BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Bethlehem City Council and its Finance Committee this week had a full agenda of budget adjustments and news of grants.
Discussions on the funding occurred during the finance committee meeting Wednesday just before council met, but council later officially approved each measure 6-0. Councilwoman Rachel Leon was absent.
- The city plans to use grant funding for different quality of life efforts around the area and more
- Some of those include a new grocery store, recreational amenities, pedestrian safety and even commissioning a local artist
- City council approved each of these measures unanimously
Bethlehem Food Co-op
Laura Collins, community and economic development director for the city, said the Bethlehem Food Co-op should open its doors during first quarter 2024.
The city recently got $2.9 million from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department's Community Project Funding to support the co-op’s initial establishment at 250 E. Broad St.
“The grocery will expand access to fresh food in the Northside HUD-designated Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area, in a USDA-defined food desert with a high poverty rate."Tiffany Wismer, DCED business manager
“The grocery will expand access to fresh food in the Northside HUD-designated Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area, in a USDA-defined food desert with a high poverty rate,” Tiffany Wismer, city Department of Community and Economic Development business manager, wrote in a memo to the city’s business administrator.
Collins said the budget needed an amendment to accept the federal funding, as the city would enter into a subgrant agreement with the co-op to administer the grant.
East Broad Street Corridor project
The city plans to use $642,750 in Commonwealth grant funding to support the East Broad Street Corridor Improvements-Multimodal project.
Along with the state funding, officials called to contribute a required 30% match of the total project cost, or $344,223, using federal money through the Community Development Block Grant program.
Michael Alkhal, city director of public works, explained in a memo to Finance Chair Wandalyn Enix that the money would cover engineering, bidding, construction and inspection oversight of East Broad Street right-of-way improvements.
The improvements from New to Elm streets would include enhanced crosswalks, upgrades to the ADA ramps, landscaped medians, street trees along with other safety measures.
South Bethlehem Greenway closure
Through a Community Project Funding grant, the city got $2.7 million to acquire nearly a mile of abandoned Norfolk Southern rail line, with hopes of connecting the South Bethlehem Greenway with the Saucon Valley Rail Trail.
The closure also officially would connect Bethlehem, Hellertown, Coopersburg and Quakertown.
“Creating a regional network of trails promotes healthy living, recreation, tourism, economic development opportunities and options for alternative transportation,” DCED Business Manager Tiffany Wismer wrote in a memo to Enix.
“This gap closure allows the trail to become a commuter trail where people of all incomes can utilize the trail to get to/from work on a daily basis.”
Health Bureau funding
Kristen Wenrich, director of Bethlehem Health Bureau, said the state Department of Health will provide a $1.168 million grant over five years.
“We have a portion that’s going to be built into this year’s budget, and then subsequently over the next four years, we’ll be utilizing these funds to pay primarily for personnel who are currently under the COVID funds; those funds will be ending in 2024,” Wenrich said.
“And there’s also some funding built in for liability insurance, workforce training, and performance management, strategic planning initiatives.”
ARPA money for the Steel General Office
State American Rescue Plan funds in the amount of $1 million could be used to redevelop the Steel General Office building, providing “clarity” for the businesses nearby the SteelStacks campus.
The money would help the development of the Steel General Office, SGO Annex and SGO Annex Plaza, addressing blight and more at “these underutilized parcels in the middle of our City,” DCED’s Wismer wrote in a memo.
“Strictly this portion of the building, which is the eastern end, is likely to be offices; that’s the only thing we’ve talked about to date because of the open concept. It’s more conducive to office than other portions of the building, which might be better suited for residential.”Alicia Miller Karner, deputy economic development director
“The development of this campus will infuse new office users and employees with disposable income that will add foot traffic, help to support our local merchants, and bolster the economy of the City and the Commonwealth,” Wismer wrote.
The building’s annex should be complete by the end of next year, as that’s when the funding expires, according to Deputy Economic Development Director Alicia Miller Karner.
“Strictly this portion of the building, which is the eastern end, is likely to be offices; that’s the only thing we’ve talked about to date because of the open concept,” Karner said.
“It’s more conducive to office than other portions of the building, which might be better suited for residential.”
Money for the mounted unit
Bethlehem Police Department made a request for a new vehicle to complement its mounted unit personnel.
“They had two vehicles assigned to them, one of which was a 2000-model-year pickup truck used to pull horse trailers; that truck was retired due to significant mechanical issues,” Capt. Nicholas Lechman said.
“The remaining vehicle is a 2012 pickup truck, also with high mileage and, quite frankly, underpowered for what they need it for.”
The new vehicle would cost $58,535, covered from savings in the department’s salaries account due to vacancies, according to a memo from Linnea Lazarchak, city director of budget and finance, sent to Finance Chair Wandalyn Enix.
'Gateway to Bethlehem' sign
With a Wawa store to come at 774 Hellertown Road, the site developer has contributed $20,000 to the city to install a “Welcome to Bethlehem” gateway sign on the southern end of the property, according to an interoffice memo.
The sign would be designed by a local artist.
“This is an area that was identified for such signage, as you’re entering off of Route 78 and coming down [PA Route] 412 North into the city.”Laura Collins, community and economic development director
“This is an area that was identified for such signage, as you’re entering off of Route 78 and coming down [PA Route] 412 North into the city,” Community and Economic Development Director Laura Collins said.
Collins said the city would take that money, put out a request for proposal within the Southside Arts District, conduct a review process with community members and Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission, then pay the selected artist the $20,000.
