When Northampton Borough Councilman Ed Pany and Mayor Thomas Reenock placed a basket of flowers at the Sister City Plaza on Laubach Avenue Sept. 8, in recognition of the bond between the borough and Stegersbach, Austria, the pair expressed concern over the future of the longtime partnership.

For the third consecutive September, with backing from the borough, Pany and Reenock have placed flowers at the monument since the once-annual formal program has not been held.

“It’s fading,” Pany said of interest in the Sister City program with Stegersbach, a town in the State of Burgenland and much like Northampton.

It was Pany’s father, Anthony, who, more than four decades ago as mayor and with his Stegersbach counterpart, agreed to be partners in the Sister City project. A large number of Burgenland residents immigrated to the United States, many settling in Northampton and nearby communities.

At the Sept. 7 council meeting, Pany stressed organizations in the community need to get involved to keep the Sister City tradition alive.

Tessie Teklits led several delegations from the borough to Burgenland, with the support of Councilman Joseph Leitgeb. Both supporters of the Sister City program are now deceased.

The Austrian groups have also visited the borough on several occasions. Northampton Liederkranz hosted such festivities. In fact, the Burgenland governor led a delegation a few months ago. The visit to Northampton included trips to the Sister City Plaza, Atlas Cement Company Memorial Museum, a local cemetery and Coplay Saengerbund, which was celebrating its 100th anniversary.