Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a governmental tool that allows developers to receive tax benefits in exchange for developing blighted properties, with the community receiving a share of the increased property value over time. This video captures a Northampton County Council meeting where residents and officials debated a TIF proposal for the Dixie Cup site redevelopment, highlighting the tension between supporting private development and protecting taxpayer interests. The debate illustrates how TIF decisions involve complex trade-offs between economic development, affordable housing commitments, fiscal responsibility, and community benefit, with different stakeholders prioritizing different outcomes based on their perspectives on who should bear development costs and who should receive benefits.
Northampton County Council. May 7th, 2026.Added:
like to call county council meeting. Uh lead by the pledge by Mr. Holland to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
>> Please have a moment of silence.
>> Thank you. Miss Shapinsky, can you call the role, please?
Mr. Blet >> here.
>> Here.
>> Stargo Hefner >> here.
>> Mr. Giovani >> present.
>> Mr. Keegan >> here.
>> Mr. Craft >> here.
>> Mr. Caillou.
>> Mr. Holland >> here.
here.
>> Thank you. I need a motion to approve the minutes of April 16, 2026.
>> So moved.
>> Second.
>> All in favor?
>> I >> opposed. Eyes have it. Next on the agenda is courtesy of the floor. Um I'm going to call you in the order that you are here.
Um I got Lynn Nunaker here.
State your name in the city where you live for the record, please.
>> Ben Nunaker from Wilson Burrow.
I'd just like to uh say that um I first I'd like to ask how many of you live in a burrow in Northampton County?
One. Okay. So, you may realize that you know burrows the burrows in Wilson in uh Northampton County are struggling. you know, we don't have acres and acres of of areas to um develop, etc. So, this Dixie project is a big deal for Wilson.
We don't have any available property to do anything with.
We have old buildings, you know, we have old factories, and this Dixie has been uh a blighted area for what, 50 years, something like that. It's it's time that, you know, the the county gave a hand up to this project. I'd appreciate it.
>> Thank you.
Next on the list, I have a Charles EU. You have to say your name. State your name for the record and where you're from, sir.
>> Good evening. Thanks for the opportunity to speak. Charles Baltic, BATIC, Upper Mount Bethl Township. I'm an elected auditor in upper upper Mount Bethl Township and I actually spoke at your March 5th, 2026 meeting relevant to the uh resolution about ICE warehouse restrictions. I pointed out at that meeting that I thought the council was acting beyond the scope of their authority. That was reflected accurately in the minutes for that meeting. Um and there are two reasons for that.
Immigration enforcement is a federal function. And number two, as some members of the council recognized in the discussion, property rights are also a constitutional matter, even though the county council solicitor doesn't seem to understand that. Um, and then after my comments, Mr. Warren made a personal attack on me for being mean-spirited and heartless. Um, Mr. Warren, I don't think would recognize the US Constitution if he tripped over it on the way to a Marxist rally. So, I'm here for a different reason tonight, and that's to talk about this council's item number three on its agenda, which is or number two on new business, which is revoking the Lerta in Upper Mount Bethl Township, which is my township. Um, it's very curious that it's on the agenda tonight.
At the same time, the Dixie matter is being addressed by this council. Seems to have come out of nowhere. Uh it'd be really interesting to know and hear the discussion from the council about what the motivation is, what the rationale is, what the justification is, or if this council is going to act in an arbitrary and capriccious matter again by withdrawing that uh provision for Upper Mount Bethl Township. and of course impeding commercial activity for a development that's actually already supported by the five by four of the five members of the upper Mount Bethl supervisors including Democrat on that supervisory board. So I think this council should again stay within the confines of your jurisdiction and act according to the law. Thank you very much.
>> Thank you.
Uh, next on the agenda is Matt Flowers.
Flowers.
>> State your name and town in five minutes. Sir, >> Matt Flower, More Township. Thank you all for the opportunity to speak.
Tonight, I'm asking council to vote no on this Dixie Tiff proposal. Not to table it, not to delay it, not to kick the can further down the road. The fundamental problems with this proposal are already clear. This tiff would divert up to $26 million in future tax revenue. At a time when county officials are already discussing the likelihood of future tax increases, taxpayers are being told there may not be enough revenue to sustain county obligations. Yet somehow we are also being told the county can afford to voluntarily surrender millions in future tax collections for a speculative private development.
That contradiction is difficult to explain to working families who are already struggling to provide for everyday expenses.
We have all heard repeated claims that the redevelopment of the Dixie cup site is important. And I agree it is important.
Everyone here wants to see that property redeveloped, but wanting redevelopment does not mean abandoning fiscal responsibility or basic due diligence. This developer does not have a lengthy track record of delivering the project of this scale successfully and taxpayers should not be expected to absorb the risk while private interests profit.
What is especially telling is that the opposition to this proposal is now now spans residents with very different political beliefs and perspectives.
People who rarely agree on public policy are arriving at the same conclusion that this is a bad deal for Northampton County taxpayers.
and respectfully. If council members believe this proposal still lacks sufficient public support or sufficient answers, then the appropriate action is not to table it indefinitely. The appropriate action is to vote no. A no vote tonight does not end redevelopment possibilities for Dixie. It simply says that Northampton County taxpayers deserve a better deal than the one currently being offered.
Thank you.
>> Thank you, Matt.
Next in the agenda is Harry Faber.
>> State your name. City you live in.
>> Warren.
>> State your name.
>> Okay. Harry Faber. Uh address.
>> Mr. City you live.
>> Oh Bath. Uh Mr. Warren. If you insulted that guy, kudos. I'd have done the same and I'd be happy to see you at the next Marxist rally. But my prepared comment is uh it is self-evident that this project is targeted towards one thing profit. It's the only thing mentioned in the proposal. At a time of immense economic instability and crisis when the rich keep getting richer at the expense of the poor getting poorer when landlords and corporate property owners are raking in record profits while wages continue to stagnate. At a time when 35% of young adults in PA aged 18 to 34 still live with their parents, myself being no exception, when the cost of living is at an all-time high, Northampton County wants to spend 20 million of our tax dollars on the construction of luxury apartments for people who don't even live here. On page 25, this fact is made completely clear.
It says, quote, "Estimated population of new residents, 500 to 600 individuals."
End quote. This is precisely the issue.
Instead of orienting housing development for need, this proposal is oriented for private profit. Private profit is personal profit. It doesn't have to be yours. Subsidizing this plan is really just helping landlords if they want to fund their luxury housing development. I understand you may not be able to force them to develop affordable housing units, but you certainly don't have to subsidize this. This is precisely what Marxists mean when we talk about double theft. Firstly, wage laborers are not paid the full value for their labor.
Hence why profit exists. The owners of capital steal the surplus value produced by the laborer. But secondly, the money given through coercion, aka taxes, to the government apparatus rarely ever benefits those very wage laborers. Why should the workingclass residents living checkto check be expected to foot the bill of $20 million for luxury apartments none of us will ever be able to afford? I work in a warehouse. To my knowledge, the going rate for a full-time warehouse uh shipper is 20 bucks an hour, which is roughly 800 a week. 3,200 per month or 41,600 a year.
$2,000 is 62.5%.
Now, you'll say it's not for a warehouse workers. I'll say why the hell not.
Anyone who works a job, well, anyone for that matter, but you're not ready for that conversation. That is deemed necessary for society to function has a right to live a decent life not under constant threat of homelessness. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Next one on the list is Armando.
can't read the last name, but uh you can spell it for us.
>> Sure.
>> I have it already.
>> She has it already.
>> Great. Otherwise, that's that's my whole five minutes. So, >> five minutes.
>> Good evening, commissioners. My name is Aranda Mortelican and I'm a resident of Wilson Burrow. It's been almost four years to the day when I first heard about a plan for the Dixie Cup site's redevelopment. Back then, the plan was for the site to be a warehouse. And since then, the warehouse plan fell through. A new developer emerged with a new plan. The TIFF was rejected by the last council and then it was reintroduced again earlier this year. In spite of my critiques over the past few years to improve the TIFF and potentially find a way for passage, my criticisms of the TIF have been equated with opposition to the TIFF. So, in that spirit, I'm tonight asking you to vote no. There are many reasons to vote no, and here are a few. Vote no because the county, the bureau, and the school district need the $26 million over the next 20 years. Vote no because the developer has already been awarded over $1.3 million in state and county funds.
Vote no because the remediation of the site is not a blessing. It is a basic responsibility of any property owner, one that has been neglected by Wilson Park Ltd, the previous owner, for over 40 years. Vote no because Wilson Burrow hired a consultant to evaluate the TIFF and that consultant's report has not yet been publicly disclosed. Vote no because the bureau is on the record saying they'll go ahead with the tiff whether you approve it or not. Vote no because it is an outrage to provide a tax benefit for a luxury housing in a school district with the third fastest increase in the poverty rate in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Vote no because there will be no affordable housing units on site. Vote no because the county should not be in the business of building housing. Or if you prefer, vote no because the county should be in the business of building housing, but $2 million isn't enough to replace the units that would otherwise go into a redeveloped Dixie. Vote no because tax revenue should go towards supporting the most vulnerable among our neighbors.
Vote no because the developer because a developer who can't make this project pencil out maybe shouldn't have spent $11 million on a site that was assessed at less than $3 million. Vote no because the Democratic Socialist of America opposed it. Vote no because the Northampton County GOP opposes it. Vote no because any Democrat who cares about affordability would never support giving $26 million to a luxury housing development. Vote no because economic development and community development are intrinsically connected and anyone who tells you otherwise doesn't know what they're talking about. And finally, vote no because the development of the Dixie cup site is an inevitability. Let us consider three scenarios where the tiff is rejected. Scenario one, the developer up and leaves because he can't get the tiff. I would hope that the current county and burough governments hold this property owner accountable.
The site's neglect over 40 plus years is a legacy of the previous owner, Wilson Park Ltd, and of the elected officials who failed to hold that owner accountable. Any current officials who think failure to pass the TIFF will doom the site to another 40 years of abandonment is confessing that they lack the political will to hold a property owner accountable. Scenario two. If the developer continues his work and finds he needs more funding to make the project work, he can either negotiate a new tiff or he can find partners willing to fill the gap. Developers can be highly adaptable individuals, so let's not sell this one short. And scenario three, the current developer is incapable of completing the project. The remediation work that he's already done positions the site for somebody who has the funding to get it done. In all the testimony I've heard over the years, the goal has always been to redevelop the Dixie Cup site. And I would venture to guess that most people don't care who does it as long as it gets done well and it serves the community. With that, I appreciate your attention. I look forward to your vote. not withdrawal, not tableabling, a yes or no vote. Thank you.
>> Next on the list is Dominic uh Trabosski.
>> Good evening, council. Dominic Trabosi, downtown Eastn resident. After the previous public hearing on the proposed TIFF for Skyline Investments luxury apartments at the Dixie Cup site, I was a little put off by some comments from our public officials that I would like to touch on now. Perhaps most disturbing of them all was this idea of there being this need for high-end living in Wilston. That somehow there is this large group of people in the community who are experiencing downward pressure in the housing market and are being kept in apartments that are just too cheap for their price range. A point made by County Executive Zerinsky. So I ask, where are they? Where are the folks who are just begging this council, please, more luxury apartments? We need something more expensive. It's simply too cheap to live here. Because all I've seen during public comment are people from across the political spectrum agreeing on one simple fact. Giving a huge tax break to a wealthy developer with little benefit to the community is a bad idea. To look around at the affordable affordability crisis we're facing and say, "You know what? We need subsidized luxury building is incredibly tonedeaf. I was also disturbed by the way some council members propped up the developer as some godscent philanthropist sent to revitalize this community that we should be lucky to have him. To be clear, this dude is here to make money and that's okay. He's a benefactor of the capitalist system we live in and he's here to do his job.
Good for him. But why are we acting like we need to give Skyline Investment this handout when we know that they're going through with the project regardless?
