Environmental and fiscal concerns were highlighted at the April 17 Hellertown Council meeting.

Christine Mildner, Operations Manager of Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Services from Barry Isett and Associates, provided an update on the borough’s Pollution Reduction Plan. The plan is required of nearly all municipalities that exceed a certain population threshold under the federal 1972 Clean Water Act.

One of the most significant requirements of the plan is a required 10 percent reduction in the amount of sediment runoff reaching Saucon Creek, with the aim of a concurrent reduction in pollutants reaching the waterway and its tributaries.

Thus far, the borough has at minimum identified, and in some cases, begun to implement Best Management Practices at four runoff sites in the borough, Mildner said. She added that a fifth will likely need to be chosen to facilitate the installment of all reduction measures by the end of 2027, as required by the current MS4 permit.

According to documents, current plans include a vegetated swale at Durham Street (similar to what was installed at Dimmick Park in 2021), bio-retention behind the baseball field along Rentzheimer Drive, and a filter strip buffer with conservation easement near the upcoming connection of the Saucon Rail Trail and South Bethlehem Greenway at the Thomas Iron Site.

Mildner noted that while the cost of such projects can be a source of consternation for municipalities, community organizations and individuals interested in conservation efforts can often help ease some of the burdens to the borough.

In other business, councilor Andrew Hughes presented findings from the third and most recent Finance Committee meeting. In the tradition of the first two sessions, he picked a certain area - this time, the borough’s various insurance plans - to analyze and identify opportunities for cost savings.

Ultimately, Hughes’ suggestions included reconsidering deductible allocations for some of the borough’s vehicles and leveraging electronic vehicular monitoring devices such as dashboard cameras, for which many providers offer discounts.

Additionally, councilor Liz Thompson raised concerns about drivers failing to stop for pedestrians using crosswalks along Main Street She identified four specific sites of enhanced danger: the 7-11 convenience store, Braveheart Highland Pub, Lost Tavern Brewing and Saucon Valley Bikes.

Police Chief Robert Shupp said that while the department has limited manpower to patrol the affected intersections, he acknowledged the need for ramped-up enforcement, saying “we will absolutely get out there.”