Sunday, March 31, 2013
Thomas Rieger is seeking re-election to the Hellertown Borough Council.
Hellertown Borough councilman Thomas "Tom" Rieger has announced his campaign for re-election to his council seat. "For the last three years I have fought to control costs on behalf of the taxpayers of Hellertown," he said. Rieger is one of six candidates vying for four open seats this year. In a press release about his campaign, Rieger talked about his experience at promoting transparency in local government: "A key promise of my first campaign was to open up the Borough’s Government to its residents. Over the last three years I have built an interactive borough website so that residents can find important information and keep up to date with community events. This was done practically at no cost to the borough or its residents. Instead of…
40.57948
-75.34084
Borough of Hellertown
685 Main St, Hellertown, PA
/articles/borough-councilman-announces-re-election-bid-c1eb57c1
1785475
/locations/9141301
Friday, November 9, 2012
Hellertown Borough Council announced Monday that it's considering a one mill tax increase and possible layoffs in order to balance the borough's 2013 proposed budget.
Residents of Hellertown could see a modest tax increase next year. The preliminary version of the borough budget approved 6-1 by Hellertown Borough Council Nov. 5 includes a one mill property tax increase, which is equivalent to $50 per year for a home with an assessed value of $50,000. One mill is equal to $130,659 and the current (2012) borough millage rate is 17.75, which is equivalent to a tax burden of $887.50 per year on a house with an assessed value of $50,000, according to information shared by the borough. An increase of the millage rate to 18.75 mills would thus increase that annual burden to $937.50 on a home valued at $50,000. The lone council member to vote against the preliminary budget as Thomas Rieger. Council also …
40.57948
-75.34084
Borough of Hellertown
685 Main St, Hellertown, PA
/articles/council-considering-tax-increase-layoffs
1785475
/locations/8110216
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Ann Henshaw told Borough Council Oct. 1 that various factors should be considered in judging the cleanliness of the public restroom in Dimmick Park.
In response to two borough members' criticism of the Dimmick Park women's restroom's cleanliness last month, a resident and volunteer spoke out at borough council's Oct. 1 meeting. Ann Henshaw is the wife of Hellertown Public Works Director Tom Henshaw, but she told council she had decided to address the criticism as both a resident and volunteer at events that are held in the park. On Sept. 17, Henshaw was told by council members Gail Nolf and Tom Rieger to pay more attention to the state of the restrooms, which are heavily used during youth football games. Nolf said the floors in the women's restroom have been so dirty that she's heard complaints from park visitors. She cited "skeletonized bugs" as a concern and asked that the floors be …
40.57884
-75.33572
Dimmick Park
Tobias Dr & Durham St, Hellertown, PA
/articles/volunteer-defends-park-restroom-s-cleanliness
1766678
/locations/7989850
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Hellertown Borough councilwoman Gail Nolf told Public Works Director Tom Henshaw Sept. 17 that the floors at the women's restroom in Dimmick Park are "disgusting."
A Hellertown Borough Council member requested that special attention be given to the women's restroom at Dimmick Park Sept. 17. Councilwoman Gail Nolf told Public Works Director Tom Henshaw that the floors in the bathroom are "disgusting" and covered with "skeletonized bugs." Nolf said she's heard complaints about the facilities during youth football games at the park, although she said she's unsure about conditions in the men's room. The women's restroom "needs pressure-washing," she told Henshaw. "Somebody has to go in and clean the floor." Henshaw responded to the concern by telling Nolf that he already checks the women's restroom on a daily basis, and that it's cleaned regularly. When he said he didn't think he could pressure-wash the…
40.57884
-75.33572
Dimmick Park
Tobias Dr & Durham St, Hellertown, PA
/articles/councilwoman-requests-park-restroom-cleanup
1766678
/locations/7889798
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Hellertown Borough Councilman Tom Rieger asked Public Works Director Tom Henshaw why a section of Chestnut Street that was recently repaved was closed throughout the holiday weekend.
A road's closure during the long Labor Day weekend prompted Hellertown Borough Councilman Tom Rieger to question Public Works Director Tom Henshaw about his department's planning practices. At council's Sept. 4 meeting, Rieger noted that a section of Chestnut Street--between Main Street and Easton Road--had remained closed following its recent repaving. The lengthy closure inconvenienced residents, he contended. Rieger questioned whether the closure over the holiday weekend could have been avoided with better planning. Henshaw, however, said poor weather was to blame for the scheduling snafu. Pointing skyward, he told Rieger, "You have to talk to Him." "We had no control over it," he said of the closure, adding that "the option was to …
40.58294
-75.34113
E Chestnut St & Main St, Hellertown, PA
/articles/councilman-questions-labor-day-weekend-road-closure
/locations/7715181
40.58305
-75.33825
E Chestnut St & Easton Rd, Hellertown, PA
/articles/councilman-questions-labor-day-weekend-road-closure
/locations/7715182
Monday, August 20, 2012
Hellertown officials recently told a local business owner they don't know when the closed High Street Bridge will be replaced.
A 102-year-old bridge near Hellertown that has been closed since June 2011 is scheduled for replacement, but when that will happen is not known, borough officials told a business owner Aug. 6. Bob Hero approached Hellertown Borough Council to ask about the status of the timber, one-lane High Street Bridge; a span that closed to traffic not long after a state report detailed its structural deficiencies. The bridge--which spans a railroad right-of-way--is located entirely within the City of Bethlehem, although the eastern end of it borders the borough line. For that reason it is now up to the city to replace the bridge. Borough officials signed off on a required maintenance agreement for the bridge months ago, councilman Tom Rieger told Hero…
40.57948
-75.34084
Borough of Hellertown
685 Main St, Hellertown, PA
/articles/borough-no-news-on-high-street-bridge
1785475
/locations/7603823
Monday, August 13, 2012
On Aug. 6, Hellertown resident Christine Bauer criticized Borough Council's mid-summer decision to double daily admission rates for all pool attendees.
At a meeting Aug. 6, a Hellertown resident shared strong words with borough council about recently increased daily admission rates at the Hellertown Pool. Christine Bauer, of New York Avenue, said residents have been negatively impacted by the decision to double daily rates; a decision council made in mid-July, following complaints about overcrowding and behavioral issues among some patrons. "I think you guys are punishing the Hellertown residents and it’s not fair," Bauer said. "I think when the decision was made, the entire picture was not looked at." She told council that she would like rates to return to what they were for residents, which was $5 for an adult day pass and $4 for a child day pass. Councilwoman Gail Nolf said others have…
40.57948
-75.34084
Borough of Hellertown
685 Main St, Hellertown, PA
/articles/council-criticized-for-raising-residents-pool-rates
1785475
/locations/7603797
40.57936
-75.33406
Hellertown Community Pool
Durham St & E Depot St, Hellertown, PA
/articles/council-criticized-for-raising-residents-pool-rates
2061015
/locations/7603798
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
The proposal approved by Hellertown Borough Council March 5, subject to its solicitor's review, calls for purchasing a managed IT service contract, upgrades to borough computer servers and wiring, and a disaster recovery system.
A technology audit recently conducted at Hellertown Borough Hall has revealed that the information technology (IT) systems the borough is relying upon are inadequate or outdated, and in some cases never should have been installed in the first place, Borough Manager Cathy Kichline told Borough Council March 5. "It's been discovered that we have residential (Internet) connectivity, and we're trying to run a business with residential connectivity," she said. Access issues prevent her from being able to use or even view QuickBooks--the borough's online accounting system--on her computer, Kichline noted. And issues with the antiquated Borough Hall phone system make transferring a phone call from her office to the Chief of Police's desk …
40.57948
-75.34084
Borough of Hellertown
685 Main St, Hellertown, PA
/articles/council-approves-technology-proposal
1785475
/locations/6531024
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
More than $45,000 in outstanding garbage and recycling fees are owed to the Borough of Hellertown.
The total amount owed the Borough of Hellertown in unpaid garbage and recycling fees is "extremely high," borough councilman Tom Rieger announced March 5. He questioned whether the economy is to blame for the delinquencies, and told council that the "outstanding dollars" missing from borough coffers have added up fast. Rieger later provided documentation that showed $35,298.54 owed in garbage fees and $10,043 owed in recycling fees--for a combined total of $45,341.54--owed as of March 5, 2012. According to the Trash & Recycling page on the Borough of Hellertown's website, the base annual garbage fee is $175 and the base annual recycling fee is $55. Payment of the fees was due Feb. 14, with a 10 percent penalty applicable after that date. …
40.57948
-75.34084
Borough of Hellertown
685 Main St, Hellertown, PA
/articles/borough-owed-thousands-in-garbage-recycling-fees
1785475
/locations/6545256
Saturday, March 3, 2012
The 1938 bridge across the Saucon Creek is an important link between Hellertown and Lower Saucon Township.
An aging bridge that connects Hellertown with the western part of Lower Saucon Township was the subject of discussion at Hellertown Borough Council's Feb. 21 meeting. Council members expressed concerns about the visibly deteriorated state of the 117 foot-long Water Street Bridge, which spans the Saucon Creek near a point where the township, the borough and the City of Bethlehem meet. A state-owned bridge, the two-lane Water Street Bridge has been deemed "structurally deficient" by PennDOT, which last inspected it in the spring of 2011. In April of last year, the bridge had a structural sufficiency rating of 56 on a scale of 100, with 100 points considered entirely sufficient and 0 considered entirely deficient. According to PennDOT, a …
40.57948
-75.34084
Borough of Hellertown
685 Main St, Hellertown, PA
/articles/borough-council-members-concerned-about-water-street-bridge
1785475
/locations/6459828
Mom to 3
6:36 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Oh yes, because I can afford an increase in my taxes of almost 1000 dollars a year. more ›