They've already done the majority of the remediation work. So, I am confident that council will make the logical decision tonight and vote no on the proposed tiff as we're as we're already getting luxury apartments whether the community truly wants it or not. Thank you for your time.
>> Next, we have Luc Lucas Gumbre. Gumbre.
>> Good evening everyone.
I didn't realize I wrote my full go full full government name there. My name is Luke Gumbrect or Lucas on my birth certificate. Um I live in Easton City.
Um I grew up in the shadow of the Dixie cup. Um and this as I said last time is incredibly meaningful for me to see succeed. Um I I just happen to see the success of this development uh to include affordable housing. Um so again, thank you for hearing me speak on this uh you know this evening on the Dixie TIFF. Um, I want to remind the audience that this project is going through with or without taxpayer funds. Uh, 400 luxury units will be built on that site with or without county tax incentives.
The property has already undergone significant remediation. The back taxes from the previous owner, they're paid and the Dixie Cup has been brought to the ground. The developer own website declares the Lehigh Valley as a prime place for investment. This fundamental value of our home should be for taxpayer benefit, not a private developer. We must recognize the strategic placement of Northampton County in the Northeast Corridor, something I was able to recognize at 16 when I got my license and was able to drive anywhere I wanted or to the best places in the country.
We cannot allow for private developers to make us believe that we must soften the risk of their capitalistic ventures without meaningful benefit for working people. Working people are the first to feel the burn of economic stressors. We must pivot to securing the safety and security of our working class. Our working class who def who defends from the previous generation descends from the previous generation who clocked in at the Dixie cup to earn their living every day. I am upset enough that luxury housing will occupy those hallowed halls of labor, but I am furious that we are once again entertaining the idea of tax incentives that were already rejected by the last council.
Hold this vote tonight and vote no. No more delays. A resounding no so that Brian Barti, the developer, stops circling the block of this courthouse looking for public funds for a private luxury project. I want to see this county succeed. We all do. So, let's do it together. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Next to the list is Don Baz Baz.
>> Thank you, Barrett.
You got it.
Five minutes done.
>> I know. I got five. So, I'm going to read you just something I put together.
Um, and if for those of you who don't know me, I'm the mayor of Wilson, so I'm just kind of putting it out there, but for over a hundred years, I know the house is pretty stacked tonight, but over 100 years at Dixie Factory was part of Wilson. It was part of our identity.
It sat empty for 43 years, and for 43 years, watching one of the most recognizable buildings in the community fade away while people ask, why does nobody do something with it? Why is nothing being done? Now, somebody is finally doing it. Over the last several years, we've had public meetings, zoning meetings, hearings, tiff discussion, alerted discussions publicly in the bureau and at the school district, planning reviews, traffic studies because I of course heard traffic was going to be another issue. Um, we've also had uh countless environmental work, countless community opportunities for input. The Burrow School District, all these meetings with engineers, developers, and we sat there and many of these meetings had empty chairs. I think this meeting has more empty chair, more full chairs than our meeting has because it's usually nine council members and two people there. So, but now we have social media and this has become a official planning department for the county.
Social media is where everything is done. I don't see a lot of people here from Wilson. There's a couple, but not many. And of course, most of them don't come to our meetings. Historic preserv traffic concerns was the first one.
Traffic studies are already completed, submitted. It's actually part of the packet. Then I heard historic preservation concerns. Okay, we literally are they are literally restoring and preserving the building and refurbishing it. And the iconic cup is going to continue to shine as part of the property. They brought it down this week and it was great because I I actually heard a lot of discussion on the building. It actually brought the discussion and yes, I actually heard how will people know to how to find their way home with the cup temporarily gone.
It was all over social media. Oh my god, 43 years. I don't know how to find my way home. The cup is gone. After 43 years of an empty building, I have to admit I'm amazed the emotional power of a giant cup. Positive or negative. And I'm glad for these people here discussing this because either way, you're getting you're getting publicity that you need. the tower. This it means that it people care about something and they respect it. But while social media debates about watches, rumors, and memes about the burough school districts and what they're trying to focus on, the meantime, as speaking of the burrow and social uh school district, the two largest taxing entities, okay, we make $30,000 a year on that empty building.
30,000. All right. So where this 20ome million dollar is coming, I have no idea. Now looking at it, you guys are still going to be collecting your taxes on this, correct? When it's done. It's just going to be at the current rate and then you get paid on the back end. So I don't understand where it's coming.
We're getting paid our 30k, but then we're also collecting earned income tax.
We're also collecting rental tax because of course it's a rental property. So we're getting a lot of different revenue that's coming in that we're not getting now than if we let it sit for another 43 years. Okay. So these are the two largest bodies and were the organizations most financially impacted.
Not Wartownship, not Bath, not East proper who was putting in 200 luxury apartments with a $2.3 million grant they got from the state as well as on the Lura list and they're getting tax revenues, but there's no outrage for the luxury apartments down in East. They're going to have 28,000 new apartments before the end of 2027. 90% of them are on the lura list and they're getting tax breaks, but it's all coming to this building because it draws its attention.
People also forget the current burough receives $30,000 what they talked about and once completed the revenue that they're going to be earning from it is great. The real stuff happens here when my property value goes up. I'm sorry.
I'm tired of being bargain basement Wilson. All right, bargain basement burrow. And as Armando stated earlier, 90% of the burrow is in poverty. How much more can you go with affordable housing than Wilson Burrow? So you want to keep all the luxury in East and push all the affordable to Wilson. Is that what we're doing? Because we don't like it because there's going to be a tax break. Even more confusing is watching other communities receives incentives and the applause. Hey, you just redid Eastern Iron Metal or Brownfield site.
Here's $2.3 million. Hey, Wilson, our developers giving you $2 million. Boo, he's here for profit. Well, the guy who owns the Silk Mill, I think, is the one who done that. He got $2.3 million. So, I'm just kind of frustrated. And yes, eventually it's going to raise property values. And then I also heard the rumor on Facebook because social media is God that the taxes are going to go up. Do any of you guys know when the last county tax assessment was going through for properties in the area? 1995 >> 1995 was the last time property values were assessed. So now taxes are not going to be going up. Good.
>> Thank you.
>> Can I continue? Okay. Thank you for your time.
>> Grace.
Five minutes.
>> Um first of all um I before I go into my speech I just want to say for new business um to one introduction to ordinance ordinance affirming protection and for election workers from threats intimidation harassment and violence. Um I do support that fully because I used to be an election worker. um for one year. I was actually appointed um elected official um not appointed elected official, I'm sorry, appointed inspector of elections for Glendon for one year um in 2024 because somebody had to step down. Now to the main part of my business. Good ever evening everyone. I am standing before you tonight to speak in favor of the Dixie Tiff as we consider the future of our county and the burrow. By the way, my name is Grayson from Wilson Burough if I forgot to mention. Um, as we consider to the future of our uh county and our burough, we are often faced with decision that's that require us to balance our history with our potential. The Dixie Cup factory is more than just a building. It is a landmark and a treasure of our community. For generations, it has stood as a symbol of our industrial roots and today we have a unique opportunity to ensure it remains a vital part of our future. I want to acknowledge that everyone in this room, regardless of their position on this specific proposal, shares the same goal. We all want want what is best for our residents of this county. We may have different perspectives on the mechanism, but we are all here because we care deeply about our community's direction. The primary reason I'm advocating for this tiff is the direct tangible benefit it provides to our residents. As a core part of this agreement, the developer is committing millions of dollars towards affordable housing. We all know the housing costs are rising concern across the region. This is not this 2 million is not a vague promise. It is a concrete legally binding in investment if you vote yes. By securing this funding through the tiff, we are making a proactive choice to ensure our neighbors can afford to stay in the community they call home. To pass this up would be to lose a rare and significant opportunity to address the housing crisis with real capital. Beyond the housing benefits, we must look at the Dixie building itself.
It has been the cornerstone of our landscape for years. But a treasure requires investment to remain an asset rather than a liability. We must see this project succeed because when the Dixie succeeds, the entire community and the entire county succeeds. This tiff provides necessary frameworks into a hub of activity and e economic growth, preserving its character while modernizing its purpose. I believe in the potential of this project and what it represents for both the long-term health of our bureau and the county at large. It secures millions for affordable housing, which is a priority I know we all share, and it breathes new life into one of our most iconic locations. I urge this county to approve their portion of this tiff so we can secure these benefits and move forward together. Thank you.
Next on the list is uh Sean Gable.
>> My name is Sean Gable. I am a Wilson Burough resident.
Um I have proudly called Wilson Burrow my home for 30 years. I have raised my children there and now my grandchildren are now being raised in the same burrow.
Over the years, we have watched the city of East, Borks Township, Palmer Township, and other municipalities around us grow and prosper. That growth is part of progress, and I'm happy and even proud that these places are succeeding and growing and developing. And most of that development and growth came from your support here at the county level.
Now Wilson Burrow has an opportunity to grow move forward as well. This project will be a positive step for the residents of this burrow, but it impact will be far sorry far extend beyond Wilson itself. The people living in the Dixie will support our local economy.
They're going to be spending money in nearby stores, restaurants, businesses throughout the area. They will also be participating in all the festivals that happen right downtown east and anywhere else that Northampton County has all these festivals. These will be people bringing in revenue to this burrow, to the county, and local communities.
This project represents an important opportunity for Wilson Burough and for the county as a whole. With the support of the county, this development can help strengthen our local economy, encourage continued growth, and benefit the entire surrounding community for years to come.
As a burough official, um I have been on council for five years. I'm in the beginning of my second. and I have been a resident for 30. I believe in this burrow and I believe in this project. I would never do anything and nor would any of my counterparts on Wilson Burough Council do anything that would hurt or put our residents in financial harm in any way. We are here to benefit the burrow, but along with benefiting the burrow, we are going to be benefiting the community as a whole.
I I really hate to And I I did actually go through the buildings past week for the first time. I got to tour the Dixie Building and got to see the amazing prospect that this could become and how vital this is to our community, not just the Burrow, but to Easton, to Palmer, to Forks, to Bethlehem, to Allentown. This could be a big deal.
Everyone that I've heard complain about this are not Wilson Burough residents.
We are Wilson Burough residents. Both of our tax bodies have approved this and want this to go forward. I am asking that you please let us move forward and grow like the rest of the communities around us. Thank you for your time.
Believe the next person is Cameron Kunman. Kunz.
Is there anybody with the name Cameron?
C A M R Y N.
>> Okay.
Jeffrey Kefir.
>> Good evening. Jeffrey Kefir, uh, Banger, Lower Mount Bethl Township. Um, not Dixie Cup. You're good.
um newly in uh elected to supervis township supervisor. So learning my way been around two of you's familiar faces from when I was on the conservation district which I'm happy to be off of that fiasco of a board. Um the reason I'm here tonight um being on the lower Mount Bton Township supervisor I've started to shake the tree a little bit in our township. There are some concerns with within our open space and the fundings. Um, we are trying to I'll back up. Back in 2018, the what is called the Meadows was was purchased through our open space funds. Um, that property is down on the Banger Martins Creek uh highway down there.
We spent I believe the township spent over $490,000.
DC&R put in over 200. The county put in 30,000 I believe it is uh to the grants.
Wonderful ideas. It helped with the erosions on the creek. Reestablish everything. Good things. Okay. I'm not here to bash on that.
That property has been overgrown because of mismanagement. mismanagement.
Um, it's full of weeds, noxious weeds, poisonous weeds. There's trail systems on there. So, when I came on the board, I'm trying to clean the township up, make things better, make things nicer.
We introduced the farming concept down there. It would be approximately 20ome acres.
The walking trails would still be around the edges, but we would get rid of all these weeds.
And we're not talking corn and soybeans.
We made it very strict as far as as legumes. That's your clovers, your grasses, your timothies, some cereals as far as your sorghum, stuff like that.
Small grain stuff like that. No heavy equipments and stuff other than basically hay.
That was the main purpose. make the property look nice and function and give back to the farmer.
