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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Bethlehem City Council Meeting - August 18, 2026

Council Meetings — Tuesday, August 18, 2026

BodyBethlehem, Pennsylvania

SessionCouncil Meetings

DateTuesday, August 18, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

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Transcript — Verbatim

0:04

Ask them y'all rights for the pledge to the flag.

0:10

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

0:14

And the public for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all called the role.

0:28

Mr.

0:28

Raymond, Mr.

0:30

Callahan, Mr.

0:31

Cologne, Ms.

0:33

Daniels.

0:33

Present.

0:34

Ms.

0:34

Quit.

0:36

Ms.

0:36

Laird.

0:37

President.

0:38

And Ms.

0:39

Leon.

0:40

Present this.

0:42

And just walked in.

0:51

We have one citation for firefighter David Falco.

0:56

David Falco is not with us tonight, but we'll make sure that he gets a citation.

1:01

Moving on to the approval of the minutes.

1:04

Any members of council have any comments on the minutes?

1:09

The minutes will stand approved.

1:13

Moving on to public comments.

1:16

Sorry.

1:18

Our first public comment is on subjects not being voted on with a five-minute time limit.

1:25

I only have I have two people signed up.

1:27

The first person is Harry Faber.

1:35

Hello, Harry Faber.

1:37

I am in uh I'm in this program right now.

1:40

Um aside from my master's program called uh capitalist incarceration and the fight for freedom.

1:47

I just left my class, and I'm ashamed that I'm gonna have to go back and uh listen to the recording because it was so good.

1:54

But um I'm here today to talk about flock.

1:58

Uh I struggled with addiction, uh like my father before me, and addiction is a self-destructive behavior.

2:07

In addiction counseling, we learned that uh we learn this you know tactic about setting up barriers.

2:13

The easiest way to stay sober is by avoiding alcohol altogether.

2:16

This means a good barrier for an alcoholic is to avoid going to bars or other establishments where alcohol is served and encouraged.

2:24

By not going to bars, you lower the pressure of temptation to drink.

2:28

And let me tell you, it's a very easy temptation, getting how much pain there is witnessing the devastation of our planet and its inhabitants uh and that that cause uh to the conscientious soul.

2:39

But addiction is not solely an individual crisis, it is imbued into and plaguing our society's political economic core.

2:47

We are addicted to convenience and spectacle.

2:49

Our society is addicted to war and plundering the dominated, whether that be racialized and disenfranchised peoples or mother nature and the climate.

2:57

Ruth Wilson Gilmore's abolition geography taught me that a geographical imperative lies at the heart of every struggle for social justice.

3:05

If justice is embodied, it is then therefore always spatial, which is to say part of a process of making a place.

3:13

Freedom is a place, and when we accept that freedom is a place, the question becomes how do we make such a place over and over again?

3:22

It begins with these infrastructures that we invest in.

3:26

You cannot expect a society producing bombs and other weapons of mass destruction not to explode people, not to destroy and massacre.

3:36

In the same vein, you cannot expect a society which depends upon oppression and exploitation to build a massive surveillance infrastructure and expect it not to be used by those in power to eliminate their class enemies.

3:48

Surveillance is the instrument of mass incarceration.

3:52

No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, I think we can all agree that this is Hitler and the Nazis' ultimate fantasy.

3:58

I say uh why create the power of crime for abuse in the first place?

4:03

The infrastructure we build and put into place is directly tied to us.

4:08

I know I brought up the imperial boomerang theory many times before, but by funding and building up flock surveillance capacity, you enable the utmost infringements upon our civil liberties.

4:19

As we have already seen, uh a flak a flock camera in Sherwood, Arkansas uh misread the license plate of an SUV.

4:27

This led police to detain an innocent couple at gunpoint as their six-week old baby sat alone in a car seat in the back of the car uh this year.

4:36

This was one of dozens of instances nationwide where flock AI cameras have led to wrongful detentions and arrests.

4:42

Also, recent investigations have confirmed that police officers have used flock safety camera network to stalk and spy on women.

4:49

A major Washington Post investigation revealed that at least 50 law enforcement officers nationwide have been accused or charged with misusing automatic uh automated license plate readers.

5:00

And lastly, uh I just want to point out the Flock CEO takes different routes, changes his vehicle daily, uh making it harder for him to track.

