The future of Northampton Borough Municipal Pool might be cloudy. At last month’s borough council meeting, Councilwoman Judy Haldeman, chair of the building, land and recreation committee, hinted there will be difficult decisions to make about the borough’s municipal swimming pool repairs and its future.

At the Nov. 6 Northampton Borough Council meeting, a number of residents attended to express why they want to keep the pool open. The reasons ranged from residents who said they use the pool and enjoy the experience; others who learned to swim there and their children learned to swim there; and still others who said they enjoy taking their grandchildren to the pool.

There were allegations the pool’s needed upgrades have been neglected by borough leaders for years and that was a reason for the current challenges the pool faces.

A former councilman pointed out the history of the pool. He said it was opened in 1949 as a memorial honoring the men and women of World War II who fought and either returned home or died overseas. He ended his testimonial for the pool by saying if they close the pool, they are essentially eliminating a war memorial.

The land for the pool was donated to the borough by the former Universal Atlas Cement Company around 1944. The pool reportedly opened in 1949 and was referred to as the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Pool, dedicated to soldiers and sailors who served in U.S. wars.

In 2023, the borough held a ceremony honoring former pool staff with a bench and plaque dedication for deceased former pool employees. The gathering was attended by borough leaders, former lifeguards and other pool staff.

Assistant Borough Manager Jerry Serensits offered a presentation about the current state of the pool and the necessary upgrades needed to open the pool in 2026. He noted the cost of the renovations could be as high as $100,000.

Borough Manager Brian Welsko informed council the final 2026 budget is about four weeks away, so council decisions about the pool repairs or closure must be expedited.

All of council, mayor and administration voiced varying degrees of support for keeping the pool open.

In other news at the meeting, council approved resolution 15-25, allowing the borough to apply for a statewide Local Share Account grant to purchase a Stewart-Amos Sweeper Company’s Galaxy R-6 Regenerative Air Sweeper. The cost of a sweeper could be as high as $264,000. If awarded the LSA grant, the borough would not have to provide matching funds.

Ordinance 1242, establishing a new salary for the borough’s mayor, council president and council members, was approved by council. The salary increases were not discussed.

Council approved the signing of the new five-year contract with Republic Services to collect refuse and disposal agreement.

Northampton Area Food Bank received council approval to hold a coin toss 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 15 on Held Drive, in the section between Cherryville Road and the entrance to the shopping centers in the borough.

In his administration and finance committee report, Councilman Ron Glassic said the borough received a dividend check in the amount of $38,262 from Brown and Brown Insurance on behalf of Keystone Municipal Trust for workers’ compensation insurance.

Haldeman, in her building, land and recreation committee report, said the annual tree-lighting ceremony, renamed Northampton Hometown Holidays, is set for 1-7 p.m. Nov. 22 at the borough’s recreation center, 1 Lerchenmiller Drive. The event will feature eight food trucks, 20 craft vendors, kids’ activities and more. The tree lighting will take place 5:30 p.m.

Haldeman added the public works department began the process of winterizing the borough parks’ bathrooms. All bathrooms at the parks, except for Canal Street Park, will be closed during the winter months.

Councilman Trevor Stone, in his code and police report, reported about a recent meeting that included residents, borough staff and council members to discuss the community’s odor complaints in the borough’s third ward. Stone said residents are encouraged to call the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection with odor complaints and to use the My Northampton app to submit nonemergency odor complaints directly to the borough.

Councilwoman Bonnie Almond, in her fire and health committee report, said the borough’s volunteer fire department’s next breakfast will be 8-11 a.m. Nov. 16.

The next borough council meeting is set for 7 p.m. Nov. 20 at the municipal building, 1401 Laubach Ave. It is a hybrid meeting, with both in-person and virtual options. Visit northamptonboro.com to review the meetings agenda and how to access the meeting virtually.