Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Emmaus Borough Council approves gateway sign, contracts and appointments; accepts councilmember resignation
Summary
At its May 18 meeting the council approved a gateway entrance sign, awarded a CDBG construction contract, approved an EMS billing vendor and other contracts, accepted Councilmember Watt's resignation, and approved routine resolutions and appointments.
The Emmaus Borough Council on May 18 approved a string of routine and procurement actions, accepted a council resignation and moved on staffing and commission appointments.
The Historical Commission's recommended gateway entrance sign, designed by Jean Cox and supported by donor funding secured by Gene Clark, was approved after a motion from Councilman Ladenburg and a second from Councilman Anders. The motion passed on a voice vote recorded in the minutes as 6-0. The council discussed unveiling the sign during the borough's America 250 opening ceremonies.
On procurement matters, council accepted staff and solicitor recommendations to disqualify the low CDBG bidder (Easton General Contractors) for deficiencies in references and contract documentation and awarded the CDBG construction contract to Zagora/Zagor (contract amount discussed around $114,600). The decision followed solicitor and engineer review and passed on a council vote.
The council approved changing EMS billing vendors to AIM Ambulance Billing, with the new contract to start on July 1. Council also approved a contract with Cassell to outsource mailing of the borough's utility bills (roughly 40,000 mailings per year); staff reported estimated first-year savings of about $4,700 and annual savings of at least $750 thereafter.
Other formal actions included approval of the May 4 meeting minutes (with a recorded abstention noted in the minutes), passage of Resolution 2026-20 (a sewer/planning module for 181–183 Ridge Street), approval of Resolution 2026-21 to pay the May 18 bill list (totaling $1,292,665.65), and reappointment of Debbie Kirkpatrick to the Recreation and Entertainment Commission for a three-year term expiring May 1, 2029.
Council also read and accepted Councilmember Watt's resignation effective June 11, 2026; Watt said she will no longer be a resident of Emmaus as of that date. The council noted the 30-day window to fill the vacancy and agreed to publicize the opening for applicants.
Votes at a glance:
- Gateway entrance sign (motion: approve Historical Commission recommendation). Mover: Councilman Ladenburg; Second: Councilman Anders; Outcome: approved (voice vote recorded 6-0).
- Minutes (05/04/2026): Approved; minutes record one abstention (final recorded as 5-0 with 1 abstention).
- AIM Ambulance Billing (EMS billing contract): Approved; outcome recorded 6-0.
- CDBG construction contract: Low bidder (Easton General Contractors) disqualified for bid deficiencies; contract awarded to Zagora/Zagor (approx. $114,600); approved 6-0.
- Reappointment: Debbie Kirkpatrick to Recreation & Entertainment Commission (term to 05/01/2029): approved 6-0.
- Resolution 2026-20 (sewer/planning module for 181–183 Ridge Street): approved 6-0.
- Contract with Cassell for utility-bill mailing: approved 6-0; staff cited ~40,000 annual mailings and first-year savings of $4,700.
- Resolution 2026-21 (bill list authorization for 05/18/2026): bill list $991,631.60; payroll $12,931.39; payroll taxes $68,332.66; total $1,292,665.65; approved 6-0.
Procedural note: Several motions were moved and seconded on the record by council members; where individual roll-call names were not read aloud, the minutes record outcome and tally rather than a member-by-member roll call.
What to watch next: Council will publicize the vacancy left by Councilmember Watt and receive applications; staff will coordinate the gateway-sign installation and oversee CDBG project kickoff and utility-mailing contract implementation.