All have we have been dealt with is setback after setback.
Now it is apparent that Sherry Alvarado through the county conservation that has nothing to do with Northampton conservation district as well. Some of you realize there is separates in my opinion is stonewalling us.
We are trying to do something nice. And when I say these weeds were bad, we're talking from we have safety and health hands. We're talking from four feet to seven feet at the max. The heights of these weeds, okay? You're walking these trails, safety concerns. You have wild animals, coyotes, even bears, rabbit coons, foxes, stuff like that. Jump out of the out of these weeds could actually hurt someone. And the school comes in with the sinuses. We have ragweeds in there. The thistles properties across the street. These are major concerns.
Nobody apparently wanted to deal with this before, but damn it, I am. I'm that person.
And now we're just getting stonewalled.
Miss Alvarado was apparently away on vacation the other week. Good for her.
That's awesome.
She came back from what I understand.
She told our manager she would get back to her. She had to talk to the solicitor. She would get back to her Friday, Monday at the latest. We had a township meeting Monday night.
the manager texted her or uh emailed her rather uh believe yes Tuesday or yesterday I believe was as of noon today she has still not heard back from this lady for you that don't understand farming and to do this project time is of the essence when we wanted to do this back earlier on this year we could have actually had the fire department burn off these wheats would have been a hell of a lot nicer of a contro conservational area. We didn't have to use chemicals and sprays. Whoever would have it could have done it in a much more f environmental friendly, but it just seems like the environmental people are handcuffing a good project.
I wanted to bring that to everyone's attention. I think there's some issues and problems in your environmental concepts within the county that severely need to be looked at, too. Thank you.
And I did have papers and everything for everyone. I am a farmer. I had everything in the truck. I had to send a nephew for parts to Lancaster tonight so we could finish something. So I apologize, but if you request, I can send something everything over to you so you understand.
>> Get them to our office.
>> We'll do. Thank you.
>> Next person I believe says Dawn Davis.
Did they?
State your name in your city, please.
>> Hi, my name is Dawn Davis and I live in Tatam. Um, I used to live in Wilsonboro, but a few years ago I got married and my husband and I bought a home. Um, when I heard about this, at first I thought, well, okay, that's great. New apartments and everything. People need places to live.
But when I heard who is really going to be footing the bill, it's not right.
It's not right for taxpayers to be paying 20 plus million dollars to and an investor.
For what?
Seriously, for what? Um, yeah, people want housing. People want something affordability, but I don't think Wilson or Northampton County or any county in this part of Pennsylvania needs um extremely wealthy people just showing up and saying, "Oh, we don't like this."
Seriously, let let Wilson be Wilson.
Northampton County be Northampton County. were not a a place for the super duper wealthy and the little people have to foot the bill. The money could be go could go to the schools which need money. The infrastructure the roads are terrible. If you haven't driven around the roads, take a take a drive around tonight. They're they're just horrific.
No matter where you go, they're digging them up all over the place. It's kind of annoying.
And then they never get repaired. Why not?
You know, seriously, that's all I got to say. Thank you.
>> The last Can we calm down with the clapping? The last person on the list is Scott Davis.
Did Scott want to speak or My name is Scott Davis. I I live in Tatam.
Uh Wilson's a good place, but The developer needs to find money from some other source.
Shouldn't be picking people's pockets for that.
Thank you.
All right, that is the uh list. Does anybody else wish to address council tonight? Yes, >> I didn't get a chance to sign in. My name is Margie Dorenzis and I live in Palmer Township and I'm here tonight to support the executive's request uh to add the positions of Graceell Continuum of Care Director and Deputy. As executive Zerinsk's transition chair of human services, I had the privilege of meeting with director Wandalowski and the supervisors of each program under the human services umbrella. Mr. Rinsky and I spent countless hours with these folks discussing their responsibilities, accomplishments, and needs. And then during the first week of Miss Ransky's term, I had the opportunity to invite service providers and consumers of human services to attend the executive summit where we listened to their input regarding the human services they deliver and receive. Suffice it to say that I have become abundantly aware of Miss Wandelowsk's responsibilities, and honestly, I don't know how she does it.
Greydale was not included in the summit and for good reason.
It would have required a whole another summit because it's a separate discussion.
Uh the responsibility of running programs for people who by the nature of their needs can consume every minute of every day. the mentally ill, people with addiction issues, children in crisis, individuals with disabilities, and the aging population living outside of Graceale. And then just for good measure, toss in early intervention and the veterans. And you have a recipe for fires every day. These folks are not on a schedule of needs.
uh the programming and that along with responding. They require immediate response and that adds added to funding needs and programming needs and the list is endless.
Gracedale requires all of that and more.
As someone who recently lost a 98-year-old mother-in-law who lived in assisted living for 10 years, I'm well aware of the number of directors required to run just that one facility, and it requires their constant attention.
The residents of Greyale deserve that same singular focus of direction and planning. I am in favor of providing this supervision by the county to keep tight controls instead of using outside contractors which would put which would be more expensive and put a layer between the county and providers. Thank you.
Uh Joel, she's in township. I I really hadn't planned on speaking tonight and I've looked at this issue from afar, the the Wilson tiff issue. Um, my only connection to Wilson Burrow is I grew up in Palmer Township, just barely over the Burrow line. Worked uh many years in Eastern Hospital Kitchen and also in the summer of 74 made over a million Dixie cups in that very building. And it would be great if we were still making Dixie cups in that building, but that hasn't happened for 43 years. and that building has sat there and every time you come off 25th Street, you're looking at this gigantic eyesore.
Now, this may not be the best proposal in the history of the world, but there are some very clear things.
First of all, the notion that you are putting middle to upper income housing in does not help the housing crisis in the Lehigh Valley is simply wrong and is demonstrably wrong and has been demonstrated to be wrong by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission.
We have a shortage right now of 8,000 housing units in the Lehigh Valley.
And every time we build another housing unit, we help the affordability crisis.
Beyond that, we have the issue of the $2 million contribution.
So, I know it's a it's a it's a tough issue.
I've looked at it from both sides and it's a tough issue. But what really struck me tonight and motivated me to speak is I listen I'm I'm up in East Allen Township just looking from afar.
But what I heard tonight was virtually every person from Wilson Burrow who spoke spoke in favor of this.
And we talk all the time about local control. The Wilson Burough School District unanimously voted for it. The mayor of Wilson spoke tonight for it.
The Wilson Burough Council unanimously voted for it. So, if you're interested in local control, you know which way to vote on this.
Thank you very much.
>> You're up.
>> Okay. I'm James Bondro and I am from Wilson Barrow and I've heard a couple people from Wilson Barrow get up and speak tonight. So where that came from, I don't know. Okay. But uh TIF, I'd like to talk about the TIFF itself. Just the word TIF, tax increment.
That's the thing we know for sure. What we don't know is the finance part.
Different tiffs have different finances. Different tiffs have different terms and agreements.
Okay. Now, I heard someone mention Eastern Iron and Metal. I understand that there's no tax involved. It's all government money from the federal government and state money on that's paying for the work needed to be. I could be wrong. Now, some of you want to straighten me out on that. This I heard from WFMZ News this morning that they did not they are not using taxpayer money for that. I could be wrong if somebody wants to address me and fix it now. It's all been it's all being done with grants.
Grants they applied for and it's just the way it is. Now this tiff can be changed.
this tiff.
You can have your own terms and agreement for any tiff. Last time I was here, I heard talk about Bethlehem.
You don't know how to tip this. You got to look at the terms and agreements. I mean, you just can't make comments. Then I heard that the tiff is a tool in the toolbox. I tell you what, I've been a maintenance mechanic all my life. It's the guy and the person reaching in there and grabbing that tool and doing the work. There ain't no tool involved.
There's tools involved, but you got to have somebody who's going to put this to work and do it the right way. Okay?
And uh financing 20 years on a contract, 20 years on a a tax contract. And you know who's doing the financing?
Me. The people of Wilson Burrow are going to finance this for 20 years.
They're not getting, you know, people in Wilson Burrow right now can't afford to go buy food. People in Wilson Burrow can't afford to put gas in their car.
They got families at home. And yet he can bring in a developer and let him go to town on our taxes. Take some of them taxes and buy us some food. Take some of them taxes and get us a break on gas. Do things for the for the community.
20 years and and now I won't even be here for to see the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow here. That's what this is. The pot 20 years there gonna be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and Wilson's going to jump skyhigh.
I doubt it. I know at Bethlehem when they came in up there, they said that they were going to give everybody a tax break on their local taxes. You vote for this, you get this in there, you're going to get a tax break. You know what kind of tax breaks the people in Bethlehem got for them casinos?
Nothing.
You hear a lot of promises. And 20 years down the road, it's hard to keep promises. 20 years down the road, there's terms and definitions on these tiffs that it's going to be lawyers figuring it out. It's going to be back and forth with lawyers and the the general public's don't have no say in it. The general public has no say in this. Tiff, it's uh you know, Wilson Burrow, I want to talk about Wilson Burrow. I'm sorry. I know I'm here addressing the county right now, but Wilson Burrow has a big tax deficit, right? And and they they want to raise our taxes. They want to push up the earned income tax. That's working people.
Just attack them. Just keep taking their money and giving a developer a free ride.
I work for a living. I got equity in my house. It's called sweat equity. Sweat equity. You go out and work for a living. You come home and you pay it.
You got to pay your taxes. You got to pay everything else. And and things are just building up on people. And to have somebody come in here, just take our tax money and do whatever you want with it.
I'll see you in 20 years and I'm sure you're gonna have a pot of gold for me at the end of the rainbow. Well, I don't know about that. And like I said, these tips, there's terms and agreements. Why with all this the learning we're going back and forth talking, why hasn't somebody come up with a handout saying here's what this tip will may look like in 20 years instead of talking it and making the numbers up? Why isn't there a piece of paper a hand out and I'm done?
I'm a working man and it's no good for a working man in >> Is there anybody else who wishes to address council tonight? Please state your name and city, please.
My name is Donna Lavin and I am the executive director of the whole life center in Wilson Burough. And the whole life center has three divisions. The most important is the food pantry that we have. And we're a mini distribution hub for Second Harvest, Feeding PA, and Feeding America. And uh the other two divisions are the eastern freedom fighters which uh is educational with uh constitutional founding fathers um history of Easton and Pennsylvania.
And then we just started a new division uh which is melts our hearts which uh handles working with military veterans, EMS, first responders, law enforcement to help them thrive successfully, spirit, soul, and body. And that is going to be a large undertaking. I would um ask that you vote no on this because being in the food pantry, we serve over 25% of feeding the people in Wilson Burough, East Palmer Township, and the surrounding areas.
We see I see personally what the people in Wilson are going through.
We deal with the other agencies.
We supply food to all the other agencies in the eastern area. And there was a point when Pennsylvania did not put the budget through.
The feds did not put the budget through.
There was no money coming through for food pantries.
We were the only ones that were able to supply meat in the soup kitchens for the people of Easton and Wilson Burrow to be eating and to put luxury apartments in when we're dealing with 25% of feeding the people because single mothers like the other People from Wilson were saying for gas they don't have money for food. There are the working poor working just to try to make ends meet and luxury apartments and giving a tax break for 20 years. None of you will be here 20 years from now. at the end of when that goes through, if it goes through, if it can go through. And honestly, if we had the money, the vision that we have for the whole life center would fit in the Dixie building perfectly and it would all work for the community. The money would stay in the community. the people would be hired in the community and the money would come back and it wouldn't be going out where they're working who knows where because uh they're all luxury apartments. It would be all uh different entities and affordable housing that if if the whole life center had the money, we would buy that building from the developer and start working it in the community and it would all be in the community. So, I just ver urge you to vote no on this. Thank you very much.
>> Thank you.
NEXT in the agenda is the county executives report.
>> It's fun.
>> You have five minutes.
>> Don't you dare.
You will not silence me, Ken Craft.
