Retired Bethlehem businessman Louis N. Stellato was appointed to Bethlehem City Council at a crowded Nov. 5 council meeting. Stellato, 72, will now fill the seat vacated by Karen Dolan, who resigned November 1.

Dolan resigned after a grand jury found she used her council position to influence city officials in their treatment of a nonprofit organization she headed, the Gertrude B. Fox Environmental Center.

Fourteen applicants vied for the open council seat. Stellato, a Democrat, was nominated by council member Eric Evans and supported by President J. William Reynolds, and council member Bryan Callahan. With their support, Stellato's appointment to Bethlehem City Council was unanimously approved.

Stellato will serve the remainder of Dolan's term, which ends in January 2018. In an interview after the meeting, Stellato explained the reason behind his decision to apply for the open seat.

"I felt I had the need to serve," he said. "I have a strong desire to serve my community. I was born and raised here in Bethlehem and have lived here all my life. I'm also a senior citizen and can act as a spokesman for seniors. I understand the impact of seniors on the local economy and also the constraints they can have living on a fixed income."

Despite his decision not to run for council once his term is complete, Stellato made clear that he will take his position seriously.

"The shortened term does not diminish the role," he said. "I'm still accountable to the people of Bethlehem."

Stellato also expressed his admiration of all the applicants who vied for the open council seat.

"There were a lot of good people," he said. "I was really impressed. I wish them well and hope they go on to run for council in the future."

In other council business, council approved a certificate of appropriateness that will allow for a proposed highrise apartment building to be built on Fourth and Vine streets on the South Side.

A line of residents who opposed the construction of the high rise spoke during the public comment segment, expressing their concerns. Bethlehem resident Girardo Calderon of Montclair Avenue spoke to council partly in Spanish, voicing his concern that the local Hispanic community was unable to have a say over something "in their own backyard."