Mayor Says Continued Development Key to Easton's Improved Economy

By Christina Georgiou

Easton Mayor Sal Panto gave the annual "State of the City" address to
city council Wednesday evening, with about 20 members
of the public in attendance.

The city's revitalization efforts of the last three decades are paying off, and Easton is on a much more solid financial footing than it has been in a long time, Mayor Sal Panto said in his State of the City address to city council Wednesday night.

"Unlike many cities throughout the northeast, Easton has weathered challenging economic times, and we remain steadfast in our determination to move progressively and positively toward a better future," he said. "As mayor, I am committed to harnessing the physical, cultural, and intellectual strengths of our city, transforming those matchless qualities into sustainable and unrivaled developments that will benefit residents and visitors alike."

Urban renewal was more like "urban
removal" for Easton, Mayor Sal Panto
noted. Revitalization and adaptive
reuse over the last 30 years has
be key to the city's turnaround since
then.

 Showcasing dozens of city buildings that have been redeveloped over the past thirty years  with before and after photos, Panto said that urban renewal during the 1960s, 70s, and early 80s, were more like "urban removal," and contributed to the city's decline during that period.

He credited former mayors Thomas Goldsmith, Michael McFadden, and Phil Mitman with continuing revitalization efforts after his own first mayoral tenure, beginning in 1984.

Despite the gains that have been made, the city needs to continue on its redevelopment trajectory to grow the population and keep tax rates down, he said.

A sketch showing the Easton Home's plans to add senior
apartments along Northampton Street in the city's West Ward.

"Our population fell below 30,000 (during that time). We need to get it back up so there are more people living and working in the city and paying taxes," Panto said.

The redevelopment and adaptive reuse of existing properties in Easton, such as the nearly completed Pomeroy Building, which houses two restaurants, office space  and more than 40 residential apartments, brings new tax revenue to city coffers, he said. Other planned projects, such as the conversion of the Governor Wolf building into upscale apartments and the redevelopment of old industrial sites such as the Simon Silk Mill on South 13th Street, will add to that.

"The Governor Wolf building will be coming back on the tax rolls in the next 30 to 45 days," Panto said. "You're going to see some major development going on (at the silk mill site) after the weather breaks."

New construction will also contribute to the city's well being too, Panto said, pointing to Lafayette College's plans for a new arts complex on North Third Street, and the Easton Home's plan to add senior citizen apartments on Northampton Street in the West Ward, as well as the new city hall and transportation center that is expected to be complete late next year.


"I think anyone who lives in that area of the West Ward will feel better about their neighborhood," he said in reference to the Easton Home project.
Investments of more than $420 million over the past six years have translated into more than just improvements in the city's infrastructure too, Panto said.

Overall crime in the city was down by 22.5 percent, and sound fiscal management, which has resulted in an "A+" bond rating for the city, are good news too, the mayor said.

"We'll save over a million dollars because of our credit score," Panto noted.

Still, Easton faces challenges in the years ahead.

Highlights from various city departments' annual reports
Click on any image for a full-size view

"We're very concerned about our pension costs...but we're doing much better," the mayor said. ""We've been trying to live within our means, but it's not easy...legacy costs will eventually put...every municipality in the Commonwealth under if our legislature doesn't do something soon."

Easton should continue on the path it's on, and that will mean a rosy future for the city, Panto said.

"We were elected on progressive change," the mayor said, adding that positive changes should not come at the expense of any one group over another.

"We've done this without gentrification. We have not pushed people out," Panto said. "The state of our city is progressing, growing."

Easton Mayor Appointed to National League of Cities Committee

Easton Mayor Sal Panto has been appointed to
the National League of Cities (NLC) 2014 Energy, Environment
and Natural Resources Steering Committee.
File photo

Easton Mayor Sal Panto has been appointed to the National League of Cities (NLC) 2014 Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Steering Committee, NLC President Chris Coleman, mayor of St. Paul, Minn., announced in a media release Friday.

The committee develops NLC federal policy positions on issues involving air quality, water quality, energy policy, national wetlands policy, noise control and solid and hazardous waste management.

Panto said he is "honored to be named to this important committee at a time when environmental issues facing local governments are becoming more and more important to the overall sustainability of cities".

A former president of the Pennsylvania Municipal League and a member of the United States Conference of Mayors, Panto has been a member of the NLC for four years and has represented the organization in meetings with the US Environmental Protection Agency and White House staff.

The NLC says Panto will play a key role in shaping the organization's policy positions and advocate on behalf of America’s cities and towns before Congress as a member of the committee.

The National League of Cities added that it is dedicated to helping city leaders build better communities and is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans.

For more information about the NLC, click here.

City of Easton's S&P Rating Jumps Two Notches

By Christina Georgiou

Easton Mayor Sal Panto, City Administrator Glenn Steckman, and Finance
Director Chris Heagele talk about the recent upgrade the city received in
its bond rating from Standard & Poor's Financial Services.

Easton's bond rating just got a boost in advance of a $16.5 million city bond issue going out for bid on Wednesday, Mayor Sal Panto announced today.

Joined by City Administrator Glenn Steckman and City Finance Director Chris Heagele at a press conference this afternoon, Panto said Standard & Poor has assigned the city an "A+" rating, an upgrade of two steps from the "A-" rating it held previously.

The upgrade is the third change in about as many years, as the city moved from a "BBB-" to a "BBB" rating in 2010, and again saw an increase to "A-" status about a year and a half ago.

The rating change will mean the city is in a better position when it comes to an expected bond auction it plans to hold later this week to finance the new city hall and transportation center, and grant $1 million to the Greater Easton Development Partnership to purchase the former Weller Center on Northampton Street to house an indoor farmers' market , as well as fund additional police and fire department training.

