Plans to alter the skyline of South Bethlehem were tabled by the freshman class of Bethlehem City Council Jan. 18. The new date to consider three “certificates of appropriateness” has been pushed to Feb. 15.

By then council, which has three new members, hopes to have selected a seventh member to fill the chair vacated by former councilman and now mayor William Reynolds and to have their newly-appointed legal counsel, Brian J. Panella, on the job.

Council Vice President Grace Crampsie Smith made the motion to delay the decision on three separate COAs, all concerning projects slated for South Bethlehem. She said new members of council should be given more time to study such large projects before making a decision. She also wanted to wait until the newly-appointed solicitor was able to review the projects and offer the best advice to the council.

One delayed project would put a new five-story building on what is now a parking lot next the Lehigh Valley Charter HS for the Performing Arts on East Third Street.

The second delayed approval for a COA is for a nine-story building to replace smaller buildings between 317 and 327 South New Street.

Council also delayed a COA for the transformation of the former Holy Infancy School at 127 East Fourth St. into 24 residential apartments.

In other business, newly-hired City of Bethlehem solicitor Jack Spirk introduced the legal team for the city. The part-time assistant city solicitors are Matthew Deschler, Loren L. Speziale and Maraleen Shields.

Spirk was previously councel for Bethlehem City Council, a job now held by Panella.

Spirk was also the City Solicitor under former mayor John Callahan and is back in the same position under recently elected Mayor Reynolds.

Spirk said the new team will have “duty-days” when they would be expected to be available for city business. He said reviewing the approximately 500 city contracts will be a large part of their jobs.

Reynolds introduced his new Right-to-Know officer, Zachary Cole-Borghi. Cole-Borghi last week was sworn in as a newly-elected Lehigh County Commissioner.

Reynolds also mentioned his new Information Officer and Communication Support team, Love Media LLC, owned by George Wacker, whose contract was approved by council.