>> Well, I have a lot to say. You just listen to all this.
And we appreciate everybody who comes out to our meetings and speaks because this is how democracy works, right? And everybody has varied opinions and it's good to hear them all.
So, good evening, President Craft and members of council. Tonight, I want to thank our department heads and especially the staff we're recognizing this week with National Nurses Day, which we celebrated yesterday, and National Nursing Home Week and National Corrections Officer Week. Fun fact, it's also National Teachers, Teachers, not T-shirt, Teachers Week, National Tourism Week, and next week is National Police Officers Week. How do we even fit all this on the calendar? But you can thank me for not making a proclamation for each of those. Thank you. Yeah. Anyway, I was able to both visit and greet some of our essential workers at Gracedale yesterday and our jail today. Their steady professional work that they do every day on behalf of the residents of Northampton County does not go unrecognized.
The nurses will have a lunchon next week and the correction officers were treated to breakfast and lunch this entire week.
I was offered eggs and bacon today. I did not take it.
This really isn't enough, but it's a start. In uh talking with several corrections officers, they stated that they were working 16hour shifts a week at a time. I asked Director Lawrence and she confirmed most are working 16-hour shifts because we have 62 correction jobs unfilled. And I can't help but think that's because the starting pay is $42,160 a year, which is about $20 an hour.
This department is not alone, though.
Stagnant pay and interdep departmental compression issues exist in multiple departments and should be an issue that we remedy in next year's budget.
Nonetheless, across departments, we are seeing progress in major infrastructure, strong strong public facing service delivery, important recruitment and retention work, and continued coordination on the budget and future planning. We are also seeing the dedication of our employees in the field and in our facilities, at our public counters, and behind the scenes making county government work.
For departmental highlights, um I would like to say that I have some good news.
For those of you who are at the human services meeting, you know that Graceale completed its annual survey this week with excellent results.
uh in it only included three federal deficiencies which will be remedied probably already are and that's an outstanding outcome for a nursing home of our size. The lead surveyor noted the progress made over the past year and expressed satisfaction with the facility's improvements. And while the exit interview remains preliminary and the official report is still pending, the results reflect the dedication of that entire staff.
With that being said, May is mental health awareness month. I know we don't we can't go a day without recognizing something, right? So I went to the annual awareness walk in Bethlehem and it was attended by over 800 people just walking for mental health. So that's meaningful because uh mental health obviously affects people of every background and income level and the treatment support and dignity matter for everyone. Graceale again is uh in their preparations for National Nursing Home Week include a first ever community food truck festival that will celebrate residents, staff, families, and neighbors. You're all welcome to come.
And uh I think that this is the kind of community engagement that really matters because at the end of the day, Greyale is not just a facility. It's really part of our county family.
Um, also for the in uh seniors impacted by our senior center uh consolidation, I would welcome you to redirect your anger uh towards uh the consolidation to your state and federal legislators.
uh it is the state funding that is cut and it is HR1 that has cut the funding at the highest level.
We are consolidating because we recognize that the senior centers provide a valuable part uh in our community and the lives of seniors within our community. We have nine.
We had 11.
So we do with what we have and if we can get more funding next year we will try to reopen whatever we can.
So now in DCD growco and hotel tax grant applications are now open and I encourage our eligible partners to take advantage of those opportunities.
The uh department also hosted a successful Earth Day festival uh at Northampton Community College where I presented the Green Ribbon Award to the CEO of Creo uh Crayola uh President Regio.
They also hosted another SEC successful technology training at the Nazareth Senior Center and we celebrated their governor's award at the economic development um meeting just yesterday.
Um, they brought their energy to the community uh to Graceale through their spring merchant expo highlighting local small business owners, crafters, and confectioners.
Really got to try some of that chocolate out. It's uh pretty good from uh Triple Threat, I think it's called.
Very good. Anyway, I don't want to gloss over the iniquities within our society.
I think we all realize they are real.
But that does not mean uh iniquity in our country.
Um only means alliance to the wealthy and that any alliance at all to someone with wealth is a betrayal of the workingclass families or the poor.
This is a false narrative that pits the rich against the poor, driving the wedge between the two further. There is no diametric opposition that is mutually exclusive.
There are few people in our community who are using the Dixie Cup project for self-serving purposes and twisting comments made in this very room.
When it comes to housing, we have to say yes to affordable housing, but not to the exclusion of other projects that would not ever come to fruition, but through government assistance.
First, the Dixie Cup project is a brown field development.
That means it is more expensive because of the environmental remedi remediation and that damage happened decades ago.
In this case, underground tanks, asbestous, radon, and contaminated soil were removed at the cost to the developer of $35 million.
The tiff only offers a fraction of recovery for him.
Meanwhile, the county continues to collect incrementally increasing taxes for the next 20 years and we get to receive $2 million of towards affordable housing.
I offered and thought it mindful to help homeowners in the immediate area to fix any blight or offer repairs much like the whole home incentives, not as a condescending form of obliging the working families in those homes, but as a share of the wealth of that $2 million coming up front and thereafter.
That is only one of the possibilities that could be afforded to the immediate vicinity in addition to jobs, economic growth, and an increase in the quality of life. I see that as a win for everyone, not as a handout to a wealthy developer.
The stabilized estimated market value is $147 million.
The amount that this project costs is 185 million.
So it is already over the estimated value.
It cannot be affordable housing.
Not because we are trying to make billions of dollars of profits off the backs of workingclass families, but because remediation and projects like this would not be possible because the amount to create this project is more than what it's valued.
I'm not going to harp on this because uh it is my understanding that the tiff ordinance might be pulled or withdrawn, but I wanted to use this as an opportunity to discuss with council the importance of balanced growth and a sustainable future. This is a prime example of brownfield development and it's highly unlikely that any brownfield development could ever be affordable housing because it would be cost prohibitive to build affordable housing.
This is how these kinds of properties become susceptible to warehouses and data centers.
You will have to make this choice in the future.
So, in the administration, we're making important progress in several areas that directly affect public service and county operations. Our elections team has already completed three popup election service events with the fourth scheduled tomorrow in Lower Sen Township.
Um, we are helping voters register, request ballots, and keep voting related tasks.
We also appointed Michael Leonard as the permanent director of the EMS 911 center, advanced the search for our director of fiscal affairs, and begun planning in for the 2027 budget. We actually offered the position of director to of school director of fiscal affairs to one individual who had an unforeseen circumstance that arose that precluded her from taking the position.
So we interviewed again this week and we believe we are going to be offering the job to another applicant. So let's keep our fingers crossed, right? Third times the charm, right? Theme for the evening.
Finally, I signed Executive Order 2638 to provide clear guidance on county employee interaction with law enforcement, including federal civil immigration enforcement.
The Department of Fiscal Affairs itself remains the backbone of county operations, processing transactions, supporting payroll, and technology improvements, and moving ahead on procurement for the parking deck project. public works continues to deliver visible results and one of them is the Meadows Road Bridge in Lower Sen.
Yeah, that's completed and we're actually having the final inspection tomorrow and a ribbon cutting at 11. You are all invited.
Yep. Permanent roof repairs on Gaysdale to the southeast wing damaged in the mark March windstorm are underway and we expect that work to be completed in about two weeks. We also received qualified bids for the parking deck replacement and recommendations will be coming to council for consideration in the May finance committee meeting. Human Resources has hired and onboarded 12 new employees since the last council meeting. And I appreciate the department's work in support uh in supporting recruiting, testing, and outreach. HR is also evaluating current recruitment and testing practices with the 911 center and the sheriff's department, which is kind of a proactive problem solving and that we need to do to strengthen our workforce. Our solicitor's office continues to work on essential legal sub support across county operations. And I just want to reinforce some of these broader issues.
First, our workforce is carrying a great deal with the skill and commitment across departments and we're asking a lot of our employees as and they continue to rise to the occasion. So, kudos to them. Second, our capital and operational planning are moving in the right direction. From the bridge to the parking deck to the roof repairs and budget preparation, we're staying focused on both present needs and future responsibility.
Third, the skill the scale of human services and Gsale continues to reinforce why county government must think strategically about the continuum of care. I would ask to speak on this specific topic when it comes up on the agenda. These functions are central to our budget, our workforce, and our public mission. We must continue to organize ourselves in a way that reflects that reality and prepares us for the future. Finally, I want to thank council for your partnership and attention to the work happening across the county government. Your oversight matters, your questions matter, and your willingness to engage with these issues helps us keep moving forward in a transparent and responsible way. I'm proud of what we are accomplishing so far, and I'm confident that with continued focus and collaboration, Northampton County will keep delivering for the people we serve. Thank you.
>> Anybody have any questions for the county executive?
Mr. Qu.
>> Hi.
>> Hello.
>> Today you uh issued the executive order regarding ICE.
>> I did.
>> Yes. So did you address about uh you still have a 48 hours detained policy to keep reasons?
>> I believe we did address that and you can read that in the copy of the ordinance.
>> So what is your policy? Are you still keeping that a suspect in a 48 hours?
>> This is the executive order.
>> Sure. You wrote it. So, >> okay. So, this particular executive order does not address that issue.
>> Okay.
>> That is still under consideration. Yes.
>> So, what is your are you going to require?
>> You you will know what we're going to do when we do it.
>> We are still we are still studying. We are still does not address you are still keeping a 48 hours in a suspect in a prisons while it's a violation of fourth amendment, fifth amendment and 14th amendment.
>> We understand your concerns. We are for the time being continuing to operate under the executive order that was put in place by the prior administration. We are studying the issue and we may act upon it. But that's all I can say at this point in time.
Okay.
>> Still stand >> modified how our employees engage with ICE. Does that make sense?
>> It's not modified. Yes. So, just to be clear, folks, this executive order that we entered into today focuses on individuals who are not in custody but who are on county property.
>> Right.
>> The issue that I think you are referring to is individuals who are in custody and are in the county prison. So that is not addressed in this particular executive order. There is a pre-existing executive order from the prior administration that addresses issues relating to individuals in custody. We are looking at that as well. But that is not the subject of this particular executive order.
>> That's the subject of ICE interventions here regarding form 247 request. You are still following that.
>> We are still following the prior executive order. Yes.
>> Yes.
>> But we are looking at it.
>> And we will communicate with you about that when we were ready to do so.
>> Okay.
>> Any other questions for the county executive?
>> See none. Thank you.
>> You're very welcome. Thank you.
>> All right. Next on the agenda is old business. Number one is discussion regarding an ordinance entitled an ordinance by the Northampton County Council concurring and agreeing with the Burrow of Wilson and the Wilson Area School District to participate in and authorize the creation of a proposed tax increment financing district to be known as the 1921 at Dixie Avenue Tax Increment Financing District in accordance with the powers conferred upon the municipalities by Act 113 of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as amended 53 PS93. 30.1 and uh the developer and the Northampton County Industrial Development Authority have asked that this ordinance not be voted on this evening. Like to open it up to council floor to allow any member to bring a motion or whatever action council would like to take.
>> Mr. Warren, >> Mr. President, I would make a motion to table this ordinance at the request of the Industrial Development Authority who helped to draft this TIFF ordinance.
They had requested this number of days ago. In terms of respecting that request, I make a motion to table.
>> We have a motion to table. Do I have a second?
>> Second.
>> Okay. Call for the vote, please, on a motion to table the ordinance.
Mr. Warren, >> yes.
>> Miss Keegan, >> yes.
>> Mr. Giovani, >> no.
>> Mr. Holland, >> no.
>> Mr. Craft, >> yes.
>> Mr. Faume, >> no.
>> Miss Vargo Hefner?
>> No.
>> Mr. Boulette?
>> Yes.
>> Badum?
>> No.
>> By a vote of five to four.
>> All right. So, it is still on. We're open for discussion. County Council, I believe Mr. had a amendment you wanted to put on this for the bond on the original ordinance? No.
>> Does anybody from county council wish to discuss the tiff ordinance as proposed?
