Council Minutes

January 5, 2004 Meeting Minutes

BETHLEHEM CITY COUNCIL REORGANIZATIONAL MEETING
NEW COUNCIL
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Monday, January 5, 2004 – 7:30 PM – Town Hall

1. ROLL CALL OF HOLD-OVER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL

The Clerk called the Roll of the Hold-Over Members of Council. Present as Hold-Over Members were: Jean Belinski, and J. Michael Schweder, 2.

2. PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES OF ELECTION

3. SWEARING-IN CEREMONIES

A. City Treasurer

Kaija L. Siftar presented her Certificate of Election to the Clerk.

James F. Stocklas, Northampton County District Justice, administered the Oath of Office to Kaija L. Siftar, duly elected City Treasurer.

B. Members of Council

Magdalena F. Szabo presented her Certificate of Election to the Clerk.

James F. Stocklas, Northampton County District Justice, administered the Oath of Office to Magdalena F. Szabo, duly elected Member of Council.

Ismael Arcelay, Robert J. Donchez, and Gordon B. Mowrer presented their Certificates of Election to the Clerk.

William F. Moran, Judge of the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas, administered the Oath of Office to Ismael Arcelay, Robert J. Donchez, and Gordon B. Mowrer, duly elected Members of Council.

4. ROLL CALL OF NEWLY CONSTITUTED COUNCIL.

The Clerk called the Roll of the Newly Constituted Council. Present were: Ismael Arcelay, Jean Belinski, Robert J. Donchez, Gordon B. Mowrer, J. Michael Schweder, and Magdalena F. Szabo, 6. (The seat of John B. Callahan was vacated by his resignation effective January 5, 2004 as a result of his election as Mayor of the City of Bethlehem.)

5. ELECTION OF PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL.

Ms. Szabo moved to elect J. Michael Schweder as President of Council for the years 2004 and 2005. Mrs. Belinski seconded the motion.

Voting AYE: Mr. Arcelay, Mrs. Belinski, Mr. Donchez, Mr. Mowrer, Mr. Schweder, and Ms. Szabo, 6. The motion passed.

Mr. Schweder took the Chair.

6. REPORTS

A. President of Council

Mr. Schweder stated he is deeply honored to be selected by his colleagues to serve for a full two year term as President of City Council. Communicating that this Council, over the six years he has served, has worked very well together, Mr. Schweder said he is sure that will continue. Mr. Schweder, observing that the Members of Council have a very significant task ahead this week to pick a replacement for former Council Member John B. Callahan, newly elected Mayor of the City of Bethlehem. Mr. Schweder congratulated Mayor Callahan and wished him well. Mr. Schweder further expressed the hope that all will work in a cooperative spirit, and stated he looks forward to that.

B. Mayor

Mayor Callahan congratulated Mr. Schweder on his election as President of Council. Mayor Callahan also congratulated the newly sworn-in Council Members and stated he looks forward to working with the Members of Council and the new Council President. Mayor Callahan commented that, as he said today in his inaugural remarks, having been a Member of Council for six years he understands that Council has a thankless job at times. Continuing on to say all are looking out for the better and greater good for Bethlehem, Mayor Callahan restated he looks forward to working with all Members of Council. While expressing his understanding that there will be disagreements along the way, Mayor Callahan focused on the fact that "we have more things in common than we have that will keep us apart." Mayor Callahan said he looks forward to the relationship between Council and the Mayor and working with all of the other elected officials in the City including City Treasurer Kaija Siftar, who he congratulated, and Wallace J. DeCrosta, City Controller.

Mayor John B. Callahan made the following appointments to his cabinet under the respective Administrative Orders effective January 5, 2004:

1. Administrative Order – Dennis W. Reichard – Business Administrator

Mr. Donchez and Mr. Arcelay sponsored Resolution 14,268 by which Mayor Callahan reappointed Dennis W. Reichard as Business Administrator.

Voting AYE: Mr. Arcelay, Mrs. Belinski, Mr. Donchez, Mr. Mowrer, Ms. Szabo, and Mr. Schweder, 6. The Resolution passed.

2. Administrative Order – Tony Hanna – Director of Community and Economic Development

Mr. Donchez and Mr. Arcelay sponsored Resolution 14,269 by which Mayor Callahan
reappointed Tony Hanna as Director of Community and Economic Development.

Voting AYE: Mr. Arcelay, Mrs. Belinski, Mr. Donchez, Mr. Mowrer, Ms. Szabo, and Mr. Schweder, 6. The Resolution passed.

3. Administrative Order – Kevin G. Moyzan – Fire Commissioner

Mr. Donchez and Mr. Arcelay sponsored Resolution 14,270 by which Mayor Callahan
reappointed Kevin G. Moyzan as Fire Commissioner.

