Bethlehem Shortchanges Library $400,000 in 2009

On September 13, while Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan was telling a large and boisterous crowd at Lafayette College that Bethlehem is in great fiscal shape, Hanover Township Manager Jay Finnigan was hearing a much different story in a smaller and quieter venue. He was at a Bethlehem Area Public Library Board meeting. They are concerned about next year's budget, which is apparently filled with more holes than a block of Swiss cheese.

In his report to Supervisors on September 14, Finnigan stated that Lower Saucon Township has served notice of its intention to withdraw from the library, effective at the end of the year. Unless that changes, there's one gaping $168,552 hole.

Worse than that problem, Finnigan learned, is that Bethlehem itself has been shortchanging the library. Last year, the City failed to make approximately $400,000 in budgeted payments. This is in addition to state funding cuts of 9 and 21 percent over the past two years.

During an August 11 Bethlehem Finance Committee meeting, an independent audit revealed that Bethlehem missed its annual $2 million pension payment in 2009, but no mention was made of a missed payment to the library. Council President Bob Donchez did express surprise that the library had taken out a line of credit during 2009, and speculated that it must be the result of state funding cuts. Nobody from the administration informed Donchez that the City itself had failed to pay approximately $400,000 of the money budgeted by City Council.

Bethlehem caught up in February of this year, but still kept $78,000 for a pension fund payment.

"There are two wildcards, Lower Saucon and the City," Finnigan told Supervisors. "The City is seriously re-evaluating its relationship with the library, which will have an effect on neighboring municipalities."

Hanover Township contributed $163,049 to the Bethlehem Area Public Library this year, and expects to pay $167,831 in 2011. Its contract for library services goes back to 1965.

In other news, Hanover Townsip Supervisors listened as Piramal Critical Care, which has a plant located at Sheldon Circle, pitched a proposal to increase its parking from 54 to 84 spots. Hanover's zoning ordinance prohibits blacktops, i.e. "impervious surfaces," on more than 70% of a property without some kind of stormwater management plan.

Piramal's solution? Porous pavements.

A Pirimal engineer, introduced by Attorney Chris Perruci, argued that porous pavements soak up water like a sponge, and should really be considered pervious surfaces. But Supervisors seemed impervious to this argument.

"How do you determine if the surface is still impermeable after a period of time?" asked a dubious Supervisor Stephen R. Salvesen. "Who does the vacuuming? We've got sinkholes here. We're at the back end of a big drainage system. It all goes down to Monocacy Creek."

Township Engineer Jim Birdsall expressed reservations, too. He noted that porous surfaces need periodic vacuuming. "All these best management practices are going to be very difficult to enforce as the years go by. ... Who enforces that? I don't know. Do I go out with my shop vac?"

Piramal will ask the Zoning Hearing Board for relief.

As a final note, Board Chair John N. Diacogiannis stated he was "real pleased" at the large turnout of boy and girl scouts for a flag retirement ceremony on 9/11. He thanked all who participated.