a couple things.

0:48

One, Councilwoman Wilhelm will not be joining us this evening.

0:52

She is out of the state, visiting with family.

0:55

Mayor Reynolds will be joining us later in the meeting, as there is a World Heritage Related meeting this evening.

1:02

So he will be here later on tonight.

1:06

And then before we move through the agenda, a couple agenda items are gonna have been removed from tonight's agenda.

1:12

So that would be communication six B is pulled from tonight's agenda, as well as the corresponding resolution 10B.

1:22

So those were at the request of the administration.

1:27

We will not be voting on those tonight, and we may see them again in the future.

1:35

Moving on to the approval of the minutes.

1:38

Any comments on the minutes from the August 19, 2025 council meeting.

1:46

Seeing none, we'll continue on.

1:48

The minutes stand approved.

1:50

Public comment.

1:52

So we'll start with our first public comment as is custom for any subject not being voted on this evening.

1:57

So again, this would be for anything that's not uh being voted on as a resolution or an ordinance.

2:04

We have four people sign up in advance.

2:06

So I'll go around the room.

2:07

I do remind everyone we have a five minute time limit, and I ask everyone to be respectful of that five minute limit.

2:13

Our first person signed up tonight, Mark Riddle.

2:20

If everyone doesn't mind stating their name for the record for our clerk when he does the minutes.

2:26

Hi, my name is Mark, M A R C Reddle R I T T L E.

2:30

Um, and for the record, I live um in 1326 North Street, as opposed to West Fourth Street, which is the address of New Bethany.

2:40

I'm also the executive director for New Bethany Inc.

2:44

Um, I have some comments regarding the Norfolk Southern um decision, and mostly my comments are that I believe that it's unfortunate that Norfolk Southern has taken the position that they have.

2:54

Um, but I do, however, appreciate that we have a few months to get to a solution.

2:58

Uh, what does the solution look like?

3:00

Thanks to the city community connections team through the health department and the police department, Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering, New Bethany staff, and other outreach organizations.

3:10

We already know quite a bit about the population that we serve.

3:14

Um, so I consider that good news and puts us ahead of the game in terms of coming up with a plan.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Homelessness██████████████████████22%
Public Engagement██████████████14%
Personnel Matters██████████10%
Affordable Housing█████████9%
Planning And Zoning█████████9%
Pending Litigation██████6%
Public Safety████4%
Public Works████4%
Procedural███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Bethlehem City Council Meeting - September 2, 2025

The City Council held its regular meeting on September 2, 2025, addressing a range of issues including the Norfolk Southern eviction of homeless encampments, the arrest of a former city employee, and the passage of a new Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO). Six members were present; Councilwoman Wilhelm was absent. Mayor Reynolds joined later in the meeting. Two agenda items were withdrawn at the administration's request.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Mark Riddle (Executive Director, New Bethany) expressed appreciation for community collaboration regarding the Norfolk Southern situation and urged a short-term solution while pursuing long-term plans.
  • Harry Faber read a lengthy statement from the Tricontinental Institute, criticizing far-right politics and the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
  • Brian Hillard (Bethlehem Township resident, officer of STAR) urged the city to find space for homeless neighbors, acknowledging Norfolk Southern's safety concerns but asking for careful regulation of adjacent public spaces.
  • Mark Weber (water/sewer advocate) urged the city to implement water monitoring apps (e.g., AquaHawk) alongside smart meters, citing potential savings and citing other municipalities' success.
  • Bill Shire (economist) criticized Trump-era policies on deportations, tariffs, and Federal Reserve pressure, arguing they would increase inflation.
  • Valerie Noonan expressed solidarity with former city employee Zach Cole Borghi (arrested on cannabis charges) and strongly opposed the Norfolk Southern eviction, calling it a broken promise not to sweep encampments.
  • Sam (last name not given) echoed opposition to the eviction, stating housing is a human right.
  • Artie Caratola (resident) complained about the livestream camera angle and discussed homeless veteran issues, suggesting pooled resources for home purchases.
  • Brandon (Broad Street resident) criticized the city's $30,000 contract with Flock Safety for surveillance cameras, citing privacy concerns.
  • Stephen Antalix (resident) blamed the city council for the loss of single-family homes through zoning changes and redevelopment policies.
  • Destiny (college student living in the encampment) described personal struggles, frustration with shelters, and a lack of programs for those without addiction or mental health issues.
  • Richard Moser asked council to negotiate a later eviction date (beyond December) to avoid winter displacement.
  • Terry (homeless resident under train tracks) appealed for compassion, stating he works hard and is not a "bum."
  • Sebastian Zavaruka questioned the stigma and criminal activity narratives used to justify the eviction, noting many encampment residents are long-term Bethlehem residents.
  • During second public comment (items to be voted on), Joe Paposki (city council candidate) argued that the new SALDO would increase housing costs due to bike path requirements on major subdivisions. Gail DeMolacus countered that sustainable elements in the SALDO are necessary and do not clash with affordability.