While a lot of how much the bond issue will ultimately cost is dependent on interest rates on the day of the sale, the better S&P rating means the city will be eligible for better rates and pay less in bond insurance, city officials said.

"As we market our city...seeing a stable condition, which is an unusual circumstance in a third-class city, this is a good thing," Heagele said. "What a high rating to me means is that...we manage our cash well, and I think that's a good indicator to investors."

S&P ratings are usually issued every two to three years and also when a municipality plans to take out a bond, as was the case this time, Heagele said. The report from the ratings firm upgrading Easton's outlook was issued on Sept. 27.

Panto said the rating increase may also attract more investors to Easton.

"This is going to bring people to our city," he said. "The bond rating tells people this is a really good place to invest."

Still, while it's good news, people shouldn't take the "A+" as a sign that the city has lots of extra cash, he cautioned.

"This doesn't mean we're flush with cash," he said of the rating bump. "We still have pension issues. They're not going away."

Panto reiterated his belief the city needs to increase the Earned Income Tax for residents by 0.2 percent in 2014 to cover rising expenses.

"The rating specifically looks at how well a city manages the money it has," he said, noting that municipal expenses, particularly pension costs, continue to rise, and other costs the state once covered have been pushed back onto the city too.

"It's tough to make financial decisions for the long term, not the political term, but cities get it. Washington doesn't," the mayor said, referring to the ongoing federal government shutdown. "Washington can't even pass a budget, let alone a balanced budget, and the state is getting nearly as bad."

Steckman echoed the sentiment.

"Costs are still rising...so we're fighting our way up the hill like Sisyphus," he said. "We need to keep getting ready to climb up the hill."

But still, the new rating is good news for the city, Panto said.

"Improving our bond rating and achieving an "A" rating has always been a goal of this administration," Panto said. "We've been working hard. The word is out--Easton is a good investment."

Federal Government Shutdown Shows Lack of Leadership, Mayor Says

By Christina Georgiou

Easton Mayor Sal Panto
File photo

Easton Mayor Sal Panto issued an open letter to residents today, encouraging citizens to contact their Congressmen to urge them to pass a "clean" continuing resolution that will fund the national government through 2014.

He wrote the letter in response to a call from the National League of Cities suggesting mayors and other elected officials reach out to residents and encourage them to make their voices heard to Congress, he said.

On a local level, the federal government shutdown has had little impact so far on day-to-day operations, but if the situation drags out, that will change, Panto said.

"We're okay for now, but if this continues, the whole country will be in trouble," he said when reached by phone late Wednesday afternoon.

But that doesn't mean the shutdown isn't being felt locally, he said, noting that the recent awarding of federal grant money to the Simon Silk Mill revitalization is now stalled and may delay completion of the project.

"Our grant's obviously being held up, and there's not even someone we can talk to," he said, adding that the suspension of pay for non-essential government employees is a local problem too. "We have people in the area that work for the federal government, like for Social Security, and they're not getting paid."

Other funds the City of Easton relies upon, such as Community Development Block Grant money, is stalled as well, he added.

Panto said he's gratified local Congressmen Charlie Dent (R-PA15) and Matt Cartwright (D-PA17) support the immediate passage of a clean continuing resolution, but more of their colleagues need to vote in favor of it too and end the shutdown.

The mayor added that he's frustrated by the situation, and feels Congress needs to put partisan issues aside in favor of the practical matter of keeping services people rely upon running--much like local governments must do.

"This is not a partisan issue," he said. "The don't even have to pass a balanced budget. I can't imagine what would happen if they had to do that."


Complete text of Mayor Sal Panto's open letter:

As the federal government’s partial shutdown enters day two, I wanted to let our residents know that I have joined mayor and local elected officials from around the country to call on Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution that will fund our federal government for the long term, at least through 2014. This "debate" is really a manufactured crisis that ignores the real problems facing our country. Congress is ignoring a host of issues important to Americans: declining housing market, immigration reform, lackluster economic growth, high unemployment, just to name a few. We know that health care is an important issue, but this isn't the time or place to debate it.

Besides shirking its responsibilities, Congress' failure to pass a budget has real economic consequences for families and businesses in our community and communities throughout our nation. The economic uncertainty this creates is quite frankly frustrating, and we urge Congress to move forward in finding a way out of this mess.

Their partial shutdown shows a lack of leadership in Washington and they are operating a government by manufacturing a crisis; it’s not how cities govern, that’s for sure. The federal government would do well to take a page, or at this point a chapter, from cities' books on how to lead and maintain a balanced budget. Throughout all this, cities are doing the necessary work to keep our country moving forward. Imagine if cities decided to not collect garbage, plow snow, or patrol our streets. What if there was an emergency and police and fire didn’t respond?

No matter how you feel about the health care law, we cannot have the budget process hijacked by this political theater, especially at a time when cities, like Easton, are starting to get back on their feet, after being knocked down by the Great Recessìon, not to mention sequestration and massive cuts to domestic programs. Families should not have to suffer because a select few Congressmen think they can gain politically from this manufactured crisis.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and unfortunately it appears it's going to take longer than that to get Congress to pass a budget and do what they were elected to do  govern this great country. To that end I am asking Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution that will fund the federal government through fiscal year 2014.

We are facing real challenges and Congress must pass a clean continuing resolution for fiscal year 2014 and end this manufactured crisis. The economic impacts of the shutdown are real, and our neighborhoods and families are unfortunately bearing the brunt. Every day the government is shut down is another day of economic uncertainty. Instead, we need to focus on what matters.

Local leaders face challenges every day and as another round of federal drama plays out, local elected officials will continue to focus on planning for cities and towns' futures, working together to generate new ideas that solve problems. We take action that will have a positive impact on the residents we serve. This is what the American people deserve from their government. Action. Nothing less.

