— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
Northampton County Council has a full agenda for tonight, taking a look at a proposed $63.5 million bond issue for a new office building and improved parking deck.
It also looks like Council does not care for digital documents.
When Northampton County Executive Lamont G. McClure presented his 2025 budget, he said the county was going “paperless,” that is, making the spending plan available online and not in big bound volumes.
I’ve always preferred looking at the budget, which can run to a couple hundred pages, on paper, but I also see the need to save paper.
Council perhaps does not. Here is the wording on the agenda tonight (Thursday, Oct. 24):
“AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE FORMAL ISSUANCE OF PRINTED AND BOUND
BUDGETARY INFORMATION NECESSARY FOR THE LEGITIMATE ANDPRESCRIBED FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE NORTHAMPTON COUNTY COUNCIL”
It seems odd that this requires an ordinance, but communication at the government center in Easton is perhaps not going well between the administration and the council.
The bond issue is up for first reading, meaning no final vote is expected tonight. The proposed three-story building would provide new offices and replace the parking deck off Washington Street in Easton. One of the goals of McClure’s proposal is to put all election functions in one place.
County Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. in its chambers on the third floor of the government center in Easton. The meeting will also be webcast on the county’s YouTube channel.
Agendas are subject to change. Tonight’s meeting is being held a week later because county officials attended an event last week about Bethlehem gaining UNESCO status for its Moravian sites.
Lehigh Valley News Briefs 