>> I don't >> um there's a lot of misinformation. Um I heard somebody say that residents will be financing the development for this.
That's simply not true. The residents are not financing this. You don't understand how the tiff works.
The tiff is a governmental tool to help developers develop blighted properties. This is a brownfield property.
This costs millions and millions of dollars to take out the environmental uh tra whatever like whatever happened years ago.
So he needed this money and it is a governmental tool by the federal government that they created for developers to help them.
I don't understand why we keep going back to we need affordable housing. We need affordable housing. Yeah, we do need affordable housing, but we need a diversity of housing.
We need homes that are affordable and we would we would get $2 million to help in that cause. If we vote no on this, we're not getting $2 million. We're not going to get anything for affordable housing to help anybody.
If we approve this tiff, we will have helped the only developer that came forward in 43 years. No, you had no options. You act like you had options. You don't have any options.
Nobody else came forward.
Mr. Barti was the only one that stuck his neck out on the line to take this blighted brownstone property and fix it for Wilson.
And mayor, you said it best tonight.
Eastston is getting beautiful new buildings. Forks has all this development. Palmer has all new development. What is the problem with Wilson? Why are you treating it like it should be, I don't know, a poor place to live.
People want to live here. We have a shortage of housing. Yes, we need affordable housing and we'll get $2 million towards it.
But we need people to live here who are going to patronize our local businesses here. 400 new homes in Wilson.
These people will patronize all the local businesses all over the county.
This is only going to help all of us. So with the misconceptions of residents residents here are financing this, it's simply not true. That's not how a tiff works.
you are getting revenue right now on what that property is assessed for. And as the property gets improved, which it should because it's been sitting there for 43 years and you only had one person that came forward to to to fix it for you, that money will get reinvested into the property. We're going to get continue um continued bike pass. You're going to get EIT tax from the people that move there that Wilson will get and profit from.
You will have um the 400 homes to go towards the housing shortage.
Without this improvement, you're going to get nothing nothing more than what you get now. You don't have any other choices. You don't have somebody coming forward saying, "We're going to build affordable housing." It's not there.
So, I don't I don't understand all the social media misconceptions and some of the people that spoke tonight.
You just simply don't understand the big picture.
And as for uh Matt Flower saying that Upper Mount Bethl voted four to five for uh the Lerta up there, you have unanimous nine member boards, two of them, the school board and the burrow board who unanimously support this. They live in Wilson. They got elected by only people in Wilson. Wilson needs this.
Wilson needs this. and the people who were elected there and live there unanimously support it.
I I guess that's it out of my notes.
Thank you.
>> Thank you, Miss Keegan. Anybody else from council wish to address to speak about this issue?
>> Yes, I will put my I will go to the little backgrounds.
Developer is asking R3 taxing body for a massive TIFF t giveaway from Northampton County 5,675,28.
Wilson borrow 13,399,776.
Wilson area school district 32,886,24552 that's over $51 million in a future tax revenue diverted from our schools, roads and emergency service straight into a luxury apartments from $1.3 millions to $147 million would dramatically increase the base of and and the property value.
But here is else what else is going on.
The developer is also collecting 28 millions $478,964 in federal historic tax credit equity.
This money meant to preserve historic buildings not to subsidize luxury apartment.
On the top of that, they have already taken at least 175,000 in state green base trails and recreations program funds plus another 163,257 state grant both for a bike trails connector at the site. In total, the developer is collecting all about $79 million from taxpayer money. Thinks or what that money could do for the our school, emergency service, health service, roads and infrastructures and in returns he's offering $2 million to skip from the idea of affordable apartment that is 10%. I don't know from where this 10% idea came.
This project for me this project is of the rich by the rich and for the rich.
The upper class has purchasing power in in United States 10% people have almost 50% purchasing power. Top 1% people have almost 33% purchasing power. They can get what they want. The problem is that lower middle class, the essential worker who works at retail stores, drivers, industrial workers and nurses at Grace Tales, they cannot afford to leave here. Only proposed director or deputy director of nursing Greyale can afford it.
They need help. The lower middle class and middle class need help. They need affordable housing.
Lower and middle class families have waited far too long for the promise of trickle down economy finally benefit them.
How long they will keep waiting? How many decades must they wait?
They don't have decades.
They need help now.
I'm not worried about the top 10%. They already have purchasing power.
They have already doubled. They already have doubled housing prices in our county.
We need to address the concerns and issues of the working class.
Who they don't have purchasing power.
They are tired of trickled down economy philosophy.
They need help now. So no, we will not trade 79 millions in taxpayer money for $2 million promise.
Thank you.
>> Anybody else from council like to address this matter? Mr. Warren, >> Mr. Quam, >> I understand that you oppose this. Do you also oppose the $2 million that will be given towards affordable housing initiatives? Something I very much support. So you are opposing the $2 million for affordable housing initiatives. Do you have a proposal for us to get an additional $2 million for affordable housing propos uh for affordable housing initiatives in the future? Is there a proposal somewhere to do that?
that developer is carrying on carrying on this project. He he want to continue this project without or with tiff too when he can carry on this project without t. So why not just leave the t out of uh project?
>> That that wasn't my question sir. My question was, we are going to be able to obtain $2 million for affordable housing initiatives for the future where we can partner with Habitat for Humanity. We can partner with Shiloh down the road.
If we vote this down, if this body votes this down, we will not have that $2 million of affordable housing funds for future projects. And my question is, do you have a proposal for us to get that $2 million so that we can really embark on affordable housing initiatives in the future?
We should save our $79 million to giving them I >> these are taxpayer dollars. Taxpayer dollars. So >> you did not answer my question. Thank you very much.
>> Thank you. Does anybody have any other Lori? You want >> No, >> you had your hand up.
>> Miss Fatom, please.
>> Fatum.
>> Fatom. Yeah, I know. I'm going to say it for years until I get it right.
>> Thank you. Um, I just want to preface this by saying I have zero social media presence. Um, I also don't have a proposal ready for anybody uh regarding affordable housing.
I've only been here a couple of months, but I do want to say in my previous job, I did manage luxury apartments, so I understand that world. And I saw firsthand how it operates uh working families, young professionals, seniors. I saw that they couldn't even financially qualify to live in some of these apartments. And I saw them priced out of their communities they call home overnight.
Uh Even if they are this this proposed project, say you're operating at 94% occupancy, you're still in a position to make money hand over fist. $2 million is nothing compared to what they can make. Uh public incentives like a tiff should be targeted towards those sort of realities.
uh and investing in development that meets demonstrated community need. A proposal centered on luxury apartments doesn't address the challenges that Northampton County is facing. It doesn't close the affordability gap. I I just don't see the justification in taxpayerbacked financing. Um, we need projects that deliver clear, measurable public benefit, not market rate units.
Even if you move them in, move in, say, you know, 350, get great move in special, $1,700 a month, that lease term expires, it's going to face a rental increase, isn't it? And guess what? Our state doesn't cap rental increases. It could be 3%, it could be 12%. Again, you could be priced out of your home overnight.
I'm glad that we're discussing this up here because this is a discussion of a very great scale and it should take place here on the dis in full view of the public. All right. Our constituents deserve open, honest dialogue, not private persuasion.
which leads me to um feel compelled to address a recent action that I find deeply concerning.
Uh the former county executive contacted my current employer.
Uh in what appears to be an attempt to influence my position on this matter, uh it's clearly a breach of professional boundaries.
My responsibilities as an elected official are independent of my employment and any attempt to leverage my workplace in an attempt to sway my vote is inappropriate and unacceptable.
I was on the fence before, but I'll tell you right now, it's a solid no.
>> Would any other county council person wish to address I going um off of what Nadem had said, I I get it. I get there's poor people here that need help.
I get we need to put money towards things where it will immediately help people like food and shelter.
But if we But if you look at how much Mr. Barti has already cleaned up and how many what Tara, what did you say? How many millions of dollar? $40 million.
$35 million to clean up that brownstone property.
Good. So he should So So now he should just walk away. He should not get anything. He is the only person that came forward and he cleaned up that property. You could have been sitting around and walking all over the place in a uh toxic uh with things in the soil that are toxic, but he cleaned them up >> of comments. I'm speaking.
Um, if you I get you're mad at all of the things because people need money, but to punish this project by voting no because you could you're going to say that money could have went towards this or that money could have went towards that.
That's not the opportunities we have in front of us.
You're going to vote no because you're mad, but voting no is not putting your anger towards the thing that you should be putting it towards. Mr. Barti is here to help our community.
He cleaned it up and we should support him so that he could finish this project so that these people could move in and fill the housing deficit or help fill the housing deficit to patronize our local businesses to increase the EIT revenue for Wilson.
There are so many benefits to this that I I just I don't know how you could say no. But putting your anger towards this one opportunity is it's misdirected is what it is.
>> Anybody else from council wish to speak?
>> Um I appreciate that we have an opportunity to discuss this tonight. I think some of us have sat and listened to this more than others. Um thank you Mr. Barti for doing what you should be doing as a developer on this project. I'm sorry that the previous owner didn't bother to do the cleanup that he was supposed to do, but that's not this council's problem. And if you chose to buy the property and you chose to develop the property, then it becomes yours.
People have referred a lot. People have said a lot um in an effort to make this go through. It's been voted down twice, one and a half times already. It's being recycled again. It was an attempt to not vote on it tonight. Um, not exactly sure why, but at this point, I've heard enough. I've heard enough before. I'm not bought and paid for by anybody. I'm not an acolyte for anybody. There have been people that have called me and tried to influence my vote before. They don't do it now because they know where I stand. This is not a slap toward anybody in Wilson Burough. Yes, there were two nine person boards that voted a certain way quite a while ago.
Represented probably by the same attorney who was probably compromised at the time that he um managed the case. Um I apologize for your problem with that.
Um but it's not my responsibility. This is a tool. It's not one that I think this council needs to use at this time.
I think that affordable housing is appropriate and it's important. The $2 million is our money. It's money that's owed to us and it's a lowball because I don't think that the tax rate's going to be the same by the end of this year or next year.
And so that means more money coming back to us. And the way it's proposed now is not to be used in Wilson Burrow, at least at this time. Now, Mr. Rinsky may have new ideas about that. We could hear about that later, but I and the Brownfield the brownfield part I think is interesting because there's something else on this agenda tonight that council granted brownfield uh grant money to and then when it was delivered it was manipulated into a loan instead of a grant. So one person's being given a lot of latitude and credence and expected us to fall in line and in love and make it happen and then other people are not so much. As far as the comparisons to East and Bethlehem, again, I wasn't here when certain people got those. I have been here for some. Um I just don't think this is a good deal for this county. And Mr. Barti has said innumerable times he could do this without us. So I believe him. I hear him. And I'm going to continue to vote no. And I also really don't think it's appropriate for council members to call other council members names or act like it's incredulous because we all have our own minds. I think the term bonehead was used a few weeks ago like we're boneheads if we don't vote this way.
Well then call me a bone head. I'll I'll own that moniker with pride. Thank you.
Anybody else from county council wish to address?
Go >> ahead, Dave.
>> So, I'd first like to just start by saying congratulations to Mr. Barti because um the amount of interest and pressure and activity around this has been really quite astonishing. So, I'm not sure why that is, but you've done a great job in marshalling your resources and your advocates um to try to get the development done. So, I'd like to just take a step back from the discussion.
There's a lot of heated discussion and recognize if we can that this government gets a bad rap a lot and and rightfully so. I think this is really an opportunity to stop and look and realize this is how government's supposed to work. People are here expressing their opinions. We have varying opinions on the deis. People have contacted us.
They've certainly contacted the newbies um you know who didn't vote last time with passionate um arguments pro and against and expressing their opinions and that's how it's supposed to work. So I think we can take a moment at least we can all agree that this is democracy, right? This is how it's supposed to work and regardless of how what the outcome is. Um, I think we need we need to recognize that and hopefully, you know, we will continue moving forward with it.