However, many cities, like Easton, are in a fragile economic recovery period, one that could easily be stalled by the economic fallout from a federal shutdown. Depending on how long the shut down continues, cities are facing the possibility of having to spend down reserve funds, pare back programs, and reduce services even more than they already have over the last four years.

So, regardless of the inexcusable behavior of Washington politicians, cities will continue to lead, balancing budgets, listening to the concerns of their residents, and coming up with solutions to make the places that we live and work better for all citizens, regardless of political party.

It's going to take pressure from our residents to force Congress to act so I ask that you all call your Congressperson now and ask them to support a continuing resolution.

Easton Mayor Proposes Raising Earned Income Tax to Close $800K Budget Gap

By Christina Georgiou

Easton Mayor Sal Panto presented the
proposed 2014 city budget at at special
city council meeting Tuesday evening.

Raising the Earned Income Tax rate from the current 1.75 percent to 1.95 percent for city residents is the best way to close a $800,000 projected funds gap in Easton's 2014 budget, Easton Mayor Sal Panto said during a presentation to city council of the 2014 proposed budget on Tuesday evening.

Next year's city budget calls for a general fund of about $32.27 million, an increase of approximately $700,000 over 2013.

"The administration recommends we fill that gap with an increase of two-tenths of a percent in Earned Income Tax," Panto said.

"With this budget, senior citizens won't pay an increase, and in fact, if they recycle--and they're our best recyclers--they'll pay less," he added.

Under the proposal, only residents would see the increase--those paying the "commuter tax" would still pay 1.75 percent.

The shortfall, which was whittled down from nearly $2 million, is largely due to increased healthcare and city pension costs, Panto said.

The mayor credited Public Works Director David Hopkins for the city's upcoming new trash hauling contracts. By breaking the service down into its three basic components, the city will save about $1 million annually for the next seven years over current costs.

The city will now get paid for some recycled materials, and some of the cost savings that will generate will be passed onto city residents, city officials have said. Residents that recycle can sign up to be eligible for a rebate equal to one month's garbage service, or $33, under the program to be implemented in 2014.

But savings on trash hauling costs aren't enough to entirely off-set other rising costs.

2014 proposed revenue sources
Click on any image for a full-size view

2014 proposed city expenditures

Easton, covers health care benefits for employees through self-insurance, paid out an estimated $3.7 million this year due to increased medical claims, far more than in previous years. Panto attributed the spike to a number of serious illnesses among city workers and their families over previous years, but said its unclear whether the costs and claims will continue to rise.

The cost of employees salaries and benefits is a major chunk of the city's annual budget. The 2014 budget calls for both union and non-union employees to see a 2.5 percent raise.

For union employees, the raise is part of their contracts. Panto said giving non-union employees a similiar bump in pay is important to retaining skilled people.

"We need to stay competitive," he said. "We don't want to lose good people."


Another major, but non-negotiable expense for 2014 is pensions, the cost of which has risen $7 million over the last six years, and is set to rise another $3 million next year. The sharp increases are due to the state pulling funding from the municipal pension funding program, leaving local municipalities to foot the bill, Panto has said.

Cutting costs and economizing to balance the budget may mean some hard choices, especially if city council doesn't approve the administration's recommended EIT hike, Panto said.

Some non-essential services' fees are not covering the costs associated with providing them, he said, noting that the city's pools lost $100,000 this year. He suggested the entry fee for non-residents be doubled to help offset the cost.

He also suggested the city might save money by closing one of the fire department's sub-stations.

"Do we maintain three firehouses in a four-square-mile area?" Panto asked, adding, "I don't want to be the one to close pools or firehouses, but the fire department costs $6 million per year."

The city should also seek to recover revenue it's entitled to but isn't receiving, the mayor said, and a major part of that is delinquent fees and taxes. He said the city will be cracking down on "bad" landlords especially to recover funds owed.

"This decision was not made this week. It was made two months ago," Panto said, noting the triple-fatal fire earlier this week is only more impetus for the city to enforce building codes and make sure inspections are up to date.

He added that delinquent accounts for rental properties are hurting Easton's bottom line and neighborhoods, singling out two for scrutiny.

"Domenic DeSai is not a good landlord. Domenic Albanese is not a good landlord. We don't need them here, but if they're going to be here, they need to follow the rules," Panto said.

"Not all landlords are bad, but the majority of derelict accounts are by bad landlords," he said. "We need to get into these homes, and make sure they're safe."

The 2014 proposed budget calls for hiring an additional code enforcement officer to help keep inspections up-to-date and to deal with blight issues.

Money is also proposed to be spent to upgrade the city's billing and tracking systems and help collect fees owed, Panto said.

City council members, who received their copies of the city budget proposal at the conclusion of the mayor's presentation, didn't comment on the suggestions.

A budget review hearing is set for Tuesday, Oct. 22 at the city council committee meeting, and the council is also set to discuss the 2014 budget on Tuesday, Nov. 12, said City Clerk Thomas Hess.

The city's Home Rule charter requires the new budget proposal be advertised and made public for two weeks before city council discusses it.

Despite $2M Gap, City Administration Hopes to Hold the Line on 2014 Property Taxes

By Christina Georgiou

Easton Mayor Sal Panto announced Wednesday afternoon
that the city faces a serious budget gap, but he
hopes to hold the line on city property taxes for 2014.

 The City of Easton is facing a serious budgerary shortfall for 2014, but the city's administration doesn't intend a property tax increase to cover the gap, Mayor Sal Panto said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

The mayor will present the 2014 budget proposal at a special meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 6 p.m. in city council chambers in accordance with the city's Home Rule charter stipulations, but city council members won't be deliberating on it until later in the month or even later.

