S.V. Conservancy Announces 2013 Board of Directors

The Saucon Valley Conservancy has announced its current slate of officers in the following press release.

Lower Saucon Township – Friday, Feb. 22, 2013 – The Saucon Valley Conservancy is pleased to announce the election of its board of directors and advisory board members at its annual meeting held on Feb. 21 at the historic Heller Homestead.  All will serve for a one-year term. We are very excited to welcome Roger Jurczak to our Advisory Board.  Board of Directors/Officers: Priscilla deLeon, President; Laura Ray, Vice President; Ginnie Blocker, Secretary; Donna Rice, Treasurer; Jerry Holum, Controller; Mary Ann Chegezy; Bob Ensminger; H. Ralph Koch, Jr.; Kathy Hudak; Debra Mellish; Ken Raniere; Russ Rice; and Michael Schlecht.  Advisory Board: Ian Cramb; Kyle Datesman; Larry Eighmy; Greg Huber; Roger Jurczak; Frances Roseman; and Stephen …

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Councilwoman Concerned About Dumping at Historic Site

Lower Saucon Township councilwoman Priscilla deLeon said May 2 that she is "disappointed" about reports of dumping by the City of Bethlehem on the site of the former Redington Proving Grounds.

A historic munitions-testing site in Lower Saucon Township that is owned by the City of Bethlehem may have recently been used as a dumping ground, and one township council member says she is concerned about that. At council's May 2 meeting, councilwoman Priscilla deLeon commented on a report by Township Manager Jack Cahalan that "some fill" may have recently been dumped by the city in the ruins of historic structures at the Redington Proving Grounds. The proving grounds date from the mid-19th century, and were deemed eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. DeLeon--who is also president of the nonprofit Saucon Valley Conservancy, which advocates for the preservation of local, historic resources--said she is…

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Council Weighs Converting Museum Furnace to Gas

Converting the Heller Homestead's oil furnace to gas could result in a significant savings. The potential for a conversion was discussed at Lower Saucon Township Council's March 7 meeting.

There was a time when oil heat was the preferred choice of many, but in recent years the high cost of home heating oil has caused some homeowners to switch to natural gas. And now, Lower Saucon Township is contemplating that decision on behalf of a property that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. At township council's March 7 meeting, members discussed the opportunity to convert the oil furnace in the Heller Homestead--a township-owned museum--to gas. The opportunity exists, township manager Jack Cahalan explained, because a gas line serves the Society Hill residential development, which is located directly west of the homestead property. The gas line is not buried in adjacent Friedensville Road, however, so "they would…

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Council Authorizes Trail Commission to Approve Special Events

On March 7, Lower Saucon Township Council gave the green light to the Saucon Rail Trail Oversight Commission to approve special events held on the trail in the township, although it will retain final authority over those decisions.

Special events such as 5K races and bike rides could be coming to the Saucon Rail Trail in the near future. At Lower Saucon Township Council's March 7 meeting, township manager Jack Cahalan said the multi-municipal Saucon Rail Trail Oversight Commission has already received several requests to host special events such as races, in spite of the fact that the trail is less than a year old. Cahalan wanted to find out from council members whether the commission could be given the authority to approve events held on the rail trail, because no framework currently exists for it to do that. Without such a framework, he said, each member municipality's governing body--including the township council, Hellertown Borough Council and the Upper Saucon …

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Township Council Re-Elects President, Vice President

Glenn Kern was re-elected council president and Tom Maxfield was re-elected vice president at Lower Saucon Township Council's Jan. 3 reorganization meeting. A new council member, David Willard, was also sworn into office at the meeting.

