Anthony Spagnola, owner of a couple of local restaurants – Sotto Santi at 10 W. Fourth St. and Adagio at 530 Pembroke Road, wants to buy the Bethlehem Police Department’s police horses some “dung bags.” Spagnola made the offer to the Bethlehem City Council during its regular meeting March 3.

Spagnola said the deposits of horse manure outside his restaurant (Sotto Santi) was “a little disgusting,” and that workers eventually do pick up the equine scat, but he doesn’t want the droppings to hit the pavement at all.

Spagnola said he would “love to sponsor” the bags, which cost about $250.

He said it would take a trainer, a “horse whisperer” to train the horses to use the bags. “I have a guy; he’ll do it for free.”

In a public hearing prior to the regular meeting, Planning Director Darlene Heller reviewed the history of the city’s effort to write an ordinance to limit homeowners’ ability to rent their homes or spare bedrooms. Council President Adam Waldron ordered the proposed changes placed on the March 17 agenda for a first reading.

Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong visited the council as part of his goal of meeting with local township and city government bodies within Lehigh County. “I think it is the responsibility of the county executive to get to each of the 25 municipal meetings every year,” said Armstrong.

“The real reason I’m here is that I’m preaching census. I’m trying to get the word out to everybody [about] how important it is to be counted.”

He said anyone complaining about taxes should be counted because when a citizen is counted it results in local government getting back $2,092 per person every year for 10 years.

“That’s the money that we’re using for libraries, schools, social programs.

“Lehigh County missed 30 percent of its population [being counted] last year,” said Armstrong. “We really don’t want to that again. Please do your best to get the word out [so that] we’re all counted.”

Armstrong recently announced during his State of the County speech at Coca-Cola Stadium that he is a candidate for re-election.

Bethlehem Mayor Robert Donchez then made a statement regarding the Coronavirus.

“The Bethlehem Health Bureau is currently working with local partners to monitor the COVID-19 situation,” said Donchez. “The health bureau has and will continue to have regular, ongoing communication with the Department of Health, local health care networks, schools, colleges or universities and emergency management.”

Council approved two mayoral appointments: Judith Hinkle to the Civil Service Board and Tracy Oscavich to the Redevelopment Authority.

Council passed an ordinance to amend the general fund, and others to amend the non-utility capital improvement fund, the water capital fund and the sewer capital fund, all reflecting year-end adjustments.

Council approved 5–2 an article “to establish rights and obligations of owners and occupants relating to the rental of certain dwelling units … and to encourage [them] to maintain and improve the quality of rental housing within the community.”

Among other provisions, the article sets license fees and inspection fees.

Council members Olga Negron and Bryan Callahan voted “no” on the measure.

“My fear,” said Callahan, “is that the fees are going to be passed on to the renters.”