At the Oct. 1 Northampton Borough Council meeting, a resident noted she operates a hair salon out of her mixed-use home and questioned council why she has to spend about $500 for a Knox Box outside the front of her salon. She framed her objection as a privacy issue and lack of comfort in having the keys to her salon out, thereby granting possible access to her home.

A Knox Box is a small, secure, heavy-duty safe mounted on a building’s exterior that allows local emergency responders to enter during an emergency without forcing entry. Having a Knox Box can eliminate costly forced-entry repairs to doors, frames and windows and can save critical seconds when firefighters or EMS need immediate entry into a business. Only local, authorized emergency personnel hold the matching master key.

Having a Knox Box can allow emergency crews to quickly shut off water systems or address false alarms and fulfills some local fire codes and municipal ordinances for commercial or multifamily properties.

The challenges of installing a Knox Box is the up-front costs that typically range from $300 to more than $1,000 before installation fees. Master keys kept in emergency vehicles or compromised keyways present a theoretical risk, but master keys are strictly audited. Another challenge is keys only work for the specific local fire department district assigned to that lock core.

Alternatives to a Knox Box are “smart locks” that allow remote or keypad code access for family and caregivers, but lack direct emergency responder universal keys. There are standard lockboxes that are inexpensive, but hardware-store lockboxes are easy to pry open and not approved by municipal fire services.

Responding to the high initial cost, the resident recommended small, simple businesses like her hair salon be granted the choice whether or not to have a Knox Box for their business. She noted it is reasonable for a large store to utilize a Knox Box.

A long discussion ensued about the mandatory requirement of the 103 businesses in Northampton being required to not only have a Knox Box, but also requiring the business to purchase the Knox Box.

Mayor Anthony Pristash questioned if there was a need for this requirement, noting he knows of no instance of the fire department being unable to access a business in Northampton during an emergency. He added this enforcement is a burden on small businesses.

The mayor operates a small business and sees no reason he or other small businesses would need a Knox Box at a cost of $500.

Councilwoman Bonnie Almond said she was contacted by a number of small businesses, and she told them she would relay their questions to council.

Almond’s list included the following questions:

If the ordinance was approved in 2014, why was it not enforced then?

The $500 cost is a burden. Can there be an extension or waiver for businesses to opt out of a Knox Box or make it optional?

What are the safety issues being addressed?

Does the borough receive any money from this?

Can council meet with small-business owners to discuss business concerns?

Pristash added he agrees with Almond that small one- or two-employee businesses will be adversely affected. He stated Knox Boxes at every business is not a necessity. He suggested the police and fire committee meet with business operators to discuss the matter.

Council President Julia Kutzler said there is a law, and the fire department is there to protect. She noted businesses had since 2014 to comply with the ordinance.

“If the fire department says we need it, we need it,” Kutzler opined. “We have laws on the books.”

Solicitor Stephanie Steward noted the 12-year-old ordinance is valid, and the borough has the right to enforce it.

Borough Manager Brian Welsko said the ordinance was passed in 2014 and amended in 2025. He noted a Knox Box is like a fire alarm. You might never need it, but when you do, it can be life saving.

It was reported 103 letters were sent to businesses, with six complying. Forty-eight letters have generated no responses from businesses. Nearly half of the businesses have not responded.

Those not complying will receive another letter requesting compliance within the next 30 days.

Councilman Kenneth Hall, a leader of the Northampton Fire Police, said the mayor’s comments may cast the fire department in a negative light. Pristash responded his comments did not disparage the fire department and added he totally supports the work of the fire department.

In other business, council approved resolution 8-26 that would allow borough administration to apply for a statewide Local Share Account grant. If the grant request is successful, the funding would purchase two Chevrolet Silverados for the Northampton Police Department. The amount of the grant request is $160,911.22.

Councilman Trevor Stone, in his code and police committee report, also reported the borough police department received an LSA grant of $75,000 for the purchase of a new Chevrolet Tahoe patrol vehicle.

A resident of Washington Avenue was seeking to replace his current sidewalk in Hudson Court. He requested to replace the current sidewalk and curb with a monolithically poured sidewalk that includes a false curb. The current borough ordinance requires curb and sidewalk must be separated, as per Pennsylvania Department of Transportation publication 408 about roadway standards. Council voted to waive the requirements of the pavement because Hudson Court is an alley with limited space.

In his administrative and finance committee report, Hall reported the borough received a dividend check from Brown and Brown Insurance on behalf of Keystone Municipal Insurance Trust for the borough’s worker’s compensation insurance in the amount of $53,073. Hall also noted the date of the next borough council meeting will be moved because the parade.

Almond said the fire department will be holding a breakfast 8-11 a.m. Oct. 11 at the fire hall.

The next borough council meeting is set for 7 p.m. Oct. 14 at the municipal building, 1401 Laubach Ave. Visit northamptonboro.com to review the meeting’s agenda and to access the meeting virtually.