5:08

Because obviously, who wants to be tracked?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Water And Wastewater Management███████████████████████23%

Affordable Housing████████████12%

Procedural███████████11%

Zoning And Land Use████████8%

Public Health███████7%

Public Engagement██████6%

Transportation Safety██████6%

Active Transportation█████5%

Economic Development█████5%

Summary of Proceedings

Bethlehem City Council Meeting - August 18, 2026

The Bethlehem City Council met on August 18, 2026, for a regular meeting. The meeting included public comments on a range of topics, council discussions on housing, traffic, and infrastructure, and unanimous approval of several ordinances and resolutions. Key actions included approval of a consent order with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regarding wastewater treatment violations, a use permit for the Dominican Festival, and a professional services agreement for enterprise zone renewal.

Consent Calendar

Approval of the minutes from the previous meeting was moved and passed without objection.
A citation for firefighter David Falco was announced (he was not present).

Public Comments & Testimony

Harry Faber spoke against the Flock surveillance camera system, citing risks of wrongful detention, misuse by police, and comparisons to mass incarceration. He argued that the infrastructure enables abuse by those in power.
Diana Rodriguez (representing community concerns, specifically from the West side) asked four questions about the Opening Doors initiative: whether zoning changes would apply only to alley houses, whether affordability would be a binding condition, whether fire code exceptions would be limited to alley houses, and requested consideration of cumulative impacts on green spaces and community health.
Mary Joe raised concerns about traffic safety on Grandview Boulevard (ignored stop signs, speeding, need for education and enforcement), flooding on Grandview and Ritter Street, inadequate stormwater pipe size, and questioned the use of stormwater runoff fees. She urged the city to address flooding before paving Grandview Boulevard.
Bill Shire argued that the root cause of the affordable housing crisis is Wall Street buying up single-family homes, citing a federal bill that would limit institutional ownership to 350 houses. He suggested that addressing this cause is more effective than just building more units.
Mr. Schaefer (resident at 1242 North Boulevard) strongly opposed a proposed three-story apartment building near his home, citing danger to school children due to increased traffic and lack of consideration for pedestrian safety.
Mr. Ant Alex criticized the loss of single-family homes in South Bethlehem due to student housing and high-rise development, stating that zoning regulations (Article 1714) are ineffective.
Terry Corber reiterated the need for flashing stop signs on Grandview and Florence/Glendale, noting that a recent near-miss and the upcoming Bennett Slot development would worsen traffic.
Mr. Anthouse (on a voting item) highlighted a pedestrian safety hazard at Hayes and Third Street, where the traffic light and pedestrian walk signal are both green simultaneously, creating a risk of accidents.

Discussion Items

Council Member Cowan suggested that Lehigh University could help alleviate the South Side housing shortage by requiring more students to live on campus (currently only freshmen and sophomores). She noted that affordable housing construction is expensive, citing the Gateway project costing $50 million for 120 units.
Council Member Quitek reported on positive progress from the complete streets and Stefco Boulevard steering committees, noting that data confirms dangerous locations and that having a plan is key to securing funding.
Mayor's Report: The Mayor provided an update on the South Side housing market, noting that Amicus Properties owns about 350-375 units, many of which are vacant because they were purchased at high prices expecting to rent to Lehigh students for $3,500-$4,000/month. He expressed hope that market forces would lead to renting or selling to families. He also announced the "Walk Bike Roll Broad" event on September 12, 2026, from 9-10 a.m. (Broad Street closed from 8th Avenue to Main Street) followed by a party at the Rose Garden, and a party at Duffco Park on August 19, 2026, from 4-6 p.m.
Council Member Leaird (Vice President) responded to Mount Airy Neighborhood Association questions about alley houses, stating she would follow up with detailed answers outside the meeting.
Council Member Callahan asked about traffic studies on Grandview Boulevard; the administration indicated that a traffic study could be triggered by accidents or development proposals.
Council Member Quitek asked about the proposed apartment at 1242 North Boulevard; Director Collins confirmed that only a sketch plan review had occurred and there was no active plan, but agreed to notify council if that changes.
Committee Report: The Community Development Committee met on August 11, 2026, and received a presentation on proposed data center zoning amendments. The committee moved the amendments to council for consideration. A public hearing on the data center amendments was scheduled for October 6, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. in Town Hall. (The committee also postponed discussion of yard setback amendments.)
Consent Order with DEP (Resolution 10C): Edward Boscola, Director of Water and Sewer Resources, presented details of the negotiated consent order and agreement (COA) with the DEP. The COA addresses recurring violations of the city's wastewater discharge permit, primarily ammonia (nitrogen) levels and sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs). The COA includes a one-time civil penalty of $26,900, stipulated penalties for future violations ($500 per day for discharge violations, $1,000 per SSO), and a corrective action schedule with four projects: two already completed (chemically enhanced treatment system, Broadway sewer line upgrade), one underway (Eastern Road lift station upgrade, due 2027), and one major upgrade to the aeration tank system (due 2030). The Mayor noted that the violations stem from long-term capital needs and that the city has improved operations, with only one violation since October 2025. Council Member Quitek expressed concern about the lack of prior notice but acknowledged the explanation. She announced she would submit a resolution at the next meeting to require regular reporting to council on COA compliance. The COA was approved unanimously.

