At a special meeting of Catasauqua Borough Council Jan. 24, council members considered reopening the approved 2022 budget.

During the 2021 municipal election cycle, Catasauqua’s Republican candidates pushed for cutting real estate taxes and the possibility of abandoning some ongoing borough projects.

Funding for programs such as Catasauqua Main Streets, Northampton Regional EMS, Shade Tree Commission, Public Library of Catasauqua, George Taylor House and more was to be considered for cuts. Representatives from the various groups were on hand to defend their budget allocation and their services to the borough.

In the hearing of persons present agenda item, former council President Vincent Smith attempted to explain to the current council the difference between investment in the community and expenses.

The goal of Smith and his like-minded council colleagues was to create a renaissance in Catasauqua to make the borough a destination, not merely a pass-through community.

Numerous street developments, parking and bridge projects were passed, including a brownfield transformation known as the Iron Works project, during his tenure. These efforts garnered Catasauqua an award from Lehigh Valley Planning Commission and recognition from Lehigh County and state legislators.

Smith said the previous council passed, in his opinion, a responsible and thoughtful budget that contained no tax hike. He added the new council members need to understand the budget better before thinking about reopening it.

He pointed out opening the budget without a clear understanding of governmental budgeting could cost taxpayers “a couple thousand dollars in advertising costs” at a minimum.

Pushing to reopen the budget were freshmen legislators Howard Cunningham, council vice president, and Jill Smerdon. Smerdon was absent from the meeting.

Borough Manager Stephen Travers explained to council that of the 11 concerns presented by the new council members, 10 of them do not seem to be budgetary issues.

Representatives from Northampton Regional EMS, Main Streets and George Taylor House addressed council about the benefits their organizations bring to the borough.

Councilman Gene Schlegel reported a reason for reopening the budget was that 33 percent of Catasauqua real estate taxes are uncollected.

Travers pointed out the actual figure is about 23 percent.

Efforts by Norris McLaughlin to collect delinquent taxes has reportedly been a challenge.

Kevin Buraks, an attorney with Portnoff Law Associates, provided council a presentation on what Portnoff can do to collect delinquent taxes. Portnoff is used by many municipalities, including Catasauqua Area School District, to ensure taxpayers are indeed meeting their responsibility to pay their taxes.

A vote to engage Portnoff is expected at the Feb. 7 council meeting.

In another budget matter, Councilman Paul Cmil alleged the accounting methods used by the borough office are not complete and do not portray an accurate picture of expenditures. Sandra Gyecsek, borough treasurer, and Travers provided a tutorial about budgeting to council, noting what Cmil was asking for was, in fact, already what the office does to track expenses.

“We are not going to change our accounting methods,” said Brian Bartholomew, council president. “What we do here has been working for 18 years.”

Those 18 years referenced are the years Bartholomew has been on council.

At the conclusion of the budget reopening meeting, it remained unclear if council will make any cuts to borough programs.

In other business, a resident reported he set up a free library box at 549 Howertown Road. He requested permission to make two more boxes to place in the borough. He was told to find potential locations that are observable, so vandals cannot destroy the boxes and to report suggested locations back to council before installation.

Schlegel mentioned a free library box was placed in the municipal park, but vandals destroyed the box and threw it into the creek.

In his report, Travers requested and received permission to have the borough workshop meeting the first Monday of the month and the monthly council meeting the last Monday of the month. This change will assist the borough office in managing borough expense payments.

Currently, the workshop meeting is the last Monday of the month with the monthly council meeting the first Monday of the month.

Council also approved Ordinance 2022-1411, pursuing a tax anticipation loan in the amount of $400,000 at an interest rate of 1.55 percent. The note is payable by the end of the year and will carry an interest cost of about $5,400. The ordinance passed 6-0.

Mayor Barbara Schlegel said about 25 letters were deposited into the Santa letters mailbox, with all 25 receiving a response from Santa. She also announced the annual yard sale to benefit Catasauqua Police Department’s K-9 unit is scheduled for May 7.

There were no council committee reports as the committees did not meet in December 2021.

The next borough council meeting, a workshop, is 7 p.m. Feb. 7 in the municipal complex, 90 Bridge St. It is a hybrid meeting, with both in-person and virtual options. Visit catasauqua.org for the call-in and access codes to view virtually.