Catasauqua Borough community leaders met at Blocker’s Coffeehouse, 309 Front St., for their semiannual meeting Oct. 7.

Melissa Brown, Suburban North Family YMCA director, discussed plans the YMCA has for community gardens. The idea is to get the community involved in raising food crops.

Brown is looking to open a fresh produce market at a vacant property owned by Vincent Smith on Front Street. The plan is to have the farm stand outdoors in the summer and have pop-up shops in the building during the growing season.

The market, called Melvin’s Farm Stand, 327 Front St., has a grand opening and ribbon cutting 1 p.m. Nov. 30.

Pastor Brian Riedy, of Holy Trinity Memorial Lutheran Church, wants to ensure seniors with food insecurities are served by the community. A suggestion is to coordinate community efforts with Meals on Wheels.

The group wants to support Pies On Pizzeria’s holiday event. Each year, owner John Landi makes and delivers hundreds of meals during Christmas. The group will contact Landi to offer its help. Last year, Landi was looking for people to make deliveries.

Carol Cunningham, school board president, addressed the impact the school resource officers are having. There are two police officers based in the schools, keeping the students safe and creating positive connections. During the summer months, the officers resume working in the borough and patrol the areas frequented by students, such as the borough park.

“Having the resource officers visible and active during the summer months helps keep good communications between students and the officers,” Police Chief Douglas Kish said.

Cunningham expressed her concern about the impact the proposed residential developments at Willow Brook Farms will have on Sheckler Elementary School. The other schools have capacity for additional students.

The next meeting of the group is March 23, 2020.