WELCOME TO THE BOROUGH OF NAZARETH'S WEBSITE.

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February Borough Meeting Notes

     Nazareth Borough Council conducted its February Business Meeting on Monday night, February 1, 2010. Council took action and passed several motions to include the following:

Some of Council’s actions:

-Removed a fifteen minute parking zone on East Center Street

-Created the position of Borough Fire Code Official and named Ed Statler to that position

-Hired Mark Herman as a part-time police officer.

-Directed the Secretary/Treasurer to correspond with Northampton County Executive John Stoffa and inform him of Council’s support for the continuation of Gracedale as a county administered facility for the aged. Nazareth Borough Council does not support any initiatives to privatize Gracedale.

-Moved to initiate the process and to begin defining the criteria needed for the hiring of a Deputy Chief of Police.

February Committee Meetings                                 (All are open to the public)

Economic Development          February 16, 2010                  6:30 pm            Council Chambers

Law                                       February 22, 2010                  6:00 pm            Solicitor’s Office

Fire                                        February 15, 2010                  6:00 pm            Council Chambers

Public Property                       February 15, 2010                  9:00 am            Engineer’s Office

Police                                     February 15, 2010                  7:00 pm            Council Chambers

Finance                                  February 24, 2010                  7:00 pm            Solicitor’s Office

Ecology                                  February 22, 2010                  4:00 pm            Solicitor’s Office

Highway                                 February 16, 2010                  3:00 pm            Highway Garage

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SNOW REMOVAL INFORMATION

As winter arrives, the Borough highway crew is busy readying the equipment necessary to handle snow and ice removal from the Borough roadways. The following is a general snow and ice removal policy for the Borough, with suggestions for the residents to help make the job more efficient and effective. This is a general policy and each storm will dictate how it is implemented and what adjustments will be made.

            For the winter storms, the Borough is divided into sections with a truck assigned to each section. The main priority of the Borough is to make the roads under its jurisdiction safe for the traveling public. The main priority of each truck is to open each street in its assigned area. At the start of each storm all trucks are loaded with salt and sent out to its assigned area with instructions to salt all main roads, hills and curve areas first, then salt all other areas. Salt needs the movement of traffic to make it most effective; so if it seems your street has not been salted it may just be that there has not been enough traffic on it yet. For the initial plowing sequence, the drivers are instructed to make one pass in each direction on the street.

            Nazareth Borough has approximately 26 miles of roads. Our first objective is to make each road passable. After that has been achieved we will commence pushing the snow back edge to edge. This may not be started until the following day because the employees will be sent home to rest after spending long hours working in the initial plowing effort.

            Suggestions for the residents to help make the snow removal effort more effective and efficient are as follows:

VEHICLE PARKING: If at all possible, park off the roadway in your driveway. In the case of these homes with steep driveways, just park in the mouth of the driveway off the roadway.

DRIVEWAYS: The Borough always receives complaints with regards to having recently shoveled driveway entrances plowed in. Some suggestions for the shoveling driveways are:

1. Wait until all plowing operations have ceased before shoveling your driveway.
2. When shoveling your driveway, leave at least 6’ un-shoveled until plowing operations on your street are completed.
3. When shoveling your driveway, shovel out into the street approximately 8 feet and 10 feet in both directions adjacent to your driveway along the curb line or edge of the roadway. The cleared area will allow the plow to unload most of the snow before it crosses the front of the driveway.

Above all, please be patient and allow the employees’ time to do their job plowing the streets. If there is an immediate problem do not hesitate to call the Borough leaving your name, telephone number, and the nature of the problem. The highway department will respond as timely and efficiently as possible to correct the situation.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

                                                Keith H. Knecht

                                                Highway Superintendent

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The Borough of Nazareth complies with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania      “RIGHT TO KNOW LAW”       Act 3 of 2008

Providing for access to public information, for a designated open-records officer in each Commonwealth agency, local agency, judicial agency and legislative agency, for procedure, for appeal of agency determination, for judicial review and for the Office of Open Records; imposing penalties; providing for reporting by State-related institutions; requiring the posting of certain State contract information on the Internet; and making related repeals. Section 504. Regulations and policies.

Section 504

(a) Authority. — An agency may promulgate regulations and policies necessary for the agency to implement this act. The Office of Open Records may promulgate regulations relating to appeals involving a Commonwealth agency or local agency.

(b) Posting. — The following information shall be posted at each agency and, if the agency maintains an Internet website, on the agency's Internet website:

    * (1) Contact information for the open-records officer.

    * (2) Contact information for the Office of Open Records or other applicable appeals officer.

    * (3) A form which may be used to file a request.

    * (4) Regulations, policies and procedures of the agency relating to this act.

(1) Borough of Nazareth “Right To Know” Officer:

                                Paul A. Kokolus           Borough Secretary/Treasurer

(2) Contact Information for the Borough of Nazareth’s “Right To Know” Officer:

                                 Paul A. Kokolus           Borough Secretary/Treasurer

                                                134 S. Main Street

                                                Nazareth, PA 18064

                                                610-759-0202

                                                610-248-7623 (Cell)

                                                610- 759-1073 (Fax)

                                                nazboro@rcn.com

                                                pkokolus@aol.com

                                                pkokolus@verizon.net

Office Hours:                           Monday through Friday            8:30 am till 4:30 pm

                                                Nazareth Borough Municipal Building

                                                134 S. Main Street

                                                Nazareth , PA 18064

Please enter street level - Main Street - push access buzzer for 

Borough Administrative Offices

(3) Available on-line ...http://www.openrecordspa.org/rtk.html

(4) Available on-line ...http://www.openrecordspa.org/rtk.html

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  FIRE ALARM & MASS ALERT SYSTEM INFORMATION

The Borough of Nazareth has recently installed a new Fire Alarm and Mass Alert System at the Vigilance Hose Fire Company located at 49 S. Broad St.

Borough residents will be hearing two (2) specific siren tones.

The first siren tone will be very similar to what the siren was in the past. This tone will be used for Fire and Accident calls.  Regular testing will be on Monday nights at 7:00 PM as always.

The second siren tone is going to be very distinctive or unique. This tone will be used for public awareness in the event of an emergency in the Borough of Nazareth. If this tone is heard, at any time of the day or night, Borough residents should tune in to your local television or radio station to learn why the siren has been activated.  Also, Borough residents can go to the Nazareth Borough web site at www.nazarethborough.com where you will be advised on what to do.  Regular testing on this siren will be on Mondays at 12:00 noon..

**Please do not contact the Northampton County 911 center by dialing 911 to inquire why this siren has been activated.

  Some examples of why this Mass Alert System would be activated are, but not limited to:

                  Severe Weather Emergencies

   Any type of severe weather warning specific to the Nazareth area; example: tornado, thunderstorm, flash flooding, winter weather etc.

Hazardous Materials Incidents (that may result in a “stay indoors” type situation)

Catastrophic Fires (that may result in an evacuation of Borough residents)

Mass Evacuation of Borough Residents (due to any type of emergency)

Borough residents can find additional information on our Mass Alerting System and Nazareth Borough Emergency Management in upcoming newsletters. 

Nazareth Borough Council and Nazareth Borough Emergency Management would like to thank all Borough Residents in advance for your cooperation with this testing period.