Berhlehem State of City 2016

7/24/2019 Berhlehem State of City 2016

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State of the City 2016

February 17, 2016

Good morning, Thank you for attending the Annual

State of the City Address

This year, !ethlehem "ill be #elebrating its 27$th

birthday sin#e being founded by the %ora&ians in 17'1

(e "ere the )la#e, "here soldiers "ere #ared for

during the (ar of *nde)enden#e, "ith se&eral buildings

in the +istori# distri#t, being used as hos)itals (e

"ere the )la#e, "here materials to build and arm a

nation "ere forged ur City is the )la#e "here "e ha&e

seen a reemergen#e as a )la#e to li&e, learn, "ork and

)lay

!ethlehem is at a #riti#al -un#tion in its history *t

is one of the best #ities to li&e and "ork in the

Common"ealth of .ennsyl&ania As your mayor, *

belie&e "e must #ontinue to build on our e#onomi#

su##ess (e #annot allo" oursel&es to de&ol&e into

)etty s/uabbles o&er narro" s)e#ial interests *f "e do,

"e "ill suffer the fate of so many other #ities high

#rime, lo"er home o"nershi) and de#line in ser&i#es

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* am determined to kee) mo&ing for"ard, and * ask

all of you to hel) !ethlehem mo&e for"ard into the

future

As * e&aluate the last t"o years, * #an state "ith

#onfiden#e that my administration, has a##om)lished a

great deal (hen * took offi#e in 201', * made it a

)riority to right the Citys finan#ial shi) &er the last

t"o years, "e made some diffi#ult de#isions that ha&e

dramati#ally im)ro&ed the finan#ial future of our City

Finan#e!udget

(hen * took offi#e, * formed a Finan#ial Ad&isory

Committee, #om)rised of four business e3e#uti&es, and

a former %ayor, to assist in )ro&iding insight and ad&i#e

as "e ta#kled budgetary #hallenges

*n 4anuary of 201', my administration de&elo)ed a

fi&e year finan#ial model *t "as then that * understood

the )roblem "as huge, and a ma-or threat to our

sustainability

This model sho"s that the City "as fa#ing a 5'0

million dollar fi&e year defi#it

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(orking "ith the Finan#ial Ad&isory Committee,

and City Coun#il, "e redu#ed the fi&e year defi#it from

5'0 million to 52$ million dollars Certainly a ste) in the

right dire#tion

(ith a#tions taken in de&elo)ing the 2016 budget,

the fi&e year defi#it is redu#ed further to 5177 million

dollars

(e ha&e asked a lot 6527 million8, and "e ha&e

done a lot 6511 million8, be#ause "e had to (hile

this administration has made great )rogress, "e

are not done

9999999This summary sho"s the t"o:year im)a#t of

re&enue in#reases ta3es and fees8 totaling 52,7$,000

and e3)ense redu#tions totaling 510,2,000999999

This is a net finan#ial im)ro&ement of o&er 5

million dollars

The 2016 budget is 57;,72$,0000 Salaries, and the

benefits )ro&ided to our "orkfor#e, #ontinue to be the

most signifi#ant #om)onent of our e3)enses at 7'7


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im)ro&e effi#ien#ies in e&ery area (e, as a City, must

learn to do more "ith less

The City #urrently em)loys 610 full:time em)loyees

This #ontinues to re)resent the lo"est "orkfor#e in the

#itys most re#ent history

+o"e&er, the non:#ontrollable areas, in#luding

health#are and )ension e3)enses, ha&e been the

biggest #hallenge that all #ities, go&ernments and

businesses must address

+ealth#are e3)enses ha&e been es#alating at an

a&erage )a#e of =< )er year, an im)a#t felt throughout

the nation This #hart indi#ates "hat "e "ould e3)e#t

to s)end based on this es#alation, as "ell as "hat "e

)ro-e#t to s)end based on the #hanges that "e ha&e

and "ill #ontinueto make S)e#ifi#ally, sin#e 4anuary

201$, our non:union, .oli#e and shortly Fire em)loyees

"ill #ontribute more to"ard their health #are benefits

*n addition, the City #om)leted the first year of an

in#enti&i>ed "ellness )rogram

And, sin#e 4anuary 2016, the City began )ro&iding

Tele:health#a)abilities as a means to hel) redu#e the

number of #ostly &isits to emergen#y and urgent #are

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fa#ilities This )lan "ill redu#e #osts to both the #ity

and em)loyee, as "ell as )ro&iding more #on&enien#e

for busy families

The #itys )ension e3)ense has also been

es#alating dramati#ally in the )ast de#ade as this slide

indi#ates The efforts that ha&e been taken by )ast

administrations as "ell as our o"n efforts, namely the

)ension bond transa#ted in 201', ha&e redu#ed this

e3)ense by o&er 52%% annually

Currently, our )ension fund is funded at

a))ro3imately $< making it one of the highest in the

Common"ealth

The ?argest sour#e of re&enue #ontinues to be real

estate and A#t $11 ta3es, totaling $22< of the Citys

budget *n addition, the City re#ei&ed 5=7 million from

the #asino host fee

*n#luded in the 2016 budget, "as a small ;7 mill

real estate ta3 in#rease, or 22


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The re#y#ling fee "as in#reased from 560 )er year,