Lower Saucon Township Council members stayed the proverbial course at their Jan. 3 reorganization meeting. Council members unanimously re-elected Glenn Kern president and Tom Maxfield vice president at the meeting, which was the first meeting of 2012. "I will do my best to uphold the position. Thank you," Kern said after his election. Maxfield, councilwoman Priscilla deLeon and new councilman David Willard were also sworn into four-year terms on council. All three were elected in November. Lower Saucon Township Council meetings are generally held on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 7pm in Lower Saucon Town Hall. Agendas, meeting minutes and other information can be found on the Lower Saucon Township website.

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Viewfinder: Heller Homestead Hosts Holiday Gathering

The Heller Homestead in Lower Saucon Township hosted the Saucon Valley Conservancy's annual Holiday Gathering and a Meet the Artists Reception for members of the Bethlehem Palette Club's Plein Air Group on Dec. 5.

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Happy Anniversary: Mr. and Mrs. Teribio Cuono Celebrate 63 Years

The Cuonos, who celebrated their anniversary Dec. 26, are the parents of Priscilla deLeon of Lower Saucon Township.

Katherine and Teribio Cuono of West Bangor celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary on Dec. 26, 2011.  Mrs. Cuono is the daughter of the late Joseph and Mary (Carrescia) Cerino, who lived in Bangor. She retired from the garment industry in 1988. Mr. Cuono is the son of the late John, Sr. and Madalena (Nicoletti) Cuono, who lived in West Bangor. He retired in 1987 after 36 years in the garment industry. He served in the 5th Air Force Army in the South Pacific during World War II. The couple was married on Dec. 26, 1948, in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church, Roseto, by the late Rev. Joseph Ducci. Mrs. Cuono, given in marriage by her father, wore a white satin gown trimmed with seed pearls and sequins. A headdress of seed pearls held …

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Local Businessman Considered for Gaming Authority Appointment

Lower Saucon Township Council voted to recommend John Blair to serve on the Northampton County Gaming Revenue and Economic Redevelopment Authority at its Dec. 7 meeting.

A local businessman could be Lower Saucon Township's next representative to the Northampton County Gaming Revenue and Economic Redevelopment Authority, township council decided Dec. 7. John Blair, who owns John Blair Custom Homes, would replace authority member and current township councilwoman Priscilla deLeon, whose term on the authority board expires Dec. 31. Blair's name was brought up during a discussion about possible candidates to fill the vacancy because he earlier expressed an interest in serving on the board, council said. Councilman Ron Horiszny said he believes that any time a citizen expresses an interest in serving in such a capacity it should be encouraged. Horiszny also thanked deLeon for her two years of service on the …

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Township Councilwoman Defends Statements about Gaming Grants

Priscilla deLeon and Hellertown gaming authority representative Stephanie Kovacs maintain that deLeon's earlier statements were accurate.

At recent Lower Saucon Township Council meetings there has been considerable discussion regarding grant applications submitted by the township to the Northampton County Gaming Revenue and Economic Redevelopment Authority. The June 15 council meeting wasn’t much different. The council’s gaming authority representative, councilwoman Priscilla deLeon, defended her previous statements to council regarding the grant applications. At the June 1 township council meeting, council vice president Tom Maxfield read a letter into the record in which he stated that deLeon had given inaccurate information to council regarding gaming authority grant applications--information that led council to draft a letter asking for the abolition of the gaming …

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Township Council Rescinds Vote That Asked for Gaming Authority's Abolition

Council vice president Tom Maxfield said the board received misinformation from its gaming authority representative, council member Priscilla deLeon.

In a reversal of the motion made at its previous meeting, Lower Saucon Township Council last week voted 4 to 0--with one abstention--not to write a letter requesting the abolition of the Northampton County Gaming Revenue and Economic Redevelopment Authority. Council Vice President Tom Maxfield, who originally made the motion to write a letter requesting the abolition of the gaming authority, read a letter he wrote to council citing the reason for the change at the June 1 meeting. Maxfield explained that he believes council was misinformed by the Lower Saucon Township gaming authority representative, council member Priscilla deLeon, about the grant application process. In the letter Maxfield stated: “Subsequent information gathering, …

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