Um, so that being said, um, I I I just think it's important to at least acknowledge that and appreciate um, the people that have come here. I I will express regret to to Miss Fedum. That's a very unfortunate incident and I will say that myself. I've had some kind of borderline unsettling conversations with people who have reached out to me to try to um lobby or or influence which um you know to a point that's what we're supposed to do. People are supposed to let us know as your elected officials what is it that you want us to do? What how should we represent you? Um, but there have been some times when it's been a little I'll just use the word unsettling as far as some of the um and some of the um the level of intensity with that and um I'm ready to vote.
Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I was on part of the council when we voted this down before and I get a lot of emails, a lot of phone calls from my people up in my district 4 and they definitely don't want me to vote for this because they know that eventually we're going to have to come back and raise taxes. Don't know how much, but we're going to have to do that. Um, there's too many things that were skipped in the last budget. It's 40 $40 million less than it was in 2025.
So, it needs to we need to get up to where we need to be. So, I'm just going to vote no on this also. And I think we it's time to make a motion to make a vote no.
All right. So, uh, uh, if that's done with the comments, um, the, uh, North AM County Industrial Development Authority had asked us to have this ordinance not be voted on tonight. Do we want to honor NCIDA's request to not vote on this as they asked? Do we want to move on for the night and get to the next part of business?
>> It's my understanding, and I asked Mr. Desler to explain to us very clearly what that meant. I believe he gave us a legal opinion that we have three options and I'd like to exercise the option to call for a vote and if it passes it passes. It can't pass but it can be voted down and so I'd like to motion that we do so.
>> Right. And I think um given the position of the NCIDA um I guess while while council could in theory vote to uh adopt the the tiff as a practical matter you can't really do that since the IDA is not ready to proceed at this point and they're the I think I said in my email like a crucial cog in this. I mean they're issuing the bonds and everything else. So I I think um that's not an option. And so your options are yes to to table it or you know do nothing or to have a vote and vote it down.
>> Any other discussion?
Do we want to move along or do we want to vote? Do you want to take a motion on whether we want to vote or what? There >> there was a motion to table that failed.
I think we have to vote on >> Had a motion to table and second but that failed.
>> I'll make a motion to deny the tip.
Yeah, you can't >> hold on. I don't think we can make that motion correct, Mr. President, that because we have the ordinance right in front of us here, >> right?
>> So, clearly council's preference is to have a vote on this tonight.
I I can't We already have public discussion that was last week and wish you were here first earlier, but you're here now. We can't, you know. So, uh, call for the vote.
Who votes for the Tiff?
>> What's here?
>> Oh, okay.
>> Yes.
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Craft.
>> Yeah.
>> Mr. >> M. Vargo Heapner.
>> No.
>> No.
>> No.
>> No.
>> No.
>> By a vote of to three.
>> Next thing on the agenda is a public hearing of an ordinance entitled Okay, cut with the clapping. All right. Next thing on the agenda is a public hearing of an ordinance entitled Ordinance amending Northampton County Administrative Code, Article 2, Administrative Code Organization, Article 6, Department of Human Services, and Article 13.
>> Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse me.
>> Excuse me.
>> Sorry.
>> Yeah.
Article 13, Procurement and Disposition of County Property. The ordinance was introduced by Miss Keegan and Miss Fatam.
So, I'm just teasing you. Sorry. Uh, at the April 16, 2026 meeting, is there any questions or comments from the public on this ordinance? Seeing none, is there any discussion from county? Oh, there is some. I'm sorry. You're public. Come on.
Always relieve always relieving tension.
>> Thank you.
>> Yeah.
What?
>> Yeah, I'm gonna do that then when it comes up. Yeah, that's that's at the end of old business, but it's new business, but old business, you know, we all have it with us.
>> Yeah. Yeah, we got it.
Although I think you do have this.
You're gonna listen. You know what?
Thank you so much, Tom Giovani, for listening to me. You know, who would have guessed it that you're you're gonna be the one who listens to me? Okay. Hey, >> you Yeah, I gotcha. I gotcha. So anyway, good evening again, council, president, members of council. Tonight, I'm asking you to consider a practical organizational change that reflects the reality of what Northampton County already manages, human services, and Greyale.
They are no longer a separate line items in practice. They are one of the county's largest, most complex systems of care. We're talking about a combined workforce of 1,318 employees across human services and Graceale.
So, a footprint that represents more than 60% at the chart over here of the county's annual operating budget and spans two physical locations that are 10 miles apart. That scale requires more than a traditional department structure. It requires a dedicated continuum of care model with clear leadership, accountability, and strategic alignment.
Why this change is needed? The county's current structure was built for administration, but the work now demands integration.
Gracedale, aging services, supportive living, behavioral health, housing related transitions, and community-based care all intersect at the same point.
These residents who need coordinated services, they don't need siloed programs.
When one cabinet member oversees a workforce this large, the role becomes too broad for daytoday operational coordination alone. A continuum of care department gives council and the administration a single point of accountability for strategy, service, alignment, and long range planning across the entire care spectrum.
So you could see here that this represents county staffing by department. The red is human services and Greydale.
Those are other lines segmented in blue show what other department heads oversee in terms of employees.
So on April 15th at the personnel committee meeting I presented a proposal for a continuum of care department and I am once again recommending the creation of a new department of continuum of care positioned adjacent to human services to serve as the county's integrated care and planning hub. This det this department would not duplicate human services. It would organize the systems that human services, Greysdale, and partner agencies already rely on as they relate to Greyale specifically.
Its purpose would be to coordinate the full continuum, nursing care, supportive living, and a future campus-based development reflecting the needs of the continuum of care across the 364 acres upon which Graceale occupies. That approach reflects the direction already being discussed through the graceale continuum of care items on the council agenda.
So the continuum of care director is necessary because the county needs senior executive leadership focused on strategy, external partnerships, funding alignment and long range system design.
This is the person who can oversee the transition from separate program management to an integrated care model while ensuring the county is positioned for grants, partnerships, and capital planning. We already discussed how Lehi County has a supportive living care and nursing care that run tandem with each other and how the supportive care actually assists in the fiscal responsibility related to the nursing home.
I know that you know that we make a $7 million contribution from the county every year.
This would help alleviate that.
So why council should support this?
Council should support the structure because it matches the size of this challenge. The county is already responsible for a very large workforce across human services in Greydale and those operations are central to both resident care and budget stability.
Council should also support it because the county has also signaled interest in formalizing these roles with agenda items for continuum of care job descriptions and personnel requests for a director and deputy director. That means this is the right moment to define the part department clearly and set it up for success.
Council has already acknowledged that this work would require new cabinet level leadership and tonight we're bringing forward the structure to make that possible.
So in closing, this proposal is not about adding bureaucracy. It's about building the leadership structured to required to manage one of the county's most important responsibilities and assets caring for our aging residents and vulnerable populationations with dignity, coordination, and long-term financial responsibility.
The Department of Continuum of Care gives Northampton County the framework to modernize service delivery, support Greyale's future, and align public resources with a more integrated model of care. Thank you. Do you have any questions?
>> Go ahead, Dean.
>> So, I have simple question. If the residents need a wheelchair, somebody's leaving as a patient over there. First he will ask to deputy directors for this approvals of wheelchairs and then deputy director will ask to director continue for his approval. Then he will inform to administrator.
>> It's not as truncated as you think. uh the director of nursing will oversee the staff and and the care. This is more about the strategic leadership and planning for the continuum of care. So think of it as um organizational leadership rather than the um operational leadership that you're talking about. I I I think that's what you're talking about. I mean, you're talking about medical supplies, right?
>> You're talking about a wheelchair.
>> I'm talking about the extra layer of management you are putting there. And same things they will ask to directly administrator. Now they have to go to deputy director then director.
>> No, that's not how it that's not necessarily how it'll go. But this director would report specifically to me. And right now, Miss Wandowski is running between both buildings and trying to manage all of this. And what I'm basically saying is that the role that she performs in the human services and Greyale are too big for one person.
And if we add the supportive care so that we can sustain graceale this will be an even larger operation.
You are saying this model is failed and new model will comes and it will >> the reason why this current model is not working as well is because of the cuts in Medicaid and because of how Medicaid reimbursements go. We always have a cash flow deficit at Greydale because we're waiting about 18 months for those intergovernmental uh transfers to come through. So it's a cash flow issue. If we have a supportive care unit, we alleviate the cash flow problem.
These two position will increase the cash flow the new two positions director and dep >> because these positions will help in the planning organization and leadership in enabling us to get this new structure.
>> Are you lacking of planning?
>> Yes. We're lacking in capacity because Miss Wandelowski is pulled in many different directions right now.
>> Present directors, present administrations doesn't have a capacity to make a planning.
>> That's the same question you asked me already and I believe that I answered it.
Miss Wandalowski does not have the capacity with 1300 employees under her. There are several bargaining units I think what is it six.
So, it's a daunting task and what we're trying to do is become more efficient and have more oversight at Graceale so that we can understand and proceed with a structure that will keep Gracedale and sustain it now and in the future.
Does that make sense?
>> Understand what you're saying. But anyhow, thank you.
>> Your uh chart doesn't have uh I see there's a whole bunch of directors on here, but I don't see uh the prison.
I don't see a number for that.
>> It's over here.
>> It's over there.
>> Okay. Because you know these are all positions that have directors and and and and they're all like 130 and 120. So >> the prison has like five wardens, right?
>> No, the prison has one director.
>> One director. But how many wardens?
>> One?
>> No.
>> One warden. There's only one warden.
There's deputy wardens.
>> Deputy warren. Sorry. Deputy wardens.
>> There's one. There's deputy wardens for different uh >> You're right. You're right. Thank you for the correction, Ken. I do appreciate that. After all of your work >> in corrections, I know that you know this.
>> Yeah. I just wonder why it wasn't on the chair.
>> I because I can't just put everything on a poster. I tried.
>> It would it would have fit.
>> It would. You would hope maybe if we resize that down a little bit.
>> Anybody else have questions for uh Mr. Rinsky's presentation?
>> I have a comment.
>> Um yes, please. Um so when we spoke about this at the personnel committee meeting I said at the time that I am supportive of this because of the fact that Miss Wendelowski has a much broader portfolio than any other uh cabinet secretary between aging uh healthc care children just you know it's extensive and most of the other departments are much more focused.
Seeing this chart, you know, really puts that into a deeper perspective. Um, between human services and Graceale, it's almost four times the staffing of the next highest level department. Um, I don't I don't have experience managing a nursing home or managing human services, but I have worked in the corporate world for quite some time. And I don't know any um corporation that would look at a chart like this and say this is a good organization. Um generally they're moving towards flatter organizations um distributing staff more efficiently to make sure that uh one manager isn't overwhelmed by the number of staff. So I think it's important to um reduce those uh discrepancies. So that's my comment on this.
>> Mr. Vargo Hefner, >> thank you for your presentation. Um I hear what you're saying and I appreciate the effort to try to make something happen in a different direction at Greydale. I just don't know that this is it in my opinion. Um I think that there are positions already at Greyale that could be used, that could be filled, that could serve what you're proposing. And if unfortunately the wrong people were in them prior to your um administration, then maybe we should be finding the right ones to do the job.
>> I I don't think >> I'm speaking. Thank you.
>> Sorry.
>> My apologies.
>> Thank you. Because I don't know that you know what I'm referring to. Um I think that there's there's a finance director, there's director. All these positions exist and it's not the hierarchy. And if the right people were there, then Miss Wandelowski wouldn't have to have so much oversight.
Miss Wandowski's also had this job for eight years and has not complained till now that she's had to do this or at least not publicly to this body. Um, while I do believe that it's a lot, I think that spending money at this time to create two new positions is the wrong direction. And I think if we're looking for a subject matter expert to talk about how to really take care of this, that person is sitting on this deis.
That person has knowledge of how to do this and that person has done it. And I I would really like to hear what he thinks about this because um he's done the job.
>> Can I reply? Am I allowed to?
>> I would like to hear from him.
