Borough Engineer Daniel Witczak presented some preliminary information regarding a stormwater management program to Coplay council members at their workshop meeting June 6.

With water and sewer customers in Coplay tagged with additional costs to reduce clear water infiltration, a project still not complete, the Environmental Protection Agency and Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection have teamed up to start a new mandated program that addresses stormwater management.

“The goal of the program is to reduce the amount of sediment that flows into the Lehigh River,” Witczak said.

There are various options deemed appropriate by the EPA and DEP to meet the objectives of the program. No additional funds are provided to municipalities by the state or federal government.

Council will review Witczak’s concept plan and vote on implementation at its regular meeting.

The time frame for full implementation is five years. The selected plan would establish rain gardens at each of the four outlets into the Lehigh River.

“The rain garden would capture most of the initial sedimentation, and that should be sufficient to meet these standards,” Witczak said.

Costs for the project are still variable. If the vote is successful, Witczak will move forward with a detailed plan that examines procedures, initial costs and maintenance costs. There is a required public comment meeting that is tentatively scheduled for July 18.

In other business, with the Coplay-Northampton Bridge now closed for a three-year demolition and reconstruction project, Councilman Stephen Burker expressed his concern about local businesses.

“This is going to be a long time, and we can’t afford to lose any of the businesses in town. They are important to the vitality of the borough,” he said.

Burker met with the borough’s planning committee and the recreation board to come up with a unique idea. As he explained, the borough would help support local businesses by paying a portion of the charge to add a business flyer in The Press newspapers.

“The borough would pay 60 percent of the cost. The Press is cooperating with us on the cost, and the participating businesses would help the borough out with a donation based on sales,” Burker said.

GiGi’s Pizza is the first business to take up the offer.

“GiGi’s is going to give the borough a dollar for each pizza they sell. The money will go toward improvements at Community Plaza,” he said.

The flyer idea creates goodwill between the borough and small business owners, Burker said.

“It shows we are trying to do something. We don’t know if this is going to work, but we need to support business owners,” said Burker.

Councilman Charles Sodl and Mayor Dean Molitoris actively supported the idea.

“Business owners in Northampton are also going to be affected by this bridge closing,” Burker said. “We can see if this idea is successful, and maybe they will adopt it.”