Discussion Items

  • Norfolk Southern Encampment Eviction: Councilwoman Leon initiated discussion on the eviction of homeless individuals from Norfolk Southern property. Mayor Reynolds explained that Norfolk Southern set a December 15, 2025 deadline, but the city has long engaged with service providers and community connections. He outlined efforts to gather individual data, explore grants, and push for regional cooperation. Council members raised concerns about daytime services, legal camping sites, and legislative changes. Councilman Quitak noted additional strain on food banks due to federal funding cuts. Chief Cott confirmed ongoing collaboration.
  • Arrest of Former City Employee Zach Cole Borghi: Solicitor Spurk stated that the arrest was part of a multi-state grand jury investigation, with many documents sealed. He confirmed there is no ongoing investigation of the city or its officials. Mayor Reynolds explained that the employee was terminated on advice of labor counsel. Several council members criticized the administration for not notifying council in advance, citing concerns about transparency and employee morale. Questions were raised about Borghi's hiring, job performance, and access to police records, but specific answers were deferred due to the ongoing investigation.
  • SALDO (Bill 39-2025): Councilwoman Cramcy Smith asked about the applicability of the new ordinance to pending plans, the definition of "where practical" for tree preservation, and potential cost increases. Planning staff clarified that the SALDO mainly codifies existing practices and is not expected to significantly raise housing costs. Councilwoman Laird inquired about incentives for developers and metrics to track effectiveness. The ordinance passed 6-0.

Key Outcomes

  • Minutes Approved: The minutes from August 19, 2025 were approved without comment.
  • Bill 41-2025 (Non-Utilities Capital Fund Budget Amendment): Passed 6-0.
  • Bill 39-2025 (SALDO – Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance): Passed 6-0 after discussion.
  • Resolution 10A (Workers' Comp Program Management Agreement with Engel, Hambright & Davies): Passed 6-0.
  • Resolution 10C (Use Permit for Bethlehem Patias One-Year Celebration): Passed 6-0.
  • Resolutions 10D–10H (Certificates of Appropriateness): Grouped and passed 6-0.
  • Resolutions 10I and 10J (Certificates for 305 and 307 East Fourth Street): Passed 6-0.
  • Agenda Items Withdrawn: Communication 6B and Resolution 10B were pulled at the administration's request.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, we're live. We are recording to sort of by no. Good evening, everyone. I ask that we all rise for the pledge to the flag. Pledge allegiance to the flag. United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God with liberty and justice. Mr. Miller, please call the roll. Mr. Callahan. Present. Ms. Cramcy Smith. Present. Ms. Quitak. Present. Ms. Laird. Present. Ms. Leon. Santa. Ms. Wilhelm and Mr. Cologne. Present. Thank you, Mr. Miller. So a couple things. One, Councilwoman Wilhelm will not be joining us this evening. She is out of the state, visiting with family. Mayor Reynolds will be joining us later in the meeting, as there is a World Heritage Related meeting this evening. So he will be here later on tonight. And then before we move through the agenda, a couple agenda items are gonna have been removed from tonight's agenda. So that would be communication six B is pulled from tonight's agenda, as well as the corresponding resolution 10B. So those were at the request of the administration. We will not be voting on those tonight, and we may see them again in the future. Moving on to the approval of the minutes. Any comments on the minutes from the August 19, 2025 council meeting. Seeing none, we'll continue on. The minutes stand approved. Public comment. So we'll start with our first public comment as is custom for any subject not being voted on this evening. So again, this would be for anything that's not uh being voted on as a resolution or an ordinance. We have four people sign up in advance. So I'll go around the room. I do remind everyone we have a five minute time limit, and I ask everyone to be respectful of that five minute limit. Our first person signed up tonight, Mark Riddle.

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