Key Outcomes

Ordinance 8A (Refunding of general obligation bonds) passed 7-0.
Ordinance 9A (Amend CDBG program income reclassification) passed 7-0.
Resolution 10A (Agreement with Taggart Associates for enterprise zone renewal, $19,950) passed 7-0.
Resolution 10B (Use permit for Dominican Festival 2026 on September 13, 2026, from 1-8 p.m. on First Street and Founders Way) passed 7-0.
Resolution 10C (Consent order and agreement with DEP for wastewater violations) passed 7-0.
Public hearing scheduled for October 6, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. on proposed data center zoning amendments.
Council Member Quitek will introduce a resolution at the next meeting to require regular reporting on the DEP consent order.
The city will host "Walk Bike Roll Broad" on September 12, 2026 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., including a street closure from 8th Avenue to Main Street.

Meeting Transcript

Ask them y'all rights for the pledge to the flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And the public for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all called the role. Mr. Raymond, Mr. Callahan, Mr. Cologne, Ms. Daniels. Present. Ms. Quit. Ms. Laird. President. And Ms. Leon. Present this. And just walked in. We have one citation for firefighter David Falco. David Falco is not with us tonight, but we'll make sure that he gets a citation. Moving on to the approval of the minutes. Any members of council have any comments on the minutes? The minutes will stand approved. Moving on to public comments. Sorry. Our first public comment is on subjects not being voted on with a five-minute time limit. I only have I have two people signed up. The first person is Harry Faber. Hello, Harry Faber. I am in uh I'm in this program right now. Um aside from my master's program called uh capitalist incarceration and the fight for freedom. I just left my class, and I'm ashamed that I'm gonna have to go back and uh listen to the recording because it was so good. But um I'm here today to talk about flock. Uh I struggled with addiction, uh like my father before me, and addiction is a self-destructive behavior. In addiction counseling, we learned that uh we learn this you know tactic about setting up barriers. The easiest way to stay sober is by avoiding alcohol altogether. This means a good barrier for an alcoholic is to avoid going to bars or other establishments where alcohol is served and encouraged. By not going to bars, you lower the pressure of temptation to drink. And let me tell you, it's a very easy temptation, getting how much pain there is witnessing the devastation of our planet and its inhabitants uh and that that cause uh to the conscientious soul. But addiction is not solely an individual crisis, it is imbued into and plaguing our society's political economic core. We are addicted to convenience and spectacle. Our society is addicted to war and plundering the dominated, whether that be racialized and disenfranchised peoples or mother nature and the climate. Ruth Wilson Gilmore's abolition geography taught me that a geographical imperative lies at the heart of every struggle for social justice. If justice is embodied, it is then therefore always spatial, which is to say part of a process of making a place. Freedom is a place, and when we accept that freedom is a place, the question becomes how do we make such a place over and over again? It begins with these infrastructures that we invest in. You cannot expect a society producing bombs and other weapons of mass destruction not to explode people, not to destroy and massacre. In the same vein, you cannot expect a society which depends upon oppression and exploitation to build a massive surveillance infrastructure and expect it not to be used by those in power to eliminate their class enemies. Surveillance is the instrument of mass incarceration. No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, I think we can all agree that this is Hitler and the Nazis' ultimate fantasy.

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TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
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Bethlehem City Council Meeting - August 18, 2026

Consent Calendar

Approval of the minutes from the previous meeting was moved and passed without objection.

A citation for firefighter David Falco was announced (he was not present).

Public Comments & Testimony

Harry Faber spoke against the Flock surveillance camera system, citing risks of wrongful detention, misuse by police, and comparisons to mass incarceration. He argued that the infrastructure enables abuse by those in power.

Diana Rodriguez (representing community concerns, specifically from the West side) asked four questions about the Opening Doors initiative: whether zoning changes would apply only to alley houses, whether affordability would be a binding condition, whether fire code exceptions would be limited to alley houses, and requested consideration of cumulative impacts on green spaces and community health.

Mary Joe raised concerns about traffic safety on Grandview Boulevard (ignored stop signs, speeding, need for education and enforcement), flooding on Grandview and Ritter Street, inadequate stormwater pipe size, and questioned the use of stormwater runoff fees. She urged the city to address flooding before paving Grandview Boulevard.