>> Uh you can reply to that one and then I'll if Dave wants to talk, I'll let him talk.
>> Yeah. I I just want to say this is a plan that I have tried to unfold. It has nothing to do with Miss Wandalowski per se. It has to do with the structure and hierarchy within our operating system.
Greyale is an entity unto itself.
And it's not that the management there is inadequate. It's not that the department of nursing is um inadequate or that people aren't doing their jobs.
It's that the cabinet needs somebody specific who is focused on Greydale because it is that big. It is a county asset and responsibility that I do not want to drop the ball on. And I do understand that Mr. Holland does have nursing home experience.
I have also talked to many individuals with nursing home experience and St. Luke's and nursing staff there and nursing care and people who are in the continuum of care. There are many models for this including the Philadelphia model and another model that I can't remember.
Sounds like endless but it's not right.
>> English. Thank you. It's like English but yet not English. Um so this is something that is coming from the administration. This is why I was elected to be executive to lead and I'm trying to lead from this podium. Anybody else from council have any questions? Mr. Holland, >> I don't have any questions. I'll wait until the our discussion amongst ourselves. I don't need a response from the executive on my comment. So, if anybody has questions for the executive, now is the time to ask.
>> Any other questions for the executive?
>> I just have one. Go ahead.
>> Um, I think we're on track to get the provisional license lifted in June.
>> Yeah.
>> So, what happens if that doesn't happen, though?
What do you mean?
>> But if >> I don't plan on having another exorcism, do you? No, we're not going to have that. I think that provisional license is going to have it's going to happen.
>> Throwing it out there. Got to be the devil's advocate. You could drink these positions and then >> we're up the river without a path.
>> None of these positions would have to be filled.
You can have vacancies, but what we are asking to do is to create them.
We will come to you when we want to fill them. We're asking you to create them now so that we can start moving towards a bigger plan. I've already talked to people who are interested in helping fund projects and growing this out. So, this isn't county taxpayer money.
This is public private partnership and philanthropic dollars that will go to this. But we need leadership and accountability to oversee this project.
This is bigger than us. This will be a legacy that won't just be mine. It will be in perpetuity if we can create a model that will help Greydale sustain itself. If we can create an endowment and a fund that they can draw upon, that would be something pretty interesting. Oh, yep. Sure. Hey. Yeah.
You don't want to forget that.
>> You're very welcome.
>> Anybody any other questions for the executive?
>> Thank you.
>> Very welcome.
>> Discussion from county council for this.
Do we have any discussion from county council?
Well, if he wants to speak, he can say he wants to speak.
>> I don't think I have a choice now since since Miss Vargo Hefner's intro introduction. Um, first just one question for the solicitor. If I remember correctly, three weeks ago, we were told that there has to be a vote on this tonight because there's a time constraint. Will it will automatically become I don't want to use the word law, but it can you speak to that a little bit? I I think the issue was the last time um there were infelicities in the proposed plan by the executive that I think it would not have been prudent to allow to pass into ordinance. So to take action tonight either to vote down or approve the ordinance I think is something that should be done just so that the and the infelicities in the executive's proposal don't pass into the administrative code >> because there is an automatic time where it won't pass into the code if we do not act.
>> Yeah. because I don't think you'll have another meeting until it >> Okay. I just >> We right >> going to have a discussion with Jess.
This was uh >> I thought this was fixed though.
Language came out.
>> It is the the ordinance fixes it.
>> It was fixed. It was It was fixed. It was fixed last time too. It was just I was saying that if you want if you like if you like the executive's proposal then adopt the ordinance. Don't allow the executive's proposal to pass into the administrative code because there were >> imperfections from council.
>> Yes.
>> Any other discussion for county council?
You have anything to say besides that question?
>> I do actually. Yeah. I I think that um I want to express kudos to the executive um for having these discussions because for the longest time there really hasn't been any vision or direction or seemingly at least from you know from a citizen standpoint of you know where are we going with Gracedale or just uh services in general. So kudos for having that discussion and coming up with you know a plan you know to move forward or do something with it. Do I think this is the right plan? No, but we can talk about that. So, I think that now that we know that there's a quarter of a million dollars of salaries and benefits available to us collectively to um figure out the best way to utilize that to move um Greydale forward. I think that uh we should take some time to reflect on that and um and look at what's the best way to utilize some of those resources. Uh I completely agree that the future of any kind of long-term care um it has to be an integrated model. U we have behavioral health, we have substance use, we have um developmental disabilities. We had a great presentation on that tonight. And mental health to meet the needs of of Northampton County, we need to come up with a plan to address the residential and the programming component of all those people who have needs. We heard in human services that there's a lot of people who have needs. They're doing the best they can, but they don't but there's not enough resources. There's not enough um places for them to go.
There's not enough things for them to to meet their needs. So, I think we absolutely have to have that discussion.
We have to have it integrated some way in if you want to call it a director of continuum of care. Um that is definitely the way to move forward. I think just we just need to stop and look at it and talk about it a little bit more and come up with a plan versus two high level administrative positions for um a total of salary and benefits at least what I'm I'm looking at of a quarter of a million dollars every year until those positions were would be if they were ever um removed.
So that's all I have to say.
Anyone else from council wish to discuss this?
No more discussion. Um I'm I'm seeing what the executive is saying. Um you know if you look at you know the administration 132 people, public works 120 people, the DA which is an elected position for 93, the sheriff with 83 uh fiscal affairs which we don't have a director yet uh 62 people. court services 50. Uh these are all appointed positions. They're all directors of those things. Um and you look at human services and Greydale and you have 1,318 employees. Um as Mr. Vlette said, um I don't know how one person is supposed to do that. Um I understand that we all want to do things at the nursing home. I mean, it is the these positions will be at Greydale, but I mean, 1,318 people for one director. Uh, it's it's it's a lopsided chart. Um, I know it's $250,000 for both positions. if they're filled.
Um, if we approve this, she has to come back to us for the appointment of the position like they do for every other other every other cabinet position we have to approve as council. Um, they may not be filled. I don't know. But um clearly looking at the structure of the county and the directors, not parceling off Greydale and where they're going to be located at, it is very lopsided. As Mr. Blet said, it's it's nearly impossible for one person to to be ahead of 1,318 people. So I think we should vote for this. I think we should give it the chance. Doesn't mean it has to be filled. If it's filled and it doesn't work, it can easily unfilled. You know, it can go away just as easy as we put it into things. So, I think we should uh support this.
>> So, with that said, I'd like to call for the vote, please.
>> Keegan, >> yes.
>> Badum, >> yes.
>> Miss Fargo Hefner, >> no.
>> Mr. Warren, >> yes.
>> Bullet, >> yes.
>> Mr. Giovani, >> no. Mr. Holland, >> no.
>> Craft, >> yes.
>> Passes by a vote of five to four.
>> Thank you. Next thing on the agenda is ah more old business. Now, we're going to um as everybody knows, we had I guess we're going to call them the stop light easements. So, >> yeah.
>> Motion Ken, >> I need a motion to untab an ordinance entitled an ordinance creating permanent easements for the construction and maintenance of signal installation Sullivan Trail Planefield Township.
>> Point of order.
>> Yes.
>> Can we make a motion to untab all of them at the same time to save time so that we can vote on each one of them individually?
>> I mean, we >> because we tabled them all together. We discussed all this and we have already gone through it all but they had some kind of errors in the dimminimous errors.
>> We tabled them individually.
>> Oh, did we?
>> Oh, we did. Okay. So, we'll do it quickly. You ready?
>> Here we go.
>> You ready? I need someone to make a motion. Untable the ordinance. Second.
>> Uh, vote for a motion. Untable the ordinance.
>> All for the vote, please.
>> Fargo Hefner?
>> Yes.
>> Warren?
>> Yes.
>> Lette?
>> Yes.
>> Fedum?
>> Yes.
>> Giovani?
>> Yes.
>> Holland?
>> Yes.
>> Keegan, >> yes.
>> Craft, >> yes. Caillou, >> Miss Keegan, can you make the motion to amend the ordinance? You have to read something in >> We're on new business one, right? I I didn't know this is old business.
>> We're untabling your all the >> Okay, everyone's talking at once at me.
>> The script that I wrote up.
>> The script that you wrote up.
>> Where is it?
>> Okay. Well, pause >> a script >> script here.
>> I know. I know. Do things right the first time.
>> But is that on this agenda?
>> No.
>> All right, we're on. Miss Keegan, could you please make the motion to amend the ordinance?
>> So, Motion to untable an ordinance entitled an ordinance creating permanent easements for the construction and maintenance of signal installation Sullivan Trail Planefield Township.
>> We already on table.
>> Yeah, you just have to read the paragraph.
>> Read the paragraph.
>> Just the paragraph.
>> Yeah, sorry about that.
>> Okay. On page two, the paragraph beginning with whereas the trail easement shall be deleted and amended to read whereas the trail easement attached as exhibit A signalization area is shown in the survey plan. Easement exhibit Planefield Township project number C15-02 2024 prepared by handover um engineering on April 8th, 2026 attached as exhibit B and exhibit plan two trail river trails C15-02 2024 prepared on March 26, 2026 attached as exhibit C and ends the now. Therefore, it is hereby ordained and enacted final paragraph should strike as exhibit A and replace with in the attached exhibits.
>> Need a second.
>> Second.
>> Uh, any discussion on the amended amendment of the amendment?
>> Call for the vote.
>> Miss Keegan, >> yes. Orgo Hefner?
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Warren?
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Blet?
>> Yes. Miss Fedum.
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Giovani.
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Holland.
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Craft.
>> Yes.
>> Mr. C.
>> Adopted by voted by.
>> All right. Number two. Motion to on table an ordinance entitled >> vote on it. Now we got >> Oh, we vote. I'm sorry. Now we have to vote on the amended >> ordinance.
>> Ordinance, please. Just call for the vote. I'm sorry.
>> You're right.
>> Yes.
>> Kegan, >> yes.
>> Yes.
>> Bum.
>> Yes.
>> I apologize. I've not been using your Mr. Mr. Holland, >> yes.
>> Graph, >> yes.
>> Yes.
>> Fargo Hefner, >> yes.
>> Mr. Warren, >> yes.
>> Adopted by a vote of 9 to zero.
>> Thank you. Number two, motion to unt ordinance entitled an ordinance creating permanent easement for the construction and maintenance of signal installation Sullivan Trail, Planefield Township, Donna M. Garity. I need someone to make the motion to unt.
>> Make a motion.
>> Second.
>> Uh, I need a vote on the motion to untab the ordinance, please.
>> Giovani.
>> Yes. Bum.
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Holland.
>> Yes.
>> Miss Yes.
>> Mr. Craft.
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Caillou.
>> Yes.
>> Vargo Heft. Yes. Mr. Warren.
>> Mr. Boulette.
>> Yes.
>> 9 to zero.
>> Miss Keegan, can you make that motion please?
>> I to amend the amendment motion.
>> Okay. So it'll be on page two the paragraph beginning whereas the trail easement shall be deleted and amended to read whereas the trail easement attached as exhibit A signalization area is shown in the survey plan easement exhibit Donna MG Garity project number C5-2 2024 prepared by handover engineering on April 8th 2026 attached as exhibit B and signal easement plan to Rivers Trail C15-02 2024 prepared on March 26, 2026 attached as exhibit C and and the now therefore it is hereby ordained and enacted final paragraph should strike as exhibit A and replace with in the attached exhibits.
>> Miss Miss Keegan made a motion. Do I have a second?
>> Second.
>> Is there any discussion from council on the motion? Uh, can we have a vote for the motion as amended, please?
>> Yes.
>> Fargo.
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Javani?
>> Yes.
>> Mr. >> Yes.
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Bay?
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Warren?
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Blette?
>> Yes.
>> Miss Fedum?
>> Yes.
>> Now, can we have a vote on the amended ordinance, please?
>> Javanni.
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Warren?
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Holland?
>> Yes.
>> Miss Keegan?