Voting AYE: Mr. Arcelay, Mrs. Belinski, Mr. Donchez, Mr. Mowrer, Ms. Szabo, and Mr. Schweder, 6. The Resolution passed.

4. Administrative Order – Francis R. Donchez, Jr. – Police Commissioner

Mr. Donchez and Mr. Arcelay sponsored Resolution 14,271 by which Mayor Callahan
reappointed Francis R. Donchez, Jr. as Police Commissioner.

Voting AYE: Mr. Arcelay, Mrs. Belinski, Mr. Donchez, Mr. Mowrer, Ms. Szabo, and Mr. Schweder, 6. The Resolution passed.

5. Administrative Order – Charles A. Brown – Director of Parks and Public Property

Mr. Donchez and Mr. Arcelay sponsored Resolution 14,272 by which Mayor Callahan
reappointed Charles A. Brown as Director of Parks and Public Property.

Voting AYE: Mr. Arcelay, Mrs. Belinski, Mr. Donchez, Mr. Mowrer, Ms. Szabo, and Mr. Schweder, 6. The Resolution passed.

6. Administrative Order – Michael Alkhal – Director of Public Works

Mr. Donchez and Mr. Arcelay sponsored Resolution 14,273 by which Mayor Callahan
reappointed Michael Alkhal as Director of Public Works.

Mr. Mowrer recalled that 30 years ago Charles Brown came into the position of Director working for the City of Bethlehem.

Voting AYE: Mr. Arcelay, Mrs. Belinski, Mr. Donchez, Mr. Mowrer, Ms. Szabo, and Mr. Schweder, 6. The Resolution passed.

7. Administrative Order – John F. Spirk, Jr. – City Solicitor

Mr. Donchez and Mr. Arcelay sponsored Resolution 14,274 by which Mayor Callahan
appointed John F. Spirk, Jr. as City Solicitor.

Mrs. Belinski said she cannot vote for the appointment because she feels of the restriction in writing under the Northampton County Home Rule Charter that he is not allowed to serve another municipality. Mrs. Belinski continued on to say that even though it is not specifically stated she thinks it is implied that anyone working for him in his office should also be held to those restrictions. In essence, Mrs. Belinski remarked that both the County and the City will be paying the individual and "it's double dipping".

Voting AYE: Mr. Arcelay, Mr. Donchez, Mr. Mowrer, Ms. Szabo, and Mr. Schweder, 5. Voting NAY: Mrs. Belinski, 1. The Resolution passed.

8. Administrative Order – William Alexander Karras – Assistant Solicitor

Mr. Donchez and Mr. Arcelay sponsored Resolution 14,275 by which Mayor Callahan
reappointed William Alexander Karras as Assistant Solicitor.

Voting AYE: Mr. Arcelay, Mrs. Belinski, Mr. Donchez, Mr. Mowrer, Ms. Szabo, and Mr. Schweder, 6. The Resolution passed.

9. Administrative Order – Darlene L. Heller – Director of Planning and Zoning

Mr. Donchez and Mr. Arcelay sponsored Resolution 14,276 by which Mayor Callahan
reappointed Darlene L. Heller as Director of Planning and Zoning.

Voting AYE: Mr. Arcelay, Mrs. Belinski, Mr. Donchez, Mr. Mowrer, Ms. Szabo, and Mr. Schweder, 6. The Resolution passed.

10. Administrative Order – Steven W. DeSalva – City Engineer

Mr. Donchez and Mr. Arcelay sponsored Resolution 14,277 by which Mayor Callahan
reappointed Steven W. DeSalva as City Engineer.

Voting AYE: Mr. Arcelay, Mrs. Belinski, Mr. Donchez, Mr. Mowrer, Ms. Szabo, and Mr. Schweder, 6. The Resolution passed.

7. COURTESY OF THE FLOOR

Stephen Antalics, 737 Ridge Street, said he is here "as a person of no consequence" but feels an obligation to two people for how he was treated by them being a person of no consequence who made him feel to be a person of consequence; namely, Mary Gotzon and Joseph Leeson, Jr. Mr. Antalics advised that any dealings he had with them were courteous, they answered him with conviction, and he felt they were very competent and honorable people. Mr. Antalics said he is sorry to see them go. Expressing he was disturbed by a Morning Call article by Mr. White, Mr. Antalics remarked he hoped the article was "tongue in cheek". While affirming he does not know the individuals who are replacing them, Mr. Antalics expressed the hope that the individuals were chosen with wisdom and with the welfare of the citizens of Bethlehem in mind. Mr. Antalics said he is speaking tonight for 74,999 other people of no consequence in saying he hopes the individuals will serve in their offices as well as he was served by Mary Gotzon and Joseph Leeson, Jr.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:09 pm.

ATTEST:

City Clerk