"Usually they wait until November to start the hearings," Panto said, adding that changes to the initial proposal are nearly inevitable during the process.

"I will tell you this budget is a very difficult budget," he said. "Our big problem is healthcare (costs)."

The City of Easton is self-insured, and 17 major employee medical claims this year drove up the  city's healthcare costs far more than than is usual or than that city officials could anticipate, he said.

"Our healthcare costs (estimates) this year look like they're under by about a million dollars," Panto said.

That amount is in addition to another $1.8 million shortfall that city officials said they already expected due to rising costs, including those of city pension expenses. Together, pension and healthcare costs will total about $24 million in 2014.

Though an estimated $1.2 million savings on the city's new trash contracTot is expected, there is still about a $1.6 million gap that still needs to be covered, Panto estimated.

"Tough decisions are going to have to be made," he said. "It's going to be a tough year."

Panto said he's not sure exactly what adjustments the administration will propose, but possibilities include cutting back or closing city swimming pools next year, closing one of the city's fire department substations, and/or not hiring for vacant positions in city hall.

"Our swimming pools lost a lot of money (this year)--over $100,000," he said, adding that cutting back on recreation or fire department substation expenses are two possibilities that have been discussed but rejected previously in the face of budget gaps. "Those issues might come up again."

"Right now, we're looking at vacant positions that maybe we might not fill," he said, adding that at this point, city employees layoffs are not an option that is being considered.

Reducing expenses or city services is a better option though, than raising property taxes, Panto said, though it's still possible that some fee increases may be proposed instead.

"I just can't see increasing taxes on people that are unemployed and seniors," Panto said.

The current city property tax is sitting at about 29 mills, less than the maximum allowed to the city under state law.

"We could go over that," he said. "It's just that I believe it's not fair."

He added, "My primary goal is no increase in property taxes, and my second priority is no increases of any kind."

Updated at 4:41 p.m. to add a photo.

Scene in Easton: The Mayor's Summer Youth Academy

By Christina Georgiou

From left to right, local high school students Asia Morton, Sam Boric,
Michael Weiss, and Daniel Ramut address Easton City Council members
Wednesday evening.

Four ambitious high school student have been attending the "Mayor's Summer Youth Academy" this week, a four-day camp experience in Easton with Mayor Sal Panto that provides teens with  hands-on education about how municipal government works.

Asia Morton, of Palmer Township who will complete her senior year Easton Area High School, Sam Boric and Michael Weiss, both from Nazareth and incoming freshmen at Nazareth Area High School, and Daniel Ramut, who will be attending EAHS as an incoming freshman, all spent the last few days  with the mayor learning about Easton and how the city's government operates.

The group also took a tour of the Downtown district and visited the city's waste water treatment plant--which, "Once you get over the awful smell is actually pretty cool," said one attendee.

The group will also view exhibits at the Sigal museum today, the final day of the camp experience.


The four teens attending the Mayor's Summer Youth
Academy chat with Mayor Sal Panto after dinner
at the Easton Farmers' Market Wednesday evening.

 Wednesday evening, after dining at the Easton Farmers' Market and having an ice cream dessert at the Bank Street Creamery, each gave a short presentation to city council on their views of current  local issues, including opposing a curfew for underage residents, a perceived need for a non-ethnic grocery store in the city, allowing the keeping chickens on residential properties with restrictions, and how to better utilize Hugh Moore Park for special city events.

Council members praised the four as future leaders Wednesday evening after their presentations and encouraged them to keep up "the great work that you're doing."

Panto said the week has been fun and educational, adding that their parents, many of who attended the council meeting Wednesday evening, should be proud of the teens.

"Hopefully, they did learn about civic engagement," he said. "I commend the parents, and, younger siblings, this is something you should strive for."

City of Easton Honors Outgoing Lafayette College President

By Christina Georgiou

About 40 city and college officials, joined by a few members of the community, gathered at the Grand Eastonian's Gold Room Tuesday evening to honor outgoing Lafayette College president Daniel Weiss.

Weiss, who has led the College Hill academic institution for the past eight years, is credited with leading a push to establish a closer relationship between the Lafayette College and Easton communities.

Outgoing Lafayette College
president Daniel Weiss
watches the presentation
by the City of Easton
to honor him Monday
evening.

Both current Easton mayor Sal Panto and former Mayor Phil Mitman were on hand for the event, and thanked Weiss for the college's support of local initiatives, such as the Third Street improvement project and development of the Silk Mill rehabilitation project along North 13th Street, as well as the institution's backing of the Easton Ambassadors.

Mitman said he clearly remembered when Weiss came to the city eight years ago, and suggested the Ambassadors program be started.

"It's an expensive program, but it's worth it," Mitman recalled Weiss saying.

"Your investment in the community is important, and we trust your successor will do the same," Mitman told Weiss.


Outgoing Lafayette College president Daniel Weiss watches
as a print of a painting depicting Easton's Centre Square
by local artist Preston Hindmarch is unveiled.

"The freshman handbook used to say, 'Do not go to Downtown Easton,'" Panto said. "We've come a long way since then. And it's not because Easton is a great city, but because Lafayette is a great college."

Panto also said he has faith the college will continue to cooperate with the city in community initiatives, but that he will miss Weiss.

"I know the trustees will continue the town-gown relationship, but I don't think your successsor will be able to fill your shoes," he said. "You're a true personality."

The mayor also issued a proclamation, naming Monday, May 20, 2013 "Daniel Weiss Day" in honor of the college president.

"I give a lot of proclamations, but I've only given this one seven times," Panto said of the naming of a day in honor of a specific person.

Weiss was also presented with a print of a watercolor painting by Easton artist Preston Hindmarch, which depicts Easton's Centre Square.

