Nov. 4, 2025
— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
Bethlehem City Council has a light agenda for Wednesday’s meeting, which was pushed back one day because of elections being held today.
Mayor J. William Reynolds did not propose a tax increase for 2026, but the city is looking for more money from businesses.
The city Health Bureau is asking council to raise the fees the bureau charges to inspect restaurants and other places that serve food.
“At present, the Health Bureau’s expenses associated with food safety licensing
and inspections exceed revenue generated from fees for those services. Increasing fees will
help us pay for the services we are required by law to provide to food establishments,” according to the item on Wednesday’s agenda.
The bureau says it “will have licensed and inspected approximately 576 food facilities, including churches, restaurants, retail food businesses, institutions, and mobile health vendors. In addition, more than 370 temporary food vendors will be licensed by the end of the year.”
The fee last went up in 2014, according to the Health Bureau, and now the city charges less than nearby communities.
Here is a link to the proposed fee schedule. Most inspections would cost $25 or $50 more than they do now.
The administration of Mayor Reynolds also proposes an increase in fees for construction permits.
The Code Enforcement Bureau wants to add two employees to deal with booming construction in the city, and to pay for them by raising fees. The bureau predicts lots more construction in the city.
The bureau’s expenses exceed revenue, according to a memo to Council. The total fee increase would add about 15% more revenue.
Here is a list of the proposed changes, some as low as $5, most higher.
Council will also consider the transfer of a liquor license to Cigar Page at 1010 Harvard Ave., on the east side of Route 412 near Hellertown, not far from the Wawa on the west side of the road.
From the agenda: “Cigar Page – Bethlehem, LLC owns or leases property located at 1010
Harvard Avenue, Bethlehem, Northampton County, PA and intends to operate a restaurant
and bar with retail cigar sales at such location… “
If Council approves, the license will be transferred from 702 Main St. in Northampton.
Bethlehem City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5 in Town Hall, the building between City Hall and the Bethlehem Area Public Library. The meeting will also be shown on the Internet. A link is available on the city website.
Agendas are subject to change.
Lehigh Valley News Briefs 
maybe they should use the money from other politicians that get more than they should to compensate the increase on food businesses, and there shudnt be an increase to the construction permits unless it’s a commercial job… the residential construction companies shouldn’t have to pay a permit to work.. a permit to build sure, but not to replace, restore, or fix anything existing
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