Although the official start of the summer season remains two months away, the Hellertown Pool was among the most dominant topics at an otherwise brief and ordinary borough council meeting on April 3.

Borough Manager Cathy Hartranft reported that despite a “great turnout” of applicants for seasonal positions working the pool’s ticket booth and concession stand, she encouraged prospective lifeguards to apply. She also reminded the council that the borough fully pays for certification classes for new trainees and offers a $500 end-of-season bonus to employees who work a certain number of hours.

The council also authorized payment of nearly $120,000 to contractor CMG of Easton, Inc. for continued renovations and additions to the pool’s concession stand. The borough approved an estimate of over $675,000 for the project in 2022 and has now spent approximately $400,000 with this installment. However, it is not yet known whether the stand will be finished under budget, it was noted.

In other news, council President Thomas Rieger provided an overview of council’s newly-implemented online document-hosting technology and the changes and upgrades provided by the new program. Most notably, the public can now easily view council meeting agenda attachments in real time, as the site – offered by Diligent Communities - is significantly more interactive and user-friendly.

Next, Jonathan Cummings, with Bethlehem real estate firm Cassidon Property Management, proposed a community scavenger hunt, with proceeds donated to a charity to be determined. A week-long May challenge will encourage participants to engage with local businesses and organizations, Cummings added. Ultimately, the council approved the proposal without dissent.

The council also briefly discussed the much-publicized and controversial proposed expansion of the Bethlehem Landfill, as Solicitor Michael Corierre provided a report from a Lower Saucon Township Conditional Use Hearing held earlier in the day. He reported that Hellertown was granted “party status,” which allows it to officially join the many other individuals, adjacent municipalities, and other organizations who have opposed the plan.