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Craft?
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Caillou?
>> Yes.
>> Miss Vargo Hefner?
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Blet? Yes, >> Miss Feda.
>> Yes.
>> Adopt by voting 9 to zero.
>> Okay. Number three, I have a motion to untab an ordinance entitled an ordinance creating permanent easement for the construction and maintenance of a signal installation Henry Road Trail Daniel.
>> Motion.
>> Second.
>> Got a motion and a second.
>> Mr. Boulette.
>> Yes.
>> Mrs. Fedum.
>> Yes.
>> Miss Keegan.
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Craft.
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Caillou.
>> Yes.
>> Miss Vargo Hefner?
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Warren?
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Giovani?
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Holland adopt the 59.
>> Miss Keegan, can you read in the amendment, please?
>> On page two, the paragraph beginning with whereas the trail easement shall be deleted and amended to read whereas the trail easement attached as exhibit A signalization area is shown in the survey plan. Easement exhibit Daniel SpHTH Henry Road Trail Crossing Project number C15-02 2024 prepared by Handover Engineering on April 8th, 2026 attached as exhibit B and exhibit plan to Rivers Trail C15-02 2024 prepared on July 25th, 2025 attached as exhibit C ends ends the now.
Therefore, it is hereby ordained and enacted final paragraph should strike as exhibit A and replace with in the attached exhibits.
>> I have a second.
>> We have discussion from council. Seeing none, call for a vote on the motion, please.
>> Miss Keegan, >> yes.
>> Mr. Juani, >> yes.
>> Mr. Craft, >> yes.
>> Mr. Caillou, >> yes.
>> Fargo Hefner?
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Warren?
>> Yes.
>> Met?
>> Yes.
>> Miss Fedum?
>> Yes. Mr. Holland.
>> Yes.
>> By voting nine to zero.
>> Okay. Now I need a vote in the amended ordinance. Please.
>> Motion to approve.
>> Giovani.
>> Yes.
>> Hegan.
>> Yes. Mr. >> Raay.
>> Yes.
>> Miss Bargoh.
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Warren.
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Bullet.
>> Yes.
>> Miss Fedum.
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Holland.
>> Yes.
>> Mr. Craft.
>> Yes.
>> Adopted by a vote of 9 to zero. All >> right. Number four. for a motion to unt ordinance entitled an ordinance of a county council of Northampton County authorizing the amendment of the existing Gity Trail easement with Donna M. Gerity recorded on May 21, 2021 to modify the existing easement area from 18,873 ft to 17,92 ft more or less as determined by survey of real property by the county of Northampton, Planefield Township, Pennsylvania. The trail easement agreement amendment modifies the easement area with no change to the terms, conditions, rights, and responsibilities in the trail easement agreement. The Gity Trail easement is part of the Two Rivers Area Trail Gap. I need someone to make a motion to unt >> and a second. I need a vote for the motion to untab the ordinance, please.
>> Fargo Hefner, >> yes.
>> Giovani, yes.
>> Mr. Warren, yes.
>> Mr. Blet, >> yes.
>> Miss Fedum, >> yes.
>> Mr. Holland, >> yes.
>> Miss Keegan, >> yes.
>> Mr. Craft, >> yes. Miss Cayung.
>> Yes.
>> Adopted by a vote of 90.
>> All right. Any discussion on the untabled ordinance? Is there any discussion?
>> Seeing none, call for the vote.
>> Oh >> There's no amendment.
>> Oh, there's no amendment on this one.
>> No, there was no amendment on this one.
>> Just making sure.
>> Mr. Giovani, >> yes.
>> Mr. Warren, >> yes.
>> Mr. Blet, >> yes.
>> Miss Fedum, >> yes.
>> Holland, >> yes.
>> Mr. Craft, >> yes. Mr. >> Fargo Hefner, >> yes. About the vote nine to zero.
Okay. Any other old business?
Seeing none. New business. I have the introduction of an ordinance entitled an ordinance of North Hampton County Council affirming protection for election workers from threats, intimidation, harassment, and violence.
Can I have somebody sponsor the ordinance?
>> Uh, that's my ordinance. So, I will sponsor that.
>> Uh, do I have a second?
>> Co-sponsor.
>> Co-sponsor. Okay. The public hearing discussion, possible vote will take place at the May 21, 2026 meeting. All right. Number two, I have the introduction of ordinance entitled the ordinance repealing Northampton County ordinance number 744-2023.
The ordinance titled an ordinance by Northampton County Council concurring with the Upper Mount Bethl Township and the Banger Area School District and providing for property tax exemption for certain deteriorated properties as defined in the ordinance 201704 of the Upper Mount Bethl Township pursuant to act 76 of 1977 of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as amended. I need someone to sponsor this ordinance.
>> I'll sponsor.
>> Need a co-sponsor.
>> Co-sponsor.
have a co-sponsor indicate a public hearing discussion and possible vote would take place on the May 21, 2026 meeting.
>> Mr. President, if I may ask a question of our solicitor, it was suggested earlier that it would be outside of our purview to repeal an ordinance that we previously passed. Could you clarify if we do actually have that authority?
>> I think that would be for the discussion on when when we have it in two weeks.
>> Okay. Consideration of Greydale Continuum of Care Job Description Revolution. Uh, Mr. Giovani, could you introduce the Yes. Introduce the resolution, please?
Um, it is hereby resolved by Northampton County Council that the petition of one full-time Greydale Continum Hair Director paygrade CE/GRVI-1A salary 109,632 total salary and benefits 148,249 in the department of Greyale of continum care of care shall be created effect on May 8, 2026.
>> Thank you, Mrs. Giovani. Do we have any discussion from council on this job description resolution?
>> Uh question. Yes, sir.
>> So, the ordinance that we passed earlier amending the administrative code doesn't take effect for 30 days. Are we okay creating the positions even though that has not taken effect?
>> Good question.
>> It takes effect when the county executive signs it.
>> Well, the ordinance says it takes effect 30 days after it's enacted. Yeah. 30 days after. Okay. So, okay. So, what's the question about that?
>> Are we okay creating the job descriptions even though the organization under the >> Yeah, because have the job description, right?
>> I I just wanted to make sure that it's okay to do that. Okay.
>> Uh any other discussion on this?
>> I I do.
>> Yes. I would again urge to um not approve these to give us a moment to uh review the job descriptions. I I think there's a lot of duplication between the administrator, the um the lead accountant, um which has been an unfilled position for I don't know how many months it is posted now, but that lead accountant, which is a position that currently exists, is very close to the deputy director job description. Um, so there's that and then there's also the director the director position is really heavily long-term care focused and if we're looking for more of a behavioral health specialist and or developmentally challenged um specialist uh veterans or mental health or substance use, I think that the skills and the set of um needed knowledge should be more reflective of that versus just reiterating what the current nursing home administrator does.
So, I know we passed the uh the administrative code, but we don't have to pass the job descriptions as written.
Um, so I would I would encourage you to vote now.
>> Could I counter and suggest we perhaps table this?
>> Yeah, sure.
>> Oh, can we're not done with discussing yet, though. Um, do you have something to say?
>> Oh, I said I would love to table. Can we table something like this? It's not >> I mean, we had it we had it It was in the uh >> made a motion to table.
>> Fine. There's a motion and a second to table.
>> Clarify which one we're talking about though.
>> Different ones. I have one with salary and then I have another packet.
>> I think this is both of them.
>> This is a job description for the continuum of care resolution.
>> This is one of the positions. This is the the the So, we discussed it at >> the human services meeting.
We already did discuss this at a human services meeting.
>> It was presented. I'm not sure we discussed it.
>> All right. So, um there's a motion to table and a second. So, call for the vote.
>> Yes.
>> Yes.
>> Yes.
>> Yes.
Yes.
>> Yes.
>> Yes.
>> No.
>> Next is a consideration of a personnel request department of Greystone of Continuum of Care Director. Mr. Giovani, could you introduce the resolution, please?
It is hereby resolved by the Northampton County Council that the position of one full-time Greydale condominium of care deputy director paid grade CSGR321- A salary 83,172 total salary and benefits 119,741 and the department of Greydale condominium of care shall be created effective May 8th 2026.
>> Thank you, Mr. Javanni. Now, this is the director of the department of Greystone Continuum Care. Discussion from county council.
>> Deputy, I'm sorry. Next one. No, it's >> director director position. Motion to table in the same spirit.
>> I have a motion to table. Is there a second mo to the motion to table?
>> I'll second.
>> All for the vote.
>> Yes.
>> Yes.
>> Yes.
Yes.
>> No.
>> Yes.
>> Number five, consideration of personal request, Department of Greystone Continuum of Care, Deputy Director, Mr. Giovani, could you introduce the resolution that you're going to table?
>> The deputy director.
>> Deputy director.
I thought that >> is similar.
It is hereby resolved by the Northampton County Council that the position of one full-time Gracedale Contennium of Care Deputy Director Paygrade CS-GR32-1- A salary 83,172 total salary and benefits 119,741 in the department of Greydale condominium of care shall be created in effect of May 8th, 2026. Discussion.
>> Motion at table.
>> Is there a second for the motion?
>> Second.
>> The vote.
>> Yes.
>> Yes.
>> Yes.
>> No.
>> Yes.
>> No.
>> Yes.
>> Is there any other new business to discuss tonight?
Seeing none, county council committee reports. Any committee reports? Mr. Warren.
>> Mr. President, the economic development committee meeting today. We heard from the Pennsylvania Department of Community Economic Development regarding the governor's award for local government excellence. Also, we heard from Civotas um concerning Discover Lehigh Valley's initiative for a tourism improvement district. And we also heard from the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission with regard to data centers. We also had the human services committee meeting uh as well before this council meeting. We received an update on our developmental programs as well as the mental health division provided an update and presentation as well.
>> Thank you. Any other committee reports?
Seeing none, any council leazison on reports?
>> I do have one.
>> What? So, I attended the board of directors meeting for the Northampton County Conservation District uh last week. Uh there's a discussion item about a proposal being made before the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts. Uh the Lebanon County um conservation district is making a proposal to ask the Pennsylvania Association to call for a moratorum on the use of bioolids on farmland until a testing regimen can be implemented for uh testing PAS and other forever chemicals. Um this is for anyone not familiar with it a an issue with a lot of contention in the county. Uh Planefield Township does actually have an ordinance uh restricting the use of bioolids uh which is um potentially in conflict with the state's right to farm act. Uh but what the p what Lebanon County is calling for the Pennsylvania association to do is to lobby state legislature to update the right to farm act and to call on the D to uh implement some changes that have been under review for quite a number of years. So that has not been voted on yet by the Northampton County Conservation District. Uh it'll be likely voted on by one of our coming meetings >> and they will be here soon again because spring is in the air and they'll start spreading bioids. They're here every year. Um any other council committee reports?
>> I just have a um courts from chair of courts and corrections next Thursday. Um there's a cyber court cyber security um conference that I will be attending with the court administration um and our IT person and someone from administration to talk about threats to the court systems in Pennsylvania and in general from a cyber security standpoint and if we may if we may need to take some action as a result of that conference next week. So >> thank you. Um Mr. Giovani and myself have been involved in trying to get our wonderful room up to date. Uh we are going out to get um RFP to finally get some kind of numbers to fix our room. So we'll keep you in track as soon as we get any more information that we can give everybody. We will get it to you and we will be voting on whatever Mr. Giovani and I present to council.
>> Will the administration be paying?
>> Originally it was us and Apparently, we paid for things that didn't work. So, are they going to pick up the cost this time?
>> We're we're working.
>> Are you negotiating that?
>> We're Yeah, it's Don't put the cart in front of the horse.
>> Well, you know, just information, >> but we are working on it. We're moving forward and everybody's It's moving along fine. Just wanted to let everybody know. Any liaison reports?
Seeing none, uh, county, >> nothing.
The solicitor's report.
>> Nothing from me.
>> Okay. I need a motion. Motion motion.
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