NOVEMBER 6-12, 2014 Your Local News
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The Home News
2015 Bath Boro Nazareth Blaze Destroys Budget $1.9 Million; Pizza Joe’s Italian Restaurant Taxes Remain Same By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News
Bath Borough’s preliminary operating budget was approved for advertisement in The Home News on Monday night. It totals $1,961,615.53. Council president Robert Fields said there will be no increase in taxes. The budget will be available for inspection for a period of 10 days. Adoption of the budget will come at the December meeting of Borough Council. Also to be advertised is an ordinance that establishes where and when snow emergencies will be declared this winter. Council vice president Mark Saginario was concerned that people know the conditions that apply to snow emergencies so there is full cooperation from the residents. Another ordinance on cell towers will be reviewed by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission and Bath Planning Commission before any action is taken by Council to add the amendment to the zoning ordinance. Other Matters • A representative from the Bath Farmers Market had a report for Council. She noted that 493 people like the market on Facebook, 41% of them women between 25 and 44 years old. Revenue increased this year with new products shown by some of the 70 vendors, and the special events that attracted people. $10,904 was netted and they expect another $2,500 to come in. There were $10,739 in expenses for ads, entertainment, etc. $250 will go to the borough. Her comment: “One of the great things about the farmers market is that it keeps local dollars local.”
• An attorney representing Joe Tavianini voiced concern about “wrongful use” of photos that were part of an investigation. He said that providing the photos by a Council person to promote an ordinance was “totally inappropriate” and felt that the Council person should resign. The person was not identified publicly. • Three approvals were given: On the revised Pa. Intergovernmental Risk Management contract; designating the Dr. Estelle Stein property at 116 S. Walnut St. as a qualified commercial establishment, allowing her to hire her own waste hauler; and providing a letter on the realignment of Rt. 248 (W. Northampton St.) for PennDOT. An engineering agreement was approved by PennDOT. • The borough will pay Barker & Barker Paving $151,974 toward the Creek Rd./Century Dr. reconstruction contract, subject to rectifying an issue the borough had with the contractor. • Council approved seeing a recycling performance grant under Act 101 with Hough Associates of Montgomery County, who would get 50% of what the grant amount is. • It was agreed that the fee for health license inspections should remain at $25. • Mayor Fiorella Mirabito thanked members of Council who participated in Turning Bath Pink, except for president Fields. The two, who are neighbors, got in a spat at the meeting. . . .Mayor Mirabito announced that Oct. 10 and 11, 2015 will again be designated for cancer awareness. Continued on page 2
By JOE KORBA The Home News
A fire that was reported around 10:30 a.m. on October 29 destroyed a well-known Nazareth pizza restaurant and injured two firefighters when it flashed over and knocked them down a flight of stairs. Jerry Bubba, who reportedly vows to rebuild, owns the landmark restaurant. The fire spread quickly after igniting in an exhaust fan in
Pizza Joe’s Italian Restaurant at 550 S. Main Street. As of 12:15 p.m., the fire appeared to be under control, but firefighters were still applying water to hot spots on the roof and upper floors. Vigilance Hose Co. No. 1 from Nazareth was on scene along with multiple companies from neighboring communities. An Upper Nazareth resident, Ben Miller, set up a Facebook page (Support the Nazareth Fire Victims) to help
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coordinate donations. Donations can be sent to him at 181 Tewksbury Court, Nazareth, PA 18064 or dropped off at Schubert’s Bakery, 49 N. Broad St., Nazareth.
73rd Year, Issue No. 45 www.homenewspa.com
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