[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6270659,"mediaKeyId","3032431-f9bbf31a7f2ff5418e1a6432081a60fc","parentId",3032431,"title","City advises alternatives after Keystone Collections tax-filing site crashes on tax day","audioSeconds",122,"startMs",1743000,"endMs",1865000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3032431-f9bbf31a7f2ff5418e1a6432081a60fc&start=1743&end=1865","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3032431-f9bbf31a7f2ff5418e1a6432081a60fc/thumbnail_1743000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6270659/Bethlehem/Lehigh-and-Northampton-Counties/Pennsylvania/City-advises-alternatives-after-Keystone-Collections-tax-filing-site-crashes-on-tax-day","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6270659-3418484dfce53b9c181a344197a14ec8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440230&Signature=H4pFXUThXUpKt0tW5a8HGH203NfOg445c-DrrZ7eq4zUjuDJQ1lqLUGTsL6EPbEvNFl5ddoWhGEi6TriOMp819VJk8eINYrASYeottv1U5dN3aGcTlBTlOqddVC1RBMs63bXZEYXy14VFh0dbRGWcrWrAg6HbTtNagDEnwQA~UQf5snFzT8ORUrZCBSUIxXmFR~47LrYYEu1tTgTcd5YyL0ccz1OCrF6q8ORP6h0WzKNxk4XT8F5IheaCllXKWcXLIJAbje5bJDKOPYWB~IQk1F4KXHp75tAHuB2eSgLMvPMkJVtQeJItKQTYl4NnN-F9RSiptyGzMFEmFQj60c9uw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Bethlehem, PA","date","2025-04-17T04:56:04.483Z","article","During public comment and council Q&A, members raised widespread failures of Keystone Collections’ tax-filing website on tax day. Council members said users across the region reported intermittent crashes and difficulties completing filings.

City staff told council that Keystone Collections is the third-party vendor that handles earned-income and local tax filings for the city and a number of surrounding municipalities. Staff said the site was intermittently available Sunday and experienced significant problems again on tax day. \"We do have on our website the forms that are needed. Some people came in. We supplied the documents they needed when they came to the tax office, which is on the Third Floor,\" a city staff member said.

City staff advised residents who cannot file online to print the forms from the city's website when available or visit City Hall’s tax office to obtain paper forms and submit by mail with a postmark. Staff said they will contact Keystone Collections to determine the cause of the outage and will ask whether the vendor or relevant authorities will accept postmarks to avoid penalties for residents who could not file electronically.

Council asked whether the city anticipates an extension or grace period; staff said they would follow up with Keystone and expected the vendor to address the issue. The transcript records that staff expected to seek confirmation about extended postmark acceptance but did not report a binding decision during the meeting.

Keystone Collections was identified in the discussion as a regional third-party collector; the city’s tax page and in-person tax office remain available as alternatives while the vendor resolves site availability.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","04152025 Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Council discussed interruptions to Keystone Collections' tax-filing website during tax day; city staff said paper forms are available at City Hall and that the city will follow up with Keystone and seek a grace period for postmarks.","taxTitle","Bethlehem, Lehigh and Northampton Counties, Pennsylvania","taxId",9659,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6270664,"Council roundup: zoning map, budgets, engineering contracts and event permits advance",565,2680000,3245000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3032431-f9bbf31a7f2ff5418e1a6432081a60fc&start=2680&end=3245","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3032431-f9bbf31a7f2ff5418e1a6432081a60fc/thumbnail_2680000.jpg","/articles/6270664/Bethlehem/Lehigh-and-Northampton-Counties/Pennsylvania/Council-roundup-zoning-map-budgets-engineering-contracts-and-event-permits-advance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6270664-f4c502e821bfc1a531d2a33dd4068f06/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440230&Signature=ii3ZkJwt4XpOXVxQd3Qb2D-4bwHTb-KqgN2TxS9kzrjVBdbkYD6dnVvhJjE2fachfCsGelzOjGdSgH5cz3YKpgKs8y5btX~oikNTcKuVJ9c2Wkq9rHGedWFrkTtOPy9Qa0jmcE1V996WIDLHMvYYx-Z6RraaxPnQF3RXv9tEpCJDpFdjuPUyccWr3vHIasl9bBkQaP5wL3xf4QP~YWYUA54wK46MiE0GFhud-xck2GIj78PjHfu~4IvftotcaM177BId4rEuVY49V6p~M~BxK1OlVvKpASnXFjTd~g93Rx0NqoHU7ygZLTHwXAlK0txHw-QWUuP-k3DB-iEPds4g7g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Council on April 15 voted on a package of ordinances, resolutions, contracts and use permits covering zoning, budget adjustments, engineering services, lead service-line planning and city event permits.

Key votes included final passage of a zoning map amendment and multiple budget and contract authorizations. The council approved two general-fund adjustments and a councilmanic appointment to the Human Relations Commission. Several engineering and planning agreements were authorized, and the council grouped and approved use permits for summer concert series and festivals.

Votes at a glance (items, short description, outcome):

- Zoning map amendment (bill no. 20-2025): Final passage; roll-call recorded mixed votes; motion passed (4 yes, 2 no). Recorded aye votes: Miss Laird, Miss Wilhelm, Mister Callahan, Miss Leon; recorded nays: Miss Grimsey Smith, Miss Kwiatak.

- Bill no. 22-2025 (amend general fund for 2025): Passed 6-0.

- Bill no. 23-2025 (amend general fund for 2025; Choice Neighborhoods transfer referenced separately as ordinance 9c): Passed 6-0.

