During North Catasauqua Borough Council’s March 15 meeting, Cpl. Antonio Tramonte, of the North Catasauqua Police Department, came before council once again to request formal recognition of the North Catasauqua Police Association.

After a review of the association’s proposal by Solicitor Steven Goudsouzian, council passed a motion granting official recognition.

In other business, borough Secretary Tasha Jandrisovitz reported there have been 46 inspections completed for rental properties in the borough so far. These inspections are part of new ordinances borough council signed into law last year to improve and maintain living conditions for renters.

Jandrisovitz added there are 100 borough properties remaining that have not yet registered for inspection, and another notice will be sent to owners reminding them to apply.

Councilwoman Jessica Cope, who heads the borough’s committee on public property, parks and buildings, requested permission to apply for two grants to fund improvements to the North Catasauqua William J. Albert Memorial Park.

Council voted to apply for a livable landscapes grant and a Lehigh Valley Greenways mini grant to install new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant equipment at the tot lot and new shade trees, Wi-Fi speakers and a pollinator garden in the triangle at the corner of Buttonwood and Grove streets.

Council President Peter Paone gave an update on the multimunicipal comprehensive plan, which is being formed by River Central - the name for the collective of Catasauqua, North Catasauqua and Northampton boroughs and East Allen and Hanover (Lehigh County) townships.

At a recent steering meeting, representatives from those municipalities scheduled plans for three public meetings to be held April 8, 9 and 14. All three will be conducted virtually, planned for different times of the day, to welcome maximum participation from the community. More details will be posted at planrivercentral.org.

Paone also discussed plans for two major construction projects in the borough. North Catasauqua will receive $500,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and $500,000 from Northampton County to go toward the completion of the D&L Trail in the borough. Upon completion - expected in September - the new section of trail will connect North Catasauqua to the Heritage Trail Pedestrian Walkway in Northampton. Construction is expected to begin in May.

In addition to the construction of the trail, this year will also see the construction of a new trailhead access point, located behind the borough’s Main Street public works complex. During the March 15 meeting, borough council made a motion to apply for a $75,000 livable landscapes grant to help cover the $352,000 bid made by the contracted construction company, Umbriac Trucking.

Police Chief Chris Wolfer reported his department completed a successful drug raid on a property in the 1300 block of Third Street.

Councilman Mark Gioielli asked Mayor William Molchany, Paone and Roger Scheirer, emergency management director, if the FedEx truck traffic task force has resumed its efforts to curb unwanted truck traffic in the area.

The task force, which Molchany, Paone and Scheirer met with in early 2020, ceased meeting after the onset of the pandemic last year. Little progress had been made to deter truck traffic at that point.

Gioielli cited a recent incident where a tractor trailer drove on private property to turn around on Willowbrook Road. Paone said he would contact the head of the task force to find out if there were any plans for those meetings to resume.