Catasauqua residents heard an update to the Iron Works project during the Catasauqua Borough Council meeting March 20.

According to borough Manager Glenn Eckhart, Lehigh County Redevelopment Authority was expected to be voted on at the next Lehigh County Board of Commissioners meeting. This group will work with the borough to develop the Iron Works site.

Eckhart reported there are nine parties interested in bidding for the opportunity to develop the site along Front Street. He said things should start moving more quickly once the RDA is approved.

In other business, Nahi Khoury, from Remington and Vernick Engineers, requested council approve payment for two projects. Council approved $72,379.03 for SJ Thomas for the electrical upgrade at the wastewater treatment plant and $2,572.52 for Grace Industries to close out the 2022 road program.

Khoury also reported the borough is seeing grant funds coming in for a number of projects.

A parking lot grant for Race Street in the amount of $418,559 was approved, without requiring a match from the borough. It was noted the borough submitted for that grant in 2021.

Two grants were received for Walnut Street. The stormwater and water main relocation project is receiving $312,392, with no match needed from the borough. The Walnut Street overlay project for road improvements will receive $100,000.

A number of additional grant applications are in progress, including an $800,000 grant for the pool area, which won’t be awarded until 2024.

Council also approved an agreement for the official codification of borough ordinances and codes, not to exceed $3,685. It was reported the official codification has not occurred since 2020.

Regarding public safety, two handicap permit requests were handled. A request for a property on Race Street was denied, at the recommendation of police Chief Douglas Kish, because the resident has access to off-street parking. A Church Street request was approved since that resident does not have off-street parking as an option.

Council also discussed a Sensus Federal Communications Commission agreement for use of airtime to make water meters in the borough more readable.

It was reported there are two openings on the borough’s planning commission. Anyone interested in filling a seat should contact Eckhart. It was also noted the approval of Virginia Schlegel to fill the empty council seat will leave an opening for an alternate to the zoning hearing board.

Mayor Barbara Schlegel said she recently served as a judge for the Innovative Arts Academy Charter School Dancing With the Students event. She commented on the high level of talent displayed by the students.

She also noted the George Taylor House is seeing an increase in paranormal event requests. A recent paranormal experience filming will air on national television May 4.

Also at the meeting, a handful of residents addressed council with their concerns. One resident has reportedly been complaining about fire pit usage in the borough for years, with no results.

“No resident should have to wait three years for a response to a complaint,” he said. “It makes you question your trust in the process.”

Eckhart said his complaints are on the list for the new code enforcement officer to investigate.

Another resident asked about Catasauqua Main Streets organization’s affiliation with the borough. He said the business group had the borough municipal building listed as its address online. He also asked if the group is a 501(c)3 nonprofit.

Council Vice President Howard Cunningham said the group is not officially affiliated with borough council and did not know anything about the address. He also reported the group is not a 501(c)3.

A third resident raised concerns about a penalty and fee he believes he received in error. He also noted his water bills do not come consistently. It was mentioned the issue had been discussed in committee, but they could review it again.

Another resident wanted to check in on a few issues he had noticed. He asked about a nearby homeless encampment. Council reported the area had been cleaned up.

He also asked if any progress had been made in stopping large trucks from crossing the Pine Street Bridge. Council said there really isn’t anything else they can do since the trucks are coming from the Whitehall side of the bridge.

His final request was needing solar speed limit signs around the borough.

At the end of the meeting, Cunningham took the floor to share his concerns about a Lehigh Valley Press writer who used to cover Catasauqua Borough Council news.

Cunningham said he wanted to “set the record straight” about an article written by Bill Leiner Jr. in February about a grant to help the police department with technology upgrades. Cunningham said Leiner credited Chris Fine, owner of DRC Technologies; Steve Travers, former Catasauqua borough manager; and Vanessa Nedrick, from Remington and Vernick Engineers, with submitting for and receiving the grant.

Cunningham reported he found the grant papers on Travers’ desk after Travers left his position as borough manager. Cunningham pushed for the grant, and it is his signature on the application. He also credited Khoury from Remington and Vernick as being involved in the grant process.

Cunningham also called Leiner out publicly about filing Right to Know requests in the borough, adding up to approximately $20,000 in legal fees. Leiner then did not write stories about the issues he was investigating, Cunningham said.

The Right to Know requests were made solely by Leiner. They were not made at the request of Lehigh Valley Press.

Cunningham said many of these requests were made about issues he was involved in and things that he said. He reported feeling targeted.

“I’ve had enough of Bill Leiner not telling the truth,” Cunningham said. “I’m tired of being beaten up.”

Council next meets for committee meetings 6 p.m. April 3. The next regular business meeting is set for 7 p.m. April 24. Meetings are held in the municipal complex, 90 Bridge St.