Bethlehem City Council Meeting - September 15, 2026

The Bethlehem City Council held a regular meeting on September 15, 2026, starting at approximately 7:00 PM. The meeting included public comments, discussion of a controversial police records investigation, a fire department study update, and votes on several resolutions, including a contentious memorandum of understanding with Homeland Security Investigations. All votes were recorded with tallies.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mary Joe McCool (449 Grandview Blvd.) expressed concerns about chronic flooding on Grandview Boulevard, noting a 40-year-old stormwater pipe diameter mismatch between Allentown and Bethlehem. She reported that three storm drains that had sunk were recently repaired, but urged the city to prioritize underground pipe upgrades before development on the former Benitoyota lot begins. She also called for resident consultation and logical project sequencing to avoid unnecessary taxpayer expenditures.
• Mr. Shire (189 Eaton Avenue) concluded his remarks on housing affordability, attributing the crisis to Wall Street involvement. He urged council to ask federal representatives to lower the 350-unit limit in the recent housing bill, and suggested two local ordinances: (1) limiting property ownership to five per person/institution, and (2) requiring owners to live within 10 miles of their property—noting these would likely be challenged in court but would raise awareness.
• Mr. Ant Alex (Miller) (77 Ridge) criticized the Bethlehem Authority structure as a "three-legged stool" (authority, council, administration) leading to inefficiency and lack of communication, citing missed revenue from tree cutting. He advocated for making the authority fully independent, similar to Allentown and Easton, but noted past opposition from the mayor and unions.
• Mr. Shire (again) commented on items being voted on, noting he did not receive the usual agenda email and expressed interest in three resolutions: the cost allocation plan (10B), the HSI MOU (10C), and the Linden Street two-way conversion project (10E). He also raised concerns about federal election security and an alleged FBI seizure of ballots in Fulton County, Georgia, as a test case.

Discussion Items

• Police Records Access Investigation (New Business - Councilman Callahan): Councilman Callahan detailed his nine-month effort to prompt an investigation into former right-to-know officer Zachary Kolborgie, who allegedly accessed confidential police reports. Callahan stated that two police officers reported the issue in September 2025, but the administration did not act until he sent letters to the Lehigh and Northampton County District Attorneys in April 2026. According to a Morning Call article, Kolborgie accessed records in 2022, including reports involving his mother, and was found to have photos of police reports in his iCloud. Chief of Police Michelle Cott responded that the department was cooperating with an open Lehigh County grand jury investigation and was not at liberty to conduct their own investigation until that concluded. City Solicitor John Spurk confirmed he repeatedly told Callahan the city would not interfere with the criminal investigation. Callahan expressed frustration that the administration did not direct an internal check of access logs earlier. The council discussed the distinction between the drug charges (Lehigh County) and the unauthorized access (Northampton County). Chief Cott noted that after Lehigh County declined to pursue the access issue, they referred the matter to Northampton County, which is now investigating. The vote on a motion to table discussion was not taken; the discussion concluded without action.
• Fire Department Study (CPSM Contract) (New Business - Councilman Daniels): Councilwoman Daniels questioned Business Administrator Eric Evans about the timeline of the contracted fire department study with CPSM. She noted that the notice to proceed (NTP) was dated February 17, but Evans had previously stated it was issued in April. Evans acknowledged the discrepancy, saying his earlier estimate was a guess. He explained that five items from the original scope (alternative shift schedules, leave utilization, financial impact, nuanced analysis, false alarm trends) were missing from draft reports. The contract was extended to October 31, with a presentation scheduled for October 21. Daniels asked for copies of the drafts, but Evans refused, stating drafts are not made public until final. Chief Cott and Solicitor Spurk noted that draft reports are not typically shared with council. The discussion ended with Evans promising a complete report by the agreed date.
• HSI Memorandum of Understanding (Resolution 10C): Chief Cott presented the MOU with Homeland Security Investigations, which she said would allow a Bethlehem police detective to serve as a task force officer for complex investigations such as human trafficking, child exploitation, drug smuggling, and cybercrime. She emphasized that the MOU explicitly excludes immigration enforcement (not a 287(g) agreement). The officer would remain a Bethlehem police employee but would work at least 30 hours per week under HSI supervision. Council members expressed deep divisions: some cited distrust of the Department of Homeland Security under the current federal administration, while others emphasized the need for federal resources to combat serious crime. A motion to table the resolution to allow negotiation of an end date failed 4-3. A subsequent motion to authorize Chief Cott to seek an end date lacked a second and died. The resolution ultimately passed 4-3.
• Police Records Fees (Resolution 10A): Chief Cott proposed new fees for police records, including a $125 fee for audio/video recordings to cover the cost of retrieval and redaction. Council members Laird and Ayman expressed concern that the fee might be a barrier for victims or the press, but Chief Cott stated the fee is consistent with other agencies and that victims do not pay when the footage is used as evidence. The resolution passed 6-1, with Councilman Callahan voting no.
• Maximus Cost Allocation Plan (Resolution 10B): Evans explained that the three-year, $41,700 contract with Maximus will calculate the true cost of city services for enterprise funds (e.g., water, golf course) to ensure proper internal billing. Passed 7-0.
• Linden Street Two-Way Conversion (Resolution 10E): Approved a $197,144.62 contract with Greenman Peterson for engineering and construction inspection. Passed 7-0.
• Other Resolutions: 10D (Capacity for Change communications plan - $49,000, grant-funded) passed 7-0; 10F (ArtsQuest October Fest use permit) passed 7-0; 10G (Bethlehem Running Festival) passed 7-0.
• Ordinances: Two ordinances were passed on final reading: 8A (street widths) and 9A (adopting 2021 International Property Maintenance Code with city modifications). Both passed 7-0.

Key Outcomes

• Resolution 10A (Police Records Fees): Passed 6-1 (Callahan no). Effective January 1, 2027.
• Resolution 10B (Maximus Cost Allocation): Passed 7-0.
• Resolution 10C (HSI MOU): Passed 4-3 after a motion to table failed 4-3. No sunset date was added; the MOU includes a 30-day termination clause.
• Resolution 10D (Capacity for Change): Passed 7-0.
• Resolution 10E (Linden Street Engineering): Passed 7-0.
• Resolution 10F (ArtsQuest October Fest): Passed 7-0.
• Resolution 10G (Running Festival): Passed 7-0.
• Ordinance 8A (Street Widths): Passed 7-0.
• Ordinance 9A (Property Maintenance Code): Passed 7-0.
• No action taken on police records access investigation; discussion concluded.
• Fire department study presentation scheduled for October 21, 2026, at 5:30 PM.
• Committee of the Whole meeting set for October 6, 2026, at 6:00 PM to discuss the five-year capital improvement program.