Weiss said he'll miss Easton and has immensely enjoyed the eight years he and his family spent in the city.

"I can't describe how much a part of Easton my family has felt," he said. "We were moved by this community right from the start. Partnering with the city was an obvious move from the start. I've worked with two mayors that were committed to the city and its wellbeing."

Weiss noted Lafayette College's long history, which spans nearly 200 years, and said the college plans to continue its academic tradition for "hundreds more". Working with the city should be part of the future too, he said.

"I don't think this is about a destination, but a journey we should travel together," Weiss said. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate your appreciation and support."

Weiss will step down as Lafayette College president after eight years of leadership with the end of this academic year. He is scheduled to take the reins of the presidency of Haverford College beginning July 1.



Alison Byerly
Photo courtesy of
Lafayette College

Alison Byerly will replace Weiss at Lafayette College, becoming the higher learning institution's 17th president and the first woman to lead the college.



Byerly comes to Lafayette from Middlebury College, where she's served in leadership roles  for the past 13 years, most recently as provost and executive vice president. She is credited in a media release issued by Lafayette as a "thought leader" on the role of technology in higher education, and has been a  visiting scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and Oxford University.

Byerly is set to take office at Lafayette on July 1.

Longtime Downtown Easton Businesses, Dedicated Citizens to Be Honored

A number of businesses and individuals will be honored at an awards reception that will be held at the Sigal Museum next Tuesday, May 14 at 6 p.m.

Mayor Sal Panto said several people will be recipients of the newly created "Easton Award", designed to honor individuals who have "made significant contributions to the preservation of our historic resources" and helped to save city historic buildings from demolition during the "urban renewal" plan of decades.

"These individuals invested of their time, money and talents to pave the way for successes being realized today. Through their efforts Easton is a better city," Panto said in a media release about the ceremony.

He added at Wednesday evening's city council meeting that the preservation efforts of individuals saved a number of iconic Downtown buildings from being demolished, including the Quadrant Bookmart and Coffee House and the State Theatre.

About 35 longtime city businesses will also be recognized and be recipients of the city's new "Longevity Award", to be bestowed on businesses that have been in business and stayed in downtown Easton for more than 25 years.

"Sometimes we forget about the businesses who have been here, even through the bad times," Panto said at Wednesday evening's city council meeting. "This core group of business owners laid the foundation on which today’s businesses are building."

Due to space limitations, the event is not open to the general public. However, if there is any business that has been in the city's Downtown for more than 25 years that has not been contacted or anyone else that feels they should be in attendance, they are strongly encouraged them to contact the Mayor's Office at 610-250-6610.

Crowd on Centre Square Calls for Stronger Gun Laws

By Christina Georgiou

Today was "National Day to Demand Action", and Easton's Centre Square was one of about 100 locations around the country where elected officials and citizens gathered to demand federal officials strengthen gun laws, simultaneously as President Barack Obama also called upon Congress to vote in favor of tighter measures, to help prevent future firearms deaths and mass shootings like the massacre that took place last December at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT.

"Violence in our country is unacceptable, and we must act now," said Gloria McVeigh, of the Hellertown/Lower Saucon Obama Volunteers.

That group, along with Lehigh Valley members of Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG), whose membership includes Easton Mayor Sal Panto, Wilson Borough Mayor David Perruso, along with a number of other mayors in the region, organized the press conference and rally, which drew a crowd of about 50 people to the square.


Gloria McVeigh, of the Hellertown/Lower
Saucon Obama Volunteers.

McVeigh praised President Barack Obama for signing an executive endorsement calling for tighter federal gun laws, adding, "None of the executive orders infringe on law abiding citizens' rights to own guns."

Panto, who is not only a member of of MAIG, but was recently featured in a television ad for the group, said he supports the rights of law-abiding citizens to own firearms and noted that he is a gun owner.

"I've made it clear it's about illegal guns," Panto said. "The fact is, we're not about reducing gun ownership for law-abiding citizens."

But loopholes in purchasing laws and a lack of consequences for straw purchases need to be rectified, he said.

"Last year, 6.6 million guns were sold without a background check," Panto said. "Eighty percent of criminals surveyed got their guns illegally. We're asking for the only way we know to stop criminals and domestic abusers. We're asking for commonsense legislation."

Panto said the consequences for buying a gun for someone who can't pass a background check need to be ramped up and federally enforced, as well.

"The law is the same for gun trafficking as for selling illegal live stock. Imagine a cluck-cluck versus a bang-bang," the mayor said. "That straw purchaser needs to be held accountable. When you realize your gun is stolen or lost, you need to report it. That's all we're asking for."

Like MAIG, Panto also supports limiting high-capacity ammunition clips and automatic weapons.
"Tell me why anone needs a clip that's more than 10 rounds," he said. "I don't know the last time someone shot a Bambi with an automatic weapon."

Panto said stronger state and federal laws need to be passed, as municipalities aren't allowed to enact ordinances that effect such changes.

"We don't have the ability to pass a stolen gun law (at the city level)," he said. "We're  asking Congress and the federal government to act. We're here today to demand they take the vote.

"Call your senator. Call your Congressman," Panto urged the crowd. "This is an affluent issue, not just a city issue."


Wilson Borough Mayor David Perruso, center, sits with
Northampton Borough Mayor Tom Rhinehart while
elected officials from Easton and other Lehigh
Valley municipalities speak to the crowd. Left, former
Forks Township Supervisor C. David Howell holds
a "Demand Action" sign in support of stricter gun
laws.

Easton Vice Mayor Ken Brown also urged action towards tighter gun controls.

"We're tired of picking up the paper and finding out another life has been taken by gun violence," he said. "We together are one voice. Thank you for coming out today and speaking with one voice."

