Northampton County Council approves appointment, $1,000 donation and three vendor contracts

Northampton County Council on March 20 adopted several routine items by unanimous votes, approving an executive appointment, accepting a donation to the Area Agency on Aging and endorsing three vendor contracts.

Appointment and donation: Council confirmed the county executive's appointment of Tracy Redistar of Bethlehem to the Personnel Appeals Board for a term expiring Feb. 3, 2027. The council also authorized the county executive to accept a $1,000 donation from St. Peter's United Church of Christ for the Area Agency on Aging.

Vendor contracts: Council concurred with the county executive to approve three contracts under the county's Administrative Code Article 13 procurement rules:

- eConsult Solutions Inc.: A consulting contract to provide an economic-impact study of outdoor recreation and related services for a proposed eight-month term; total cost to be determined by services rendered under the vendor's price proposal.

- Two Way Communications: A maintenance contract for Vesta 9-1-1 call-processing equipment used by the joint Lehigh and Northampton County 9-1-1 center for the term Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2025. The contract's total cost was listed as $226,592.77 and funding was noted as from an Act 12 grant.

- Urban Design Ventures LLC: A five-year contract to provide consulting services for the county's CDBG and ESG housing programs; total cost to be determined by services rendered under the vendor's price proposal.

Each item was presented by County Council members and concurred with the county executive's recommendations under Administrative Code Article 13, section 13.15. All three contracts and the donation were adopted by a unanimous 9–0 vote; the appointment to the Personnel Appeals Board was also adopted 9–0.

Votes at a glance:

1) Appointment — Tracy Redistar (Personnel Appeals Board). - Motion: Confirm appointment of Tracy Redistar, Bethlehem, term to expire Feb. 3, 2027. - Vote: Adopted 9–0.

2) Donation — St. Peter's United Church of Christ to Area Agency on Aging ($1,000). - Motion: Authorize the county executive to accept the $1,000 donation. - Vote: Adopted 9–0.

3) Contract — eConsult Solutions Inc. - Motion: Concur with county executive to approve contract for an eight-month consulting engagement on outdoor recreation economic impact; cost as billed per proposal. - Vote: Adopted 9–0.

4) Contract — Two Way Communications (Vesta 9-1-1 maintenance). - Motion: Concur with county executive to approve contract for Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2025 maintenance at $226,592.77; funded with Act 12 grant. - Vote: Adopted 9–0.

5) Contract — Urban Design Ventures LLC. - Motion: Concur with county executive to approve a five-year contract to support CDBG and ESG home programs; cost to be determined by services rendered. - Vote: Adopted 9–0.

The council did not attach additional conditions to these contract approvals at the meeting. Several council members later moved to discuss internal procedures for how resolutions are introduced and credited to sponsors; that procedural discussion was deferred for future governance review.