At the April 25 Catasauqua Borough Council meeting, Mayor Barbara Schlegel reported there is a group that wants to meet with the George Taylor House committee to help raise funds for the historic mansion.

Schlegel urged council members to attend the next GTH meeting to learn of the fundraising suggestions.

Vanessa Nedrick, in her borough engineer’s report, said the Willow Brook Farms development plan may include keeping nine holes of the former golf course.

The plan requested to use Catasauqua sewer plant capacity. Nedrick said there is room to add this capacity request, and this flow addition could yield funds for the borough. The plan is being developed for proposal, and more analysis is being planned.

Nedrick reported both U.S. Congresswoman Susan Wild, D-7th, and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey have grant money available for capital projects in the borough. Nedrick said she applied to both grant programs.

In his general government committee report, Councilman Dave Bernini informed members a borough property owner said he received a sewer and water bill 10 times his normal bill because there was an apparent unknown water leakage from a pipe on the resident’s property.

The general government committee recommended the bill be greatly reduced. Council voted unanimously to reduce the bill.

In another matter, the application for reimbursement of borough funding to civic-minded organizations was discussed. Some council members are seeking a different method of tracking funds going to these nonprofit organizations in the borough. The topic will again be discussed at the next general government committee meeting.

Councilman Paul Cmil, in his public utilities committee report, said there are blocked sewer/water lines in Catasauqua. He suggested a program that costs about $8 a month per household to address the matter. Cmil suggested the borough engage this plan to evaluate if this is something necessary to address some public utilities issues.

Cmil also reported there is a digital program for water systems that could increase efficiency of the water system. He suggested council consider engaging this potential upgrade.

Cmil requested council consider a three- person authority to address water/sewer issues, with the chairman receiving a salary. Council President Brian Bartholomew pushed back, noting council recently did not approve such an authority because of a reluctance to hire another borough employee.

Councilwoman Jill Smerdon, in her planning and zoning committee report, said the committee will be discussing the aesthetic design guidelines for 5G introduction in the borough.

The committee is also reviewing the rental inspection fee process. Smerdon noted the borough is subsidizing the costs of landlords’ rental inspection fees. The goal is for the borough to not have a cost associated with rental inspection fees by having landlords cover the total inspection costs.

Vincent Smith, former council member and former council president, thanked Smerdon for working to upgrade the landlord rental inspection fees. Smith relayed when he was elected to council, there was no landlord inspection fee ordinance. The ordinance was developed then, but Smith said it was in need of a revisit.