Easton Area School Board member Frank Pintabone also supports new legislation, he said.

"It's not about eliminating rights, but expanding responsibility," Pintabone said. "It is our responsibility...to protect each other."

J. William Reynolds, a Bethlehem councilman currently running for mayor in the neighboring city, said, "It's not about taking away gun rights, it's about common sense."

"None of us are here for the photo op. We do this because we feel strongly about it, and we want to protect our young children," said Fountain Hill Borough Mayor Jose Rosado, adding that he promised to protect gun ownership rights. "We have to realize and limit the risk of gun violence to our children. If we don't take action to enact appropriate gun laws, it's not a question of if but when. We're saying it's time to enact responsible gun laws."

The speakers urged the gathered crowd, a number of whom had brought their children to the event, to reach out to elected officials in Washington DC to make their opinions known.

"All of you could speak from the heart about gun violence since those horrible images from Connecticut," McVeigh said, as volunteers passed out petitions for crowd members to circulate in their communities.

The petitions need to be returned to the Hellertown/Lower Saucon Obama Volunteers and/or MAIG by April 4, so they can be sent to Senate members before expected votes on gun reform measures soon after Congress returns from its Easter break on April 8.

"Don't be afraid to call that elite 100," Panto added. "They still answer to you every six Novembers."



Kristen Bruck, of Coopersburg, prepares to talk with
a TV news crew after the rally. She attended with her
children, Dana, 4, and Drew, 8.

More about Mayors Against Illegal Guns can be found on the group's website, www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org

More about the MAIG campaign, Demand Action to End Gun Violence, is at www.demandaction.org

A TV ad in which mayor members of MAIG, including Easton Mayor Sal Panto and Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski, call upon state officials in key states to support new federal legislation intended to help curb illegal gun ownership, is here.

State of the City Is 'Strong', Mayor Says

By Christina Georgiou


Easton Mayor Sal Panto gives the State of the City address
at the city council meeting Wednesday evening.

 In his annual "State of the City" address, Mayor Sal Panto exuberantly touted  achievements and successes in Easton in front of city council members Wednesday evening, and stressed that continued city success depends on continued development and investment.

"I am here to report to you that the state of our city is strong and getting stronger," Panto said. "We are vibrant, open, and smart."

Quoting Alvin Toffler--"to think about big things while you're doing small things"--Panto highlighted various projects that have been recently completed, mostly involving revitalization and business investment, and lavished praise on city employees for those successes.

"Some of my proudest moments as mayor have been seeing the response ofout city employees in the face of...challenges," he said. "In each and every situation, they have demonstrated what good government is all about."

During Superstorm Sandy, first responders deserve much credit for their efforts to minimize property damage, he said.

Volunteers also helped a lot in the past year toward driving the city's forward, the mayor said.

"Community volunteerism has benefitted Easton's economy," Panto said. "Volunteers also played an important part in our special events which brought hundreds of thousands of visitors to our city. They came, they saw the improvements, and they returned."

A slide that accompanied Mayor
Sal Panto's State of the City
address Wednesday evening.

Listing off a number of new businesses and rehabbed structures, both completed and yet to be finished, the mayor said, "Everything we do relies on a strong financial foundation."

The Silk Mill project is coming along, and other renovations around the city are also contributing to the city's progress too, he said.

"We started to do green rehab in 2009," the mayor said, especially noting a plan to renovate blighted properties along the 600 block of Pine Street, along with other locations. "Any blighted and vacant property we can buy and flip, we will do so."

"When (I) came into office in 2008, our city finances were in a state of severe decline,"  Panto said. "The fund balance was depleted, we inherited a deficit of $2 million, and our taxes had increased 107 percent over the previous four years. We were in the state's early intervention program on our way to filing (for bankruptcy) under Act 47."

Acting proactively, as well as working "smarter" and making use of modern technology to do more with less, was the solution to the situation, he added.

"We made the difficult cuts dictated by the draconian times our city faced," Panto said. "How are we doing it? By reducing wasteful spending and being more efficient."


A slide that accompanied Mayor Sal Panto's State of the City
address Wednesday evening shows the increases in Easton
municipal costs year by year.

Still, rising pension and healthcare costs are an ongoing problem that needs to be solved at the state level, the mayor said.

"Pension reform is something we really need," Panto said. "(Rising pension costs for municipalities are) happening throughout the state. Pensions are out of control, even for the wealthiest municipalities...Yes, we enacted a commuter tax, but we are still absorbing an additional $500,000 or an additional $2.7 million since 2008."

When it comes to the police and crime, despite a record high of six homicides in 2012, "all involving individuals involved in illegal activity surrounding the drug and gang segment of society", overall, crime is down in the city, the mayor said.

He cited the statistics: overall crime was down 16.3 percent, violent crime dropped from the 2011 by 14.7 percent in 2012, and non-violent crimes such as vandalism, impaired driving and disorderly conduct fell by 16.9 percent.

Again, returning to the theme of economic development, Panto talked about the city's achievements, noting that a Cheeburger Cheeburger franchise signed a lease to occupy restaurant space in the newly completed Pomeroy shopfront earlier on Wednesday and that phase II of the Pomeroy property is nearing completion.

"Even in this economy, the city continues to draw public and private investment dollars with more than $100 million in active projects last year and more than $20 million in grants being managed this year alone," he said.

From a city managment standpoint, an IT manager will be officially hired in coming months, and that person's first goal will be to add online payment capability for the city, which will "drastically reduce the thousands of utility bills processed each month," the mayor said.

"In closing, we are not here merely to hold office. We are here to empower the people of our community to live a better life with greater vision, with a sense of hope, and with the chance to achieve their dreams for themselves and their families," Panto said. "We are here to attract families and investors who feel confident that our finances are stable and secure."

