Bethlehem Finance Committee Reviews Budget Adjustments and Fire Grants (March 17, 2026)
Bethlehem Finance Committee Reviews Budget Adjustments and Fire Grants (March 17, 2026)
The Bethlehem City Council Finance Committee met on March 17, 2026, to review six agenda items: five ordinances for proposed budget adjustments and one resolution for a budget transfer. All items were recommended for approval to the full council.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public were present for comment.
Discussion Items
- Sewer Capital Fund Adjustment (Item 1): Mr. Boscola presented a proposed adjustment to the sewer capital fund reflecting a year-end reconciliation. The cash balance increased from $6.5 million (as of October 1, 2025) to $6.8 million (as of January 1, 2026), a change of $291,000. Expenditure adjustments included adding $100,000 for collection system capital work, reducing sewer trench restoration by $100,000 (a bill paid in Q4), and increases for aeration tank upgrade and digester replacement. The unassigned future capital needs balance decreased by $208,000 to balance the budget.
- Water Capital Fund Adjustment (Item 2): The water capital fund cash balance decreased by approximately $506,000 from October 1 to January 1. The construction fund was spent down entirely from $321,000 to zero. An additional $500,000 capital appropriation from the water fund balance was added. Overall net decrease in available funds was about $327,000, with adjustments including a $400,000 reduction for replace/relocate distribution (bills paid in Q4), increased funding for lead service line replacements and facilities improvements, and reductions in equipment and maintenance line items.
- Water Fund Operating Adjustment (Item 3): A transfer of $500,000 from the water fund cash balance to capital appropriation was approved, bringing the water fund cash balance to approximately $15 million. Councilwoman Quietek asked about the need for the transfer given the healthy balance; Mr. Boscola explained that construction costs have risen post-COVID and the fund is used to avoid borrowing. The sewer fund has a similar cash balance in the same magnitude.
- Fire Department Grant – PASS Devices (Item 4): Chief Griffin presented a $6,137 grant from the Office of the State Fire Commissioner for 27 new PASS devices (personal alert safety system) to replace obsolete units. These devices help locate downed firefighters. Cost per unit ~$595.
- Fire Department EMS Grant – Med Vault (Item 5): A $14,975 EMS grant to purchase a med vault to secure medications/narcotics in ambulances and organizer equipment for a supervisor's vehicle. Director Fritz confirmed it replaces end-of-life units (approximately 9 years old).
- Fire Department Budget Transfer for Temporary Help (Item 6): A $5,000 transfer to create a temporary part-time position (15-20 hours per week for up to 90 days) to assist with the conversion of the records management system ("First Due"). Chief Griffin explained the need for focused, consistent help as shift work and firefighting duties hinder progress. Councilwoman Quietek questioned the sufficiency of $5,000; Mr. Evans noted they have former firefighters/retirees in mind with experience. The position will be posted through HR.
Key Outcomes
- The committee voted unanimously (3-0) to recommend approval of items 1-5 (water/sewer adjustments and fire grants) to the full council.
- The committee voted unanimously (3-0) to recommend approval of item 6 (fire department budget transfer) to the full council.
- All six items will be placed on the full council agenda for the same evening (March 17, 2026) with a recommendation for approval.
Meeting Transcript
Right. All right. We are recording everyone, just so you know. All right, I'll go call the meeting to order. We'll get started. I will call the meeting to order of the Bethlehem City Council Finance Committee. My name is Michael Cologne. I chair the finance committee. Our other committee members are Justin Eamon and Councilwoman Hillary Quietek. Mr. Miller, please call the roll. Mr. Cologne. Here. Mr. Raymond. Here. And Ms. Quietek. Present. There are no other council members present at the moment. Tonight we have six agenda items for the meeting. There are five are ordinances involving proposed budget adjustments. One is a resolution involving a proposed budget transfer within the fire department to cover temporary help. We're gonna have public comment at the top of the meeting. I don't believe there's anyone here for public comment. Public comment is over. Moving on to agenda item number one. The first agenda item is to review a proposed adjustment to the sewer capital fund 2025 year end reconciliation. I'll turn to the administration. Thank you, Chairman Cologne. There are six memos as you mentioned tonight, six requests and evenly split three from water sewer resources. Probably present all three of those and then take questions or kind of tied together. Then we'll turn to the items four, five, and six. All have to do with the fire department, and Chief Griffin is here to explain them and then answer any questions you may have with regard to agenda items four, five, and six. So I'll turn to Mr. Boscola from administration. Thank you. Welcome, Mr. Boscolo. All right, thank you. Uh so the first one on the agenda is the sewer capital fund. And like Mr. Evans uh mentioned, these were all of them really uh involve effectively adjusting all the fund balances to uh a reset at January one. When we put the budget together in the fall, we use October 1st as our kind of like bogey. That's our set point when we put the budget together, and then at this time we go back and reset everything to true it up to January one. So the first line item, the cash balance in the sewer capital fund, that change from 6.5 million and change to 6.8 million reflects the change in the cash balance from October one when it was 6.5 million, January 1 is 6.8 million. So that change of 291,000 reflects that change in the in the fund balance. And then to balance make the budget balance, you do an equal change on the expenditure side. So we have a net positive change in revenue.
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