Hellertown Tackles Budget Challenges, Resident Concerns

Hellertown Borough Council addressed a packed meeting agenda Monday, receiving an audit update, approving a preliminary 2026 budget and hearing resident concerns about a new apartment development. Council also heard a resident’s proposal for how to enforce the borough’s sidewalk ordinance and accepted the resignation of a borough administrative assistant.

Audit Shows Strong 2024 Financial Performance

Jeff Weiss of Zelenkofske Axelrod LLC presented the borough’s 2024 audit via Zoom.

“Your total revenues for this year increased approximately $1 million,” he told council, which he said was a significant improvement over the $200,000 increase in 2023. General fund revenues exceeded what was budgeted by $362,000, while expenses came in $514,000 under budget.

Councilman Andrew Hughes noted the positive financial picture, but questioned assumptions about future healthcare costs.

“From the borough’s perspective, we’re getting crushed with healthcare increases. Most people out there today are getting crushed with massive increases in healthcare (costs),” Hughes said. “But our assumptions have healthcare increases in the future as low as 3 to 4 percent, just in a couple of years’ timeframe. That doesn’t seem realistic to me.”

“(Those projections are) done by your actuary…,” Weiss responded. “They prepare all of the information behind that.”

Budget Approved With Challenges Ahead

Council voted to approve a preliminary 2026 budget showing expenses exceeding revenues by $58,693 in the general fund.

Borough Manager Cathy Hartranft presented council with the most crucial budget information: $4.7 million in estimated general fund revenues against similar expenses, and plans to maintain the current 20-mill real estate and 1.5-mill fire tax rates.

The borough’s sanitation fund shows a $46,044 deficit, though council president Tom Rieger suggested using fund balance reserves during what he called a “transitional year” to evaluate commercial trash service.

Fire department funding generated the most extensive discussion. The preliminary budget maintains current funding levels, but council acknowledged that may need to change.

“No matter what we do, they’re going to need…a tax increase, because of all the expenses that are coming at the fire company,” said council member Mike McKenna.

Fire Chief Rick Delmore reported that the department has added 10 members to a relaunched auxiliary that will be working on marketing and fundraising efforts, but said staffing challenges persist. The department has responded to 418 calls as of early November and is on pace to reach 500 by year’s end, he said.

Barry Yonney, speaking both as public works director and a taxpayer, advocated for gradual tax increases rather than delaying until a larger tax hike becomes necessary.

“I’d rather go up gradually, so we don’t have to jump up a real block in a couple of years,” he said. “Everything goes up. We are high tax in Hellertown, we are, but we give a lot to this community…”

The preliminary budget will be advertised as is legally required, with final budget decisions expected in December. Under the borough code, council must pass a balanced budget by the end of the year.

Borough Administrative Assistant Resigns

Borough administrative assistant Holly Molder resigned and submitted a strongly-worded resignation letter on her way out.

“The extreme uncomfortableness every payroll Monday, with having to manually manipulate time cards after being verified by the employees’ manager, is not something I want to be a part of anymore, especially since the reason this system came into play was because of time-card manipulation by the former Chief of Police,” she wrote in the letter.

“I want to give you a big thank you for helping us these past two-and-a-half years, especially during the transition that we’re going through,” Borough Manager Cathy Hartranft told her. “She came in and really embraced the job and the people here.”

Molder’s letter said her resignation was a decision she didn’t want to make, and that she’s been “thinking about it for a few months.”

A post advertising the position Molder is leaving was recently shared on the borough’s Facebook page.

Resident Proposes Sidewalk Scoring System

Resident Chip Wagner presented a detailed proposal for implementing an objective sidewalk evaluation system, arguing that the borough’s current approach lacks measurable standards for determining when sidewalks need repair or replacement.

“Without standards, what becomes opinion?” Wagner asked, while displaying photos of sidewalks he said have remained unrepaired and non-compliant for decades, despite multiple sales of the properties.

Wagner said trip-and-fall lawsuits related to defective sidewalks can result in judgments averaging between $20,000 and $50,000.

“I think it would be best for both the council and the residents to have a system that you could point to and say, ‘this is how we came up with the issues with your sidewalk,’” he said.

Wagner’s proposed sidewalk ordinance enforcement system would assign numerical scores based on vertical displacement, slope, surface integrity and drainage and be similar to systems already in use in other Pennsylvania municipalities.

Councilman Larry O’Donnell acknowledged the value of the presentation. “We’re continuing to refine our approach,” he said. “Some people might not know that they’re responsible for maintaining their sidewalks, so that’s the first step–implementing something that gives the ordinance some teeth.”

Council later approved a motion to send notifications to property owners reminding them of their responsibility to maintain sidewalks. The notice will be posted on social media and was distributed via the borough’s email distribution list this week.

Linden Avenue Project Sparks Complaints from Neighbors

Residents Doreen Burns and April Gallagher raised concerns before council about modifications they said are being made to an apartment building at 330 Linden Avenue, including dumpster placement, drainage issues and excessive lighting.

Burns told council a trash enclosure for dumpsters was installed just six inches from her garage, making it impossible to perform maintenance on the structure.

“I’m wondering if anybody physically from the planning committee came out and observed this,” she said.

Gallagher, Burns’ neighbor, described significant water runoff problems she said began after the removal of a loading ramp and the regrading of the building’s parking lot. “We’ve lived there 19 years and for 19 years we’ve never once had water in our backyard,” Gallagher said. “We started getting water. We have multiple videos, multiple pictures, ponds of water.”

Yonney said removing the ramp may have changed water runoff patterns around the building.

“This is ridiculous that number one, you could put a dumpster six inches from somebody’s property,” said councilwoman Gail Nolf. “I feel like the borough should get involved in that, because we approved that.”

Borough engineer Bryan Smith agreed to conduct site inspections to verify whether the trash enclosure installation matches approved plans and to evaluate the neighbors’ other concerns.

New Appointments

Council welcomed two new appointees who were sworn in to their appointments by Mayor David Heintzelman.

Matt Simkovic was sworn in as Assistant Fire Chief and Adeline Solt took the oath of office as the borough’s Junior Council Person.

“I wanted to thank John (Delmore),” Fire Chief Rick Delmore told council. “John stepped up to be assistant chief. He was doing it for a couple of years, and he’s moving, so that’s why he had to step down. But he’s still going to help.”

Solt, who has been attending council meetings for several years, will participate in discussions but cannot vote or attend council’s executive sessions.

Upcoming Events and Announcements

Heintzelman reminded residents that a Veterans Day ceremony will be held at Union Cemetery on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 10:30 a.m., with the program beginning at 11 a.m.

Councilwoman Lynley Solt announced that the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber of Commerce will host Light Up Night on Friday, Nov. 28, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Dimmick Park and Dewey Fire Co. The event will feature outdoor fun in the park and indoor happenings at the fire hall, which is adjacent. Organizers are seeking volunteers.

The next council meeting is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.