Panto will again give the State of the City address this morning at the State Theatre during a breakfast gathering hosted by the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Numerous Officials Celebrate Groundbreaking of New City Hall & Transportation Center

By Christina Georgiou

The project to build a new bus terminal has taken more than a decade and been passed along through the terms of four Easton mayors, but Easton's intermodal complex project is finally a "go", as 20 shovels were wielded by people who have played a part in making the project finally become a reality on Friday afternoon.

More than 100 people gathered on South Third Street to witness the groundbreaking ceremony for Easton's new City Hall and Transportation center complex.

The crowd, comprised  mostly of local and state officials of both government and area NGOs, braved a chilly wind as a small batallion of speakers praised the project's finally coming to fruition, after more than a decade of planning, changes and hurdles overcome to make the bus terminal a reality.

Full of praise for the final incarnation of the project, which will be built on the sites of the former Perkins restaurant and Marquis movie theater, one by one officials took to the podium.

"I know we've been accused of rushing things, but I don't think 12 and a half years is rushing things," said Easton Mayor Sal Panto, adding that "doing over" the Perkins site make him happy.

He noted the suburban style of the restaurant's architecture and site plan didn't fit in the city, but that doesn't mean more modern styles like the one that will grace the intermodal center's facade aren't a good idea.
 

 "As you walk Downtown, you can see we built according to the era," he said.

Fred Williams, a former Easton councilman and now LANTA's treasurer, praised the project and noted that change is part of the city.

"Believe it or not, this is the fourth groundbreaking I've been to on this street. I go back a long way," he said. "This is a great project of the city."

For bus passengers, the new terminal will be an improvement over the current one and allow them to be safer when waiting for transfers, Williams said.

He also noted the cooperation of officials over a long period of time to extend grant funding to make the new transportation center, which will also house Easton's new city hall, the National High School Hall of Fame, and a yet to be defined commercial space, a reality.

Planning for Easton's intermodal complex has spanned across
the terms of four Easton mayors. From left to right, current
Mayor Sal Panto, former Mayor Phil Mitman, former
Mayor Tom Goldsmith, and former Mayor Mike McFadden.

"It's not easy to get the right combination, to get local and state and the federal government to work together," he concluded.

One by one, state and local officials echoed that sentiment. The project, envisioned near the end of former Mayor Tom Goldsmith's term, was passed along through the terms of Tom McFadden and Phil Mitman too, to finally be inherited by Panto.

"It was quite a puzzle. As each mayor took office, he had to make the pieces fit. And now they're finally glued together," said Vice Mayor Ken Brown. "The complexity of our city has changed. Development is happening. Easton is changing."

Representing the Easton Parking Authority, which will run the new parking deck at the complex, Skip Fairchild said more parking is necessary to support the growth of tourism, business investment, and new housing in the city.

"I'd like to take the opportunity to say how excited the parking authority is to get this project off the ground, or into the ground, rather," Fairchild said.

However, site preparation construction won't begin in the first week of April as was  recently announced--rather it will more likely start at the beginning of May due to the geotechnical survey reports for the site just being completed now, Panto said.

Now that is done, the city needs to put the site prep work out for bid, he added.

Former mayors Tom Goldsmith and Mike McFadden, Easton
Councilwoman Sandra Vulcano, former Easton Mayor
Phil Mitman, Vice Mayor Ken Brown, and Easton City
Controller Tony Bassil prepare to wield shovels at
the groundbreaking ceremony for Easton's new City
Hall and Transportation Center on Friday afternoon.

The concrete footers and parking deck slabs were to be installed in late June or July, the mayor had previously said, and meeting that milestone is still being anticipated, Panto said.

"We think we'll still be on schedule for site work," Panto said.

"It's taken a number of years, but the that, the building has come full circle," Joseph Biondo of Spillman Farmer Architects. "Imagine this thing rising out of the ground in the next few months...It's going to be a civic building unlike any others seen in the Lehigh Valley."

"In many ways, spring symbolizes rebirth, and this project will be the catalyst to revitalize this neighborhood," said State Representative Bob Freeman, noting the street's past as home to the city's Lebanese community. "Unfortunately, mistakes were made during urban renewal."

Freeman said the project will bring opportunity back to the block.

Either in person or via representatives, State Senator Lisa Boscola, former State Senator Bob Mensche, Congressman Matt Cartwright, and others, echoed the sentiment that the new complex will be good for the city and aid in its economic development.

City Planning Director Becky Bradley and Easton
Councilman Jeff Warren smile broadly after taking
part in the groundbreaking ceremony Friday
afternoon.

"The Easton Intermodal Transportation Center is breathing new life into a city filled with vacancies by spurring new economic development that will draw people back to the downtown corridor," said Federal Transportation Authority administrator Peter Rogoff in a press release.  "This facility will also make it easier than ever for commuters from Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton to save money on gas by taking transit to jobs in Western New Jersey, Newark and New York City."

And then, the dirt of the "first" shovels to break ground on the site flew.

City Plans to Sell Alpha Building, Move City Hall

By Christina Georgiou

Easton Mayor Sal Panto speaks with members of the press on
Monday afternoon, accompanied by a number
of city administrators and city council members.

 

 

The City of Easton plans to move City Hall in favor of the new intermodal complex being built just down the street and sell the Alpha building to a developer, Mayor Sal Panto announced Monday afternoon at a press conference .

Preparations for the new site, which is to include a new LANTA bus terminal, are going forward, Panto said, estimating that work will begin again this spring in April and May. The concrete slabs for both the building and the new parking deck are to be cast and laid in June and July, he added.

"The parking garage itself is on target," Panto said.

This isn't the final plan, but the new intermodal
complex on South Third Street is envisioned
to look similar to these preliminary sketches.

While the final design of the facade and interior of the new structure is not yet complete, the bus terminal is set to encompass 3,000 square feet of the structure's total 45,000 square feet, with easy access to parking, he said.

Panto said the decision to move, subject to city council approval, was precipitated by "at least three" developers approaching the city with inquiries about purchasing the Alpha Building.

"It's not that I want a new office," the mayor said, adding that he believes the move is a financially smart decision for the city.

The Alpha is aging and will need significant costly repairs, including a new roof, elevator upgrades, and parapet maintenance in the next few years, Panto noted.

Additionally, since the city will be footing about half the cost of the new intermodal complex, about $10 million of a roughly estimated $22 million project (including state and federal contributions), floating that bond loan to sell the property to a developer later makes little sense.

"It's okay to subsidize and incentivize developers, but when you've got a $14 million project, and the developer puts in $4 million, (local government) putting in $10 million is just not fair to the taxpayers," he said.

By moving city hall, the city will see the money from the Alpha Building's sale in the meantime, the mayor said.

The rest of the intermodal project will follow essentially the same plan as it has, Panto said, though a number of details are still yet to be determined, such as which floor the planned High School Sports Hall of Fame museum will occupy, and where in the structure the new city hall would be placed. A ground floor location for city offices is possible, he speculated.

But, Panto said, the new city offices will occupy less space than the current ones, and the new space will also provide the city with a savings on  cost overhead too, from maintenance to office supplies like printers and copiers.

"So we'll have less space, more efficiency," Panto said. "Downtown is definitely the place for City Hall. It does not have to be the most prominent building though. I know we will get more and better use out of this building."

Besides the reduced maintenance costs of occupying a new space, the intermodal complex will be built following LEED guidelines, and LEED certification may also be in the works. The advantages of energy, water and resource efficiency will also help keep future city costs down, he said.

The Keystone Opportunity Zone designation the site was granted will not be affected by city ownership of the property, but it's largely a moot point, since as a city property, it will be tax exempt anyway, said Easton's Economic Redevelopment Director Gretchen Longenbach. However, as the city will have some commercial tenants, school and county property taxes will still be paid on some of the space, she added.

J.G. Petrucci, who was to develop the property, will still manage the construction aspect of the new construction, Panto added.

"His team is still important. They've already saved us money," the mayor said.

As for the Alpha Building sale, Panto refused to divulge projected figures or what offers the city has received on the site, saying that an official appraisal of what it's worth is in the works.



"One thing we want to do is make sure we get the best price with the best use," he said. "We won't sell it for less than the appraised value."

The city police department, currently housed under the Third Street parking garage, however, will not be making the move to the intermodal complex, despite the need for a new police station. The current location is too small and suffers from water leakage.

"There's no way to get a private entrance and exit at this location," Panto said. "I don't think you want...guys coming out in shackles (there). It's not the best impression for the city. It doesn't work financially or physically."

City offices have occupied the Alpha Building since 1996. Originally, Easton rented the building, which was vacant at the time, and bought it three years into a five-year lease, Panto said, adding that he believes it was a good decision for the time and circumstances.

In the last few years, the city has diminished the floor space it uses, from six floors to five. In 2011, it spent more than $100,000 to refurbish the sixth floor to move city council chambers and offices there.

The remaining floors of the nine-story building are leased. With the Crayola store moving next door and other spaces vacant, it's is a good time to consider selling the building, Panto said.

While the move isn't likely to happen until late 2014 or early 2015, the city seems to be on a fast track to make it happen.

Historic District Commission grants preliminary approval

At Monday evening's Historic District Commission (HDC), preliminary approval was granted for the concrete work to begin for the parking deck and laying the foundation for the new complex.

Easton Mayor Sal Panto talks about moving City Hall to the
new intermodal complex at Monday evening's Historic
District Commission meeting.

There, Panto made the case for the project and moving City Hall again.

The mayor also hinted at a possible future for the Alpha Building, saying that the first floor would likely be retail/commercial space, the second through fifth floors could be offices, and the sixth to ninth floors might be "high-end" apartments.

He noted that the city will be largely free of the multi-million dollar debts awarded in the Cuvo and Sollman lawsuits by the time the project is complete too.

"If it weren't for those two things, this city would be wealthy," Panto said.

The new complex is needed for its parking anyway, he added, noting that the Crayola expansion is projected to bring in an additional 150,000 visitors to the city annually, with a total of 450,000 coming to the city to see that attraction.

HDC board member William Dohe wondered what would happen if the retail and office space part of the project plan was found to be economically infeasible and wasn't build.

The mayor said funding for the new complex, to be paid for with a $10 million bond, will eventually be paid back through parking revenue.

"Everything we're doing here will be coming from parking money, not general fund revenue" Panto told HDC members. "We believe we do have an economically feasible plan.

"This will be the first new construction (Downtown) since the Larry Holmes buildings. And it will be built," Panto added.

HDC member Gary Ringhoff wanted to see more details of the plan before making a decision.

"I think we need something more solid," he said. "I need solid information of what that final building is going to look like. Because we could be stuck with a parking deck that's as lovely as the one we're looking at (across the street) right now."

Randy Galiotto, project architect from Spillman Farmer, said final details of the building's design will be presented to the HDC next month.

HDC members unanimously approved the preliminary stages of construction.

More of the plan, especially the financial aspect of it, is expected to be presented to city council, which will also need to give its approval, and the public at the regular city council meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 6 p.m.

A resolution in support of City Hall's move will be presented at city council's Feb. 27 meeting, and its passage in March is expected, though no city council members have yet commented on the plan, the mayor said.

"This will be the first new contruction Downtown...in several decades," Panto said.