ALLENTOWN – The Allentown Borough Council will pursue local initiatives that elected officials believe will lead to Sustainable Jersey municipal certification.
According to its website, Sustainable Jersey “is a nonprofit organization that provides tools, training and financial incentives to support communities as they pursue sustainability programs.”
During a meeting on Feb. 25, council members passed a resolution outlining their views on the issue of sustainability.
According to environmentalscience.org, “the definition of ‘sustainability’ is the study of how natural systems function, remain diverse and produce everything they need for the ecology to remain in balance. It also acknowledges that human civilization takes resources to sustain our modern way of life.”
Allentown’s governing body authorized Municipal Clerk Laurie A. Roth and Department of Public Works Superintendent Nicholas Pellichero to serve as Allentown’s agents for the Sustainable Jersey municipal certification process.
Council members authorized Roth and Pellichero to complete the municipal registration on behalf of the borough.
The resolution states that a sustainable community “seeks to optimize quality of life for its residents by ensuring that its environmental, economic and social objectives are balanced and mutually supportive” and it adds that Allentown “strives to save tax dollars, assure clean land, air and water, improve working and living environments as steps to building a sustainable community that will thrive well into the new century.”
Council members said the borough “wishes to support a model of government which benefits our residents now and far into the future by exploring and adopting sustainable, economically sound local government practices.”
The borough’s elected officials pledged to educate themselves and community members about sustainable activities and to develop initiatives supporting sustainable local government practices.
In a separate action related to environmental issues, council members appointed Allentown’s 2020 Green Team.
The following individuals were appointed to the Green Team for the term expiring
Dec. 31, 2020: Robert Strovinsky, president of the Borough Council; Stephanie Lipnicki, an economic development commissioner; environmental commissioners Rick Jakober and Elaine Saullo; Mayor Thomas C. Fritts; Municipal Clerk Laurie A. Roth; Allison Arnone, a member of the Planning Board; Recreation Commissioner Barbara Pleva; and Recycling Coordinator Nicholas Pellichero.
Members of the Shade Tree Commission elected not to nominate two members to the
seats designated to that commission, according to a resolution.
All appointees to the Green Team must be a borough resident; an owner or an operator of a business in the borough; or an employee, official or contractor of the borough.