Bill Shire argued that the root cause of the affordable housing crisis is Wall Street buying up single-family homes, citing a federal bill that would limit institutional ownership to 350 houses. He suggested that addressing this cause is more effective than just building more units.

Mr. Schaefer (resident at 1242 North Boulevard) strongly opposed a proposed three-story apartment building near his home, citing danger to school children due to increased traffic and lack of consideration for pedestrian safety.

Mr. Ant Alex criticized the loss of single-family homes in South Bethlehem due to student housing and high-rise development, stating that zoning regulations (Article 1714) are ineffective.

Terry Corber reiterated the need for flashing stop signs on Grandview and Florence/Glendale, noting that a recent near-miss and the upcoming Bennett Slot development would worsen traffic.

Mr. Anthouse (on a voting item) highlighted a pedestrian safety hazard at Hayes and Third Street, where the traffic light and pedestrian walk signal are both green simultaneously, creating a risk of accidents.

Discussion Items

Council Member Cowan suggested that Lehigh University could help alleviate the South Side housing shortage by requiring more students to live on campus (currently only freshmen and sophomores). She noted that affordable housing construction is expensive, citing the Gateway project costing $50 million for 120 units.

Council Member Quitek reported on positive progress from the complete streets and Stefco Boulevard steering committees, noting that data confirms dangerous locations and that having a plan is key to securing funding.

Mayor's Report: The Mayor provided an update on the South Side housing market, noting that Amicus Properties owns about 350-375 units, many of which are vacant because they were purchased at high prices expecting to rent to Lehigh students for $3,500-$4,000/month. He expressed hope that market forces would lead to renting or selling to families. He also announced the "Walk Bike Roll Broad" event on September 12, 2026, from 9-10 a.m. (Broad Street closed from 8th Avenue to Main Street) followed by a party at the Rose Garden, and a party at Duffco Park on August 19, 2026, from 4-6 p.m.

Council Member Leaird (Vice President) responded to Mount Airy Neighborhood Association questions about alley houses, stating she would follow up with detailed answers outside the meeting.

Council Member Callahan asked about traffic studies on Grandview Boulevard; the administration indicated that a traffic study could be triggered by accidents or development proposals.

Council Member Quitek asked about the proposed apartment at 1242 North Boulevard; Director Collins confirmed that only a sketch plan review had occurred and there was no active plan, but agreed to notify council if that changes.

Committee Report: The Community Development Committee met on August 11, 2026, and received a presentation on proposed data center zoning amendments. The committee moved the amendments to council for consideration. A public hearing on the data center amendments was scheduled for October 6, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. in Town Hall. (The committee also postponed discussion of yard setback amendments.)

Consent Order with DEP (Resolution 10C): Edward Boscola, Director of Water and Sewer Resources, presented details of the negotiated consent order and agreement (COA) with the DEP. The COA addresses recurring violations of the city's wastewater discharge permit, primarily ammonia (nitrogen) levels and sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs). The COA includes a one-time civil penalty of $26,900, stipulated penalties for future violations ($500 per day for discharge violations, $1,000 per SSO), and a corrective action schedule with four projects: two already completed (chemically enhanced treatment system, Broadway sewer line upgrade), one underway (Eastern Road lift station upgrade, due 2027), and one major upgrade to the aeration tank system (due 2030). The Mayor noted that the violations stem from long-term capital needs and that the city has improved operations, with only one violation since October 2025. Council Member Quitek expressed concern about the lack of prior notice but acknowledged the explanation. She announced she would submit a resolution at the next meeting to require regular reporting to council on COA compliance. The COA was approved unanimously.

Key Outcomes

Ordinance 8A (Refunding of general obligation bonds) passed 7-0.

Ordinance 9A (Amend CDBG program income reclassification) passed 7-0.

Resolution 10A (Agreement with Taggart Associates for enterprise zone renewal, $19,950) passed 7-0.

Resolution 10B (Use permit for Dominican Festival 2026 on September 13, 2026, from 1-8 p.m. on First Street and Founders Way) passed 7-0.

Resolution 10C (Consent order and agreement with DEP for wastewater violations) passed 7-0.

Public hearing scheduled for October 6, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. on proposed data center zoning amendments.

Council Member Quitek will introduce a resolution at the next meeting to require regular reporting on the DEP consent order.

The city will host "Walk Bike Roll Broad" on September 12, 2026 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., including a street closure from 8th Avenue to Main Street.

Meeting Transcript