- Appointment of Karen D. Davison to the Bethlehem Human Relations Commission: Passed 6-0.

- Resolution 10a — Authorize application for $300,000 Northampton County livable landscapes grant for Bethlehem Greenway trail gap: Passed 6-0.

- Resolution 10b — Agreement with Cedar Crest College to provide a community health needs assessment ($7,500): Passed 6-0.

- Resolution 10c — Amendment 1 with Remington and Vernick Engineers to add stormwater modeling to an existing sewer model agreement; adds $22,500 to the contract for a total of $82,512: Passed 6-0. Staff clarified the change adds a stormwater component to the previously scoped sanitary model to enable system-wide analysis and design.

- Resolution 10d — Agreement with EnTech Engineering to assist with service-line inventory and lead service-line replacement planning in accordance with EPA and DEP regulatory requirements; year-one cost $88,900 with stated renewal pricing for subsequent years: Passed 6-0.

- Use permit group (resolutions 10f–10i) — Levitt Pavilion Concert Series; Steel Stacks summer concerts; Steel City Fair; Christmas City Wine Festival: Grouped and passed 6-0.

- Resolution 10j — \"Live in the Garden\" concert series with the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce: Passed with one recusal (5 yes, 0 no, 1 recusal).

One item listed on the agenda, a contract for a citywide complete streets plan and bike infrastructure feasibility study with Kittleson & Associates (Resolution 10k, cost cited at $249,883), was presented and discussed; a vote outcome was not recorded in the available transcript.

Council members and staff provided brief clarifications during roll calls. When asked about the Remington and Vernick scope change, staff explained the city had previously contracted for a sanitary sewer model and the amendment adds a stormwater collection system model to allow analysis and design work across the full sewer/storm network.

Several event use permits included stated event dates and times in their memoranda and were listed on the agenda; those permits were approved as presented.

Where council members had potential conflicts, recusal was recorded in the minutes (one recusal on resolution 10j).","City Council approved a series of ordinances and resolutions, including a zoning map amendment, budget adjustments, engineering contract amendments and multiple use permits for summer events; one item recorded a recusal.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6270668,"Council approves $110,000 budget transfer for Pembroke Choice Neighborhoods early-action improvements",230,2795000,3025000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3032431-f9bbf31a7f2ff5418e1a6432081a60fc&start=2795&end=3025","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3032431-f9bbf31a7f2ff5418e1a6432081a60fc/thumbnail_2795000.jpg","/articles/6270668/Bethlehem/Lehigh-and-Northampton-Counties/Pennsylvania/Council-approves-110000-budget-transfer-for-Pembroke-Choice-Neighborhoods-early-action-improvements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6270668-74ee9dc0346c8485d53e09df5c3504a3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440230&Signature=kxxtENK3f4Gza7J3SBcNXd0JsRDnNbnfbgauCfP1SJIdS4-~u1nFUC0v4RaZQGd4eHftUf68E1TWptjmu3kBmZBjhe0DBeHTpNvOGgvC2In2SjBF73Z4pmq38YEqLNpxIDqLlZTBvtvcg28JpyfPNEEhKwzzeZ4DwsYjpvBINe178T4U1ANKcINU~ydSeHAqMT8lbDlmuU0f7UD6nEE3Pf8-2wznt7oWTSR~P-eR~T0QAFN69KXS4z9W98V2PxSDXQqP~clIMrxvuWNCMhDpgTO382vu3WXoqZSLgsszd~K0hawLxH3b030~BwFYWjZxtjj-pAr-g5smlLWhHrfxZA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Council on April 15 approved a $110,000 transfer from the city's recreation fee fund to support an early-action improvement project in the Pembroke Choice Neighborhoods planning area.

The transfer implements part of the city’s Choice Neighborhoods planning grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Laura Collins, director of community and economic development, said the city received a $500,000 planning grant from HUD and \"HUD has asked that we invest a hundred and 50,000 of that grant into physical improvements in the district.\"

The council’s action moves $110,000 from recreation fees into the Choice Neighborhoods account to fund place-making elements and pedestrian-safety work around Steffco, Pembroke and Washington and improvements at a local green space identified in the plan as Ducko Park. Collins described the early-action project as demonstration work meant to show investment during the two-year planning period, including pathways, bus shelter improvements, public art and play elements.

Collins told council the Housing Authority has separately taken a step to authorize a preferred developer to advance the housing portion of the plan, which Collins said would allow resident-driven housing concepts to move toward design and capital planning. She said the planning grant also supports connecting residents to services and improving surrounding infrastructure.

Council members asked about conflicts of interest. The city solicitor advised a council member who serves on the housing authority board that she does not \"stand to gain anything personally from this vote,\" and therefore need not recuse herself. The ordinance to transfer funds passed 6-0.

The early-action work is intended to be part of the broader Choice Neighborhoods process, which Collins said began in 2023 and will conclude the planning phase with an implementation strategy and developer selection steps underway.

Council and staff said the demonstration improvements are intended to reflect ideas gathered from resident engagement during the planning process and to provide visible near-term benefits while the larger redevelopment work moves forward.","City Council voted 6-0 to authorize a transfer of funds to support an early-action placemaking and pedestrian-safety project within the Pembroke Choice Neighborhoods planning area, part of a HUD planning grant.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City advises alternatives after Keystone Collections tax-filing site crashes on tax day

Council roundup: zoning map, budgets, engineering contracts and event permits advance

Council approves $110,000 budget transfer for Pembroke Choice Neighborhoods early-action improvements