Northampton County Council met Aug. 4 to hold a public hearing regarding the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) Act exemptions for deteriorated areas in Wilson Borough.

The deteriorated area in question is the Dixie Cup factory, 1610 Van Buren Road, which has sat vacant for many years.

Currently, there is a potential developer for the building, and in order to make the building an asset to the borough, it needs many repairs. Some of those repairs include new windows, roofing and elevators, as well as removal of lead paint and asbestos. Costs for these renovations are anticipated to be high, which is why Joseph Reibman, one of the building’s owners, and Wilson Borough are seeking approval for these tax exemptions.

The LERTA Act passed in 1977 and would freeze taxes on the property for five years and double them the next five years.

Both Wilson Borough Council and Wilson Area School Board have approved the exemptions.

Borough Solicitor Stanley Margle spoke on what he believes to be a misinterpretation of the LERTA application.

“There is an understanding on some folks’ part that the application before you is as to a specific use of the property, and it’s not. It’s as to the property itself,” Margle said.

Margle added the county council should consider the site area, not its use, because there is no proposed use at this time.

“This is the most generous LERTA I’ve come across,” Councilman Kevin Lott said.

He added broken windows are a maintenance issue, and asbestos is a “normal renovation problem.”

At council’s last meeting, Reibman said there was a tenant in the building as late as January 2022. Councilwoman Tara Zrinski questioned how this could be if the building is dilapidated and when the dilapidation occurred.

The tenant simply used part of the 636,000-square foot building for storage. Reibman said code was met for the inhabited area.

Wilson Borough resident Armando Moritz-Chapelliquen organized a petition and gathered feedback from his fellow residents.

Residents are concerned about increased truck traffic, deteriorating public roads, decreased safety and increased air emissions. Many residents agree the building needs to be redeveloped; however, they would like something more useful for their community rather than potentially another warehouse.

Many council members believe the LERTA exemptions should be “tightened up” and made to reflect every other LERTA the county has previously given.

After a lot of discussion, council made a motion to table the vote until its next meeting. The motion passed 8-1.

Northampton County Council will next meet 6:30 p.m. Aug. 18 at 669 Washington St., Easton.