The March 21 Hellertown Council meeting was fairly brief, but included several items of interest for borough residents.

The council unanimously approved the purchase of a new command vehicle for the Dewey Fire Company in the amount of $55,941. Council President Thomas Rieger personally attested to the current command vehicle’s “need to be retired,” and Fire Chief Matthew Simkovic noted that with the order, it will mark the first time in the company’s 140-plus year history that its entire fleet of vehicles will be color-coordinated.

Police Chief Robert Shupp asked the council’s official consent for the Police Department’s new body-worn camera policy. He explained that they’d been in the works for several years, and said they’re “a huge asset, not only to police, but to the public.”

The department was awarded $50,000 from a Northampton County grant toward the purchase of the cameras, Shupp said, and the policy regarding the use of the cameras is common and widespread. The policy, which was already approved by the Police Chiefs’ Association and the borough’s police department, was unanimously approved.

Self-described lifetime borough resident Jayne Shinko joined the meeting to ask the council to address needed repairs to the Morris J. Dimmick Park bandshell. She complimented officials on their efforts at maintaining all of the borough’s parks, noting that the attention paid to their upkeep - and in result, their usage – is significantly greater than it was in the 1980s and ‘90s.

However, the bandshell – a wooden structure built in 2014 – is beginning to deteriorate due to a lack of waterproofing and should be addressed “within the next couple of years, before it gets too bad,” Shinko said. Rieger replied that Public Works head Barry Yonney was in attendance and taking notes, and the issue would “be taken care of.”

Mayor David Heintzelman took the opportunity to announce that the annual Hellertown Spirit Parade in October will honor the 150th anniversary of the borough’s incorporation. “Cherishing the Past and Embracing the Future” – which is also the borough’s official slogan – will be the theme, and other celebratory events will be held as well, he said.

Borough Manager Cathy Hartranft reminded residents of the Electronics Recycling and Document Shredding event scheduled for Saturday, April 30 from 9 to 11 a.m., “or until the truck is full.” It’s available to borough residents only and – contrary to a prior publishing error – some items do carry a fee, particularly televisions and computer monitors.

Additionally, the borough’s Compost Center would soon open for residents on Fridays, April 1 and 8, closed Good Friday (April 15), and open on Fridays and Saturdays thereafter through the Spring months, she added.

Hartranft and Heintzelman also commented on the ongoing struggles with staffing the Hellertown Pool for the upcoming season. Hartranft noted that applications were beginning to “trickle in,” and she was planning on conducting interviews in the coming days.

The mayor further asked for residents to “stay positive with what (they) say when it comes to recruitment of the people that can help open this pool.” He was referring to criticism on social media over the supposed competitiveness of pay rates for the various positions.