At its March 4 council meeting, held in person, council members met with Rachel Puccio, a representative of a recovery-oriented organization called Change on Main.

Change on Main holds various group meetings and operates a drop-in center providing peer support at 1830 Main St., Northampton. The center is run and supported by individuals in recovery.

Change on Main offers 12-step meetings, various activities, assistance with job searches and nourishment and acts as a clearinghouse to help members find the assistance they need. The organization does not provide treatment.

The center is an important effort because addiction and relapse have increased throughout the pandemic. Change on Main’s role in assisting those needing services, support and fellowship is invaluable. Community support is a critical element in the success.

Goals of Change on Main include reducing the number of addiction deaths and arrests for addiction-related crimes while assisting those in recovery grow and find success in their recovery. Success in recovery can be elusive and uneven for many.

The Change on Main program was started by Northampton County via a grant from the county’s department of human services.

In other business, Northampton Police Chief Bryan Kadingo requested permission to hire a part-time police officer. Michelle Pagan is the recommended applicant for the part-time police position. It is expected council will appoint Pagan at the March 18 meeting.

Newly hired patrolman Geoffrey Perry was present at the meeting to meet council. Perry was hired at a recent virtual meeting so he did not have the opportunity to meet council in person.

Northampton Exchange Club requested council grant permission to run the annual Northampton Community Days celebration at Municipal Park. The tentative dates are July 7-10.

Borough Manager LeRoy Brobst informed council a sympathy basket was sent to Janet Dorshimer, whose husband, Barry, recently died. Barry Dorshimer was a member of the borough’s Civil Service Commission.

Edward Pany, curator of the Atlas Cement Company Memorial Museum, reported a geologist named Tom Newman, from Fort Collins, Colo., toured the museum. Pany said Newman was visiting the Lafarge cement plant in Cementon and decided to visit the Atlas museum.

Brobst told council the opening of Northampton park reservations began March 1. He said all park reservation permit holders are responsible to observe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention safety protocols.

According to Brobst, Catasauqua Area School District plans to construct a new football field and offered the topsoil to Northampton at no cost. CASD will have the soil tested before delivery to a temporary location on Howertown Road.

Brobst also reported the borough planning commission will meet this month to reorganize the committee and review the final plan of the Willow Brook Farm phase 2 development project.

It was announced there is an opening on the borough’s Civil Service Commission. Applications are available at the borough office, 1401 Laubach Ave. The term expires Dec. 31, 2025.

The next Northampton Borough Council meeting is 7:30 p.m. March 18. It is expected to be an in-person meeting. If so, attendance may be limited to 25 attendees including council and administration staff.