Upcoming Northampton Street Fair, Page 8
The Home News Your Local News
SEPTEMBER 8-14, 2016
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Northampton Council Certifies employee, Police pension plans Ben Longacre Page 2
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Take your cat on an adventure Page 16
75th Year, Issue No. 36 www.homenewspa.com
USPS 248-700
by BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News
Chief Administrative Officer Mary Ellen Handlon on Thursday certified to Northampton Borough Council the 2017 Minimum Municipal Obligation (MMO) required for the nonuniformed defined benefit pension plan; the non-uniformed defined contribution pension plan, and the police pension plan. The first passed six to one for the 17 employees, with the MMO being $129,442, and requiring the Borough to add an additional $55,067. Borough Manager LeRoy Brobst said the Borough was required to contribute $90,887. Councilman Ed Pany was the lone dissenter, saying, “There should be a 3% contribution by the employees. We are behind the eight ball because of the plan we have accepted.” He said he practices frugality. The second and third plans passed without a “no” vote, with the Borough’s MMO contribution $10,500, an increase over last year of $2,100, a plan that was established during contract negotiations. The third for police required an MMO of $92,898 by the Borough and a 6% contribution by the police. Lots criticized There was considerably more opposition to the plan of Joe Jones for two lots at the end of Dewey Ave. Councilman Robert McHale told of parking in front, grading, and possible problems with snow removal at the end of the block. Jones said water comes down along an alley and goes across his property on to an-
Claire and Pixie
other property. With curbing that would change, he said.
----------------------The plan creates a bottleneck and Dewey Avenue would be a nightmare. Anthony Lopsonzski, Sr. ----------------------Councilman Anthony Lopsonzski, Sr. said the homes between 24th St. and Marble Alley would be isolated. He would favor parking in the rear for ingress and egress for emergency vehicles. “The plan creates a bottleneck and Dewey Avenue would be a nightmare,” he said emphatically. The Planning Commission had given Jones final approval for the development plans earlier. Other matters • Council approved a request for a handicapped parking zone in the area of 2395 Dewey Ave. after it was recommended by Police Chief Ron Morey. • Also approved was a request by Ms. Stacy Schenewolf to allow the sponsoring of a benefit for 7-year-old Leila Rano and the Lehigh Valley Children’s Hospital for awareness of pediatric cancer. It will be held Sunday, October 16 at both of the Municipal Park’s pavilions and is open to the public. Council reports • Robert Coleman said a rent check for 2015 of $7,404 was received from the formerly named Northampton Community Center. Continued on page 3
Pictured are Claire and Pixie at the 2016 4-H Fair. If you missed it, come to the Northampton Cty. 4-H Center Open House on Sunday, Oct. 2 to see more horses, rabbits, good food, chicken BBQ, and so much more. –Contributed photo
Library board unhappy With Nazareth Borough Council’s proposal
By JUSTIN SWEITZER The Nazareth Borough Council convened on September 1 at 6 p.m. in a workshop session to field questions and concerns from local residents, including the vice president of the Memorial Library of Nazareth and vicinity. Barbara Fischl, who spoke on behalf of the board, voiced her concerns over council’s plan to distance itself from library expenses by transferring the deed to the library to the library’s Board of Directors. “The board was stunned and dismayed to find out that council made the decision to investigate the legal procedure to divest itself of the deed to the library building,” Fischl said. Under the current agreement, council pays for the library’s insurance and also foots the bill
for large repairs. But Fischl noted that the library is quite selfsufficient, fully reimbursing the borough for costs associated with the salaries, health care, Social Security and workman’s compensation of those who make repairs to the library. She proposed that the library is open to working more intimately with the council, as well as shouldering some of the financial burdens that have led to the council’s proposal to free itself of the deed to the library. “We, the library, would like to work with you to ship some of the costs to the library directly and also to reorganize some of them,” Fischl said. “We proposed that the library will pay the total cost of the insurance, which is Continued on page 4