to 570 )er year for 2016 !ethlehems re#y#ling fee

#ontinues to be one of the lo"est in the region

The ne3t slide indi#ates that !ethlehems histori#al

millage, "hen #om)ared to the other lo#al ta3ing

bodies, in#luding the !AS@ and ortham)ton County,

has been the most restrained From the 1==1 baseline,

the City of !ethlehems restraint is ob&ious, as "e ha&e

the lo"est rate of es#alation of the three ta3ing bodies,

by far

* am al"ays asked B"hat does the City do "ith the

#asino host feeD *n t"o "ordsE )ubli# safety 5=7

million host fee "as re#ei&ed in 201$ *t makes u) more

than 1;< of our general fund re&enues *f "e didnt

ha&e it, the resultant ta3 in#rease "ould be 661 mills,

or a ;=< ta3 in#rease, or, to )ut it in real terms, the

redu#tion of the .oli#e for#e by 110 offi#ers

#onomi# @e&elo)ment

#onomi# de&elo)ment has also been a &ery

im)ortant )riority (e ha&e seen a great deal of

de&elo)ment in our #or)orate )arks ?*. **, %a-esti#

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.ro)erty and former !ethlehem Steel )ro)erty o" is

the time to fo#us on de&elo)ing our urban infill

Currently, there are a number of )ro-e#ts that "ill

break ground this year The !enner )ro-e#t at ;rdand

e" Streets "ith ?ehigh Hni&ersity and St ?ukes

+os)ital as an#hor tenants, Green"ay Commons at ;rd

and .olk Streets "ill be breaking ground in the s)ring,

as "ell as the #onstru#tion of a 626 s)a#e garage ne3t

to the !enner )ro-e#t on e" Street

The !oyd Theater "as re#ently sold and * am

looking for"ard to that blo#k being re&itali>ed

Iegarding %artin To"er, * belie&e it is im)ortant to

de&elo) the $; a#re site and * am #onfident that the

re#ent >oning amendments "ill )ro&ide the fle3ibility

needed to de&elo) the )ro)erty

*n 201$, the City issued 1=7 Certifi#ates of ##u)an#y

to ne" business, restaurants or home offi#es lo#ating "ithin

the #ity of !ethlehem

The City "el#omed a se#ond (al%art fa#ility, this one

an e:#ommer#e #enter of 12 million s/uare feet and

.rimarks sole east #oast distribution #enter (e also

"el#omed Julily, CSTK, Curtis (right and Ieeb %ill"ork to

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the City These )ro-e#ts total o&er 5$6 million in )ri&ate

in&estment and "ill, "hen fully staffed, em)loy o&er 1,2$0

)eo)le, resulting in se&eral hundred thousand dollars in

additional earned in#ome ta3 re&enue

*n late 201', * "as able to announ#e the

groundbreaking on the Citys first CI*J .ro-e#t, BThe So#ial

StillD

!ethlehem, ?an#aster and the !orough of Tama/ua

are the only muni#i)alities in the Common"ealth to

ha&e the CI*J designation (hile there are some issues

"ith the legislation that need to be #larified, * dire#t

attention to this site as a shining e3am)le of CI*J

de&elo)ment and to be the #atalyst for #ontinued

de&elo)ment in outh !ethlehem

The City has also been a magnet for inno&ators

and entre)reneurs alike *n#ubators su#h as .i,

home to 7 #om)anies and '7 em)loyees and +at#h

+ouse, a li&e"ork s)a#e for young entre)reneurs

are )rime e3am)les

The Keystone *nno&ation Jone, established in

200' by the Common"ealth and managed by the

!ethlehem #onomi# @e&elo)ment Cor)oration, has

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fa#ilitated more than 56 million dollars of in&estment to

eligible #om)anies

&er 0 start:u) #om)anies ha&e been assisted and

o&er 1'0 internshi)s ha&e been a"arded sin#e the

in#e)tion of the )rogram

As our housing sto#k ages, it is im)ortant to be

)roa#ti&e in #ondu#ting housing ins)e#tions and

utili>ing our housing rehabilitation )rogram

?ast year, our +ousing Iehabilitation )rogram and

the ?ehigh alley Center for *nde)endent ?i&ing

in&ested more than 5200,000 in C@!G funds for

rehabilitation and emergen#y re)airs This in#luded the

#ollaboration bet"een @C@ and ?C*? to re)air the

home of an elderly &eteran "ho had gi&en u) on his

home due to la#k of funds At this time his home is

again insured and is in the )ro#ess of being re)aired

*n addition, the Citys )artnershi) "ith ?ehigh

Hni&ersity has resulted in ?ehigh Hni&ersity )aying for

an additional ins)e#tor

isual ins)e#tion of all South Side )ro)erties (est of

+ayes Street to Fountain +ill allo"s the City to

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establish ben#hmarks on the /uality of our housing

sto#k

This )rogram identified ;$0 rental )ro)erties that

"ere not )re&iously identified as su#h and in#reased

the number of ins)e#tions resulting in greater

#om)lian#e "ith our rental ordinan#e

.ubli# Safety

As many of you kno", )ubli# safety is one of mymost im)ortant )riorities

*t is my belief, that )ubli# safety ser&es as an

in&aluable #atalyst in )romoting the #itys li&ability and

its ability to attra#t further e#onomi# gro"th A safe

!ethlehem, attra#ts millions of &isitors to en-oy our

great #ity ea#h year dra"s families to settle do"n

allo"s indi&iduals to in&est in, or relo#ate their

business, to our #ity The City of !ethlehem is one of

the safest #ities in the Common"ealth of .ennsyl&ania

and it "ill #ontinue to be so under my leadershi) and

that of Chief @ilu>io

201$ sa" the %ounted unit re#ei&e #ontributions

for t"o ne" horses Asa, generously bought by ?ehigh

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Hni&ersity and Grey, bought through funds )ro&ided by

the %ora&ian College /uestrian Team are #lear

e3am)les of #ommunity )artnershi)s, es)e#ially "here

)ubli# safety is the goal The %ounted Hnit "hi#h "as

)redominately ser&ing on the orth Side has e3)anded

to the Southside !usiness @istri#t, "orking hand in

hand "ith the beat offi#ers

(e #ontinue to )artner "ith ?ehigh Hni&ersity and

the Sands #asino, in e3)anding the area of bike )atrols

to #o&er a signifi#ant )ortion of South !ethlehem

Community )oli#ing is #ontinuing in the neighborhoods

"ith an em)hasis on )atrol "alks so our offi#ers #an

be#ome familiar "ith residents

*n 201$, the City #ontinued the S#hool Iesour#e

ffi#er .rogram The safety of our #hildren "hen they

go to s#hool is im)ortant Communi#ating "ith

teenagers and tea#hing them about drugs, gangs,

bullying and guns, "ill in the long run hel) that #hild

make a right de#ision later in life

The Fire @e)artment and mergen#y %edi#al

Ser&i#es %S8 ha&e also done a great deal to ensure

the safety of our residents *n addition to assisting "ith

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the distribution and installation of fire dete#tors during

my #ommunity "alks, the Fire @e)artment installed an

additional $10 smoke dete#tors in City homes through

their o"n #ommunity initiati&es

?ast year the City re#ei&ed, and )ut into ser&i#e a

ne" +a>:%at res)onse &ehi#le and the de)artment

se#ured grant funding for an Aerial .latform ?adder

To"er similar to "hat is )i#tured8

*n a first, %S im)lemented a bike team during last

years %usikFest This allo"ed for a /ui#ker res)onse

time "hi#h resulted in )ro&iding faster #are to the

)ubli# *n addition, in 201$ %S res)onded to

a))ro3imately 12,000 #alls, =$< of "hi#h "ere handled

"ere handled by !ethlehem %S

*n #oo)eration "ith Senators ?isa !os#ola and .at

!ro"ne, !ethlehem "ill #ontinue to re#ei&e funding for our

=11 system for the ne3t four years

Currently, a feasibility study is being done e&aluating

the =11 systems of !ethlehem, Allento"n and ?ehigh and

ortham)ton Counties to determine "hat is the best

a))roa#h, both e#onomi#ally and logisti#ally, for a )ossible

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#onsolidation "ith either ortham)ton County or all four

entities forming a regional =11 #enter

The strong bonds and )artnershi)s that ha&e

de&elo)ed bet"een the City, ?ehigh Hni&ersity, St

?ukes +os)ital, ?ehigh alley +ealth et"ork,

%ora&ian College, ortham)ton Community College and

others has not gone unheeded

They ha&e reenergi>ed their #ommitment to the

City !oth ?ehigh Hni&ersity and St ?ukes +os)ital are

e3)anding into South !ethlehem, mo&ing offi#es into

the !enner )ro-e#t They ha&e #ommitted themsel&es to

being an integral )art in the e#onomi# re#o&ery of

South !ethlehem

As "e mo&e into 2016, my administration "ill #ontinue

to mo&e the City for"ard

This year, * "ill #ontinue my B)en @oorD )oli#y &ery

se#ond %onday of the month, my door is o)en for the )ubli#

to #ome in and sit "ith me and share their ideas on )oli#y,

their suggestions and their #on#erns *n the first t"o years