A power outage caused by high winds dimmed but would not extinguish the Feb. 22 Hellertown Borough Council meeting, as its President Thomas Rieger, council members and attendees improvised – with Rieger streaming the session over Zoom with his laptop and a mobile wireless ‘hotspot’ until electricity was restored.

The most prevalent topic of discussion was the resounding rejection of a revised proposal by Gabriel Solms from Lou Pektor’s Ashley Development Corporation in Bethlehem to turn the former Neighbors Home and Garden Center site at 42 Main St. between Walnut Street and Polk Valley Road into a three-building apartment complex.

Since the parcel currently sits in a shopping center zoning district, the council would have to authorize a variance. When representatives from Ashley first presented their plans to the council in November 2021, the site plan called for 142 apartment units, which drew several concerns.

Despite the changes to the plan Solms and associates brought to the council, members expressed many of the same reservations. Between “establishing a precedent” for so-called ‘spot zoning,’ as planning commission member Liz Thompson said, as well as traffic and maintenance-related concerns, most of the reception to the proposal was chilly at best.

Some council members expressed trepidation at what’s been characterized as an “explosion” of mixed-use, multi-family developments throughout the borough. Only Mayor David Heintzelman shared a positive outlook on the idea, saying there were worse things other than the now-112 unit structure that could be built.

Ultimately, the council decided to place the item onto the next meeting’s agenda for formal rejection of the zoning variance. Due to recent changes in Pa.’s Sunshine Act, any such proposed motion must be made public before action can be taken.

In other news, borough Manager Cathy Hartranft advertised an electronics recycling and document shredding event planned for April 30 at Dimmick Park. The two-hour event is free for Hellertown borough residents only.

A discussion was also held on the borough’s difficulty in obtaining bids for a proposed renovation of the Community Pool’s concessions stand. Borough engineer Bryan Smith recommended re-advertising it and said contractors have been “extremely hesitant” due to supply chain and staffing issues. The council unanimously voted in favor of Smith’s suggestion.

On a related note, Hartranft and Rieger reiterated the need for applicants to various seasonal positions at the pool: an aquatics manager, ticket booth/concessions manager and lifeguards. “If we don’t get any of those, the pool can’t open,” Rieger said.

Hartranft noted that the borough has increased its wages for the upcoming season, and is offering 50 percent reimbursement for the cost of lifeguard certification training.