The Bethlehem City Council convened on Sept. 1 to discuss the timeline of a comprehensive fire and EMS study as the city prepares for the 2027 budget season, with council members pressing city officials for a clearer completion date.
Public safety study remains in progress
Bethlehem City Council members questioned Mayor J. Williams Reynolds and Business Administrator Eric R. Evan — both of whom were in attendance — about the timeline of the ongoing study, which is being conducted by Public Safety Management (CPSM).
The study examines the city’s fire and EMS operations, including staffing, response times, emergency calls and shift schedules. It also looks at how fire and EMS interact with police during emergency responses, though officials clarified that it is not a study of police staffing.
Some council members expressed concern that the study had not been completed within the June or July timeframe they initially expected.
Reynolds said the timeline reflects the complexity of the study and the process required to execute the contract and gather the necessary information. Data collection began in April, and the report remains in draft form.
He also said the administration is working to complete the study before budget discussions begin.
“People are working hard to try to be able to make sure we get it done by the budget so it can be shared at the meeting, which we will commit to,” Reynolds said.
Council President Bryan G. Callahan emphasized that council should receive the study well before the city releases its proposed budget so members have time to review its findings.
“We want you to be able to have that before we even release our own budget,” Reynolds said.
The administration said the study is expected to be completed before the city’s Nov. 10 budget hearings. Council is also considering a public safety committee meeting in mid-to-late October to review the findings before budget discussions begin.
Council members continued to seek more specific information about the study’s timeline, including the exact date the notice to proceed was issued and what remains to be completed.
Trash enforcement remains a concern
Council Member Jo C. Daniels raised concerns about ongoing trash accumulation in parts of Bethlehem, saying she has submitted multiple complaints through the Bethlehem App.
“I can honestly say 50% of them (the complaints), nothing happens,” Daniels said, adding that property owners do not always address the issue even after the city responds.
Director of Community and Economic Development Laura Collins said the city resolves a majority of the hundreds of complaints it receives each year, often through direct contact with property owners before formal violations are issued.
“A lot of it does get put in the hands of the magistrate,” Collins said, citing a property so severe that the city eventually cleaned it itself. However, she said that approach is rare because of the legal and financial concerns involved in addressing private property.
“But it’s a slippery slope, right?” Collins said. “To go on a private property and handle problems, because often you’re just reinforcing problems rather than getting at root causes.” Daniels questioned whether the current process is effective for persistent problems, particularly on the South Side.
Collins said stronger enforcement could also create financial hardships for some property owners, particularly those already struggling to afford regular trash collection. She said the city must balance enforcement with the circumstances of individual property owners.
Updates to utility billing system
Council also discussed updates to the city’s utility billing system, including plans to transition to new vendors for electronic bill payment and water and sewer consumption monitoring.
Officials said the current contract runs through June 2027, with a decision on renewal or cancellation needed by March.
Environmental protection efforts passed
Council approved a resolution requiring monthly reports on the city’s compliance with its Consent Order and Agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Two amendments require the reports to be submitted within 45 days after the month being reported on and government correspondence regarding the agreement to be forwarded to council within five business days.
The amendments and resolution each passed unanimously, 7-0.
Comment Policy
Comments posted to The Brown and White website are reviewed by a moderator before being approved. Incendiary speech or harassing language, including comments targeted at individuals, may be deemed unacceptable and not published. Spam and other soliciting will also be declined.
The Brown and White also reserves the right to refuse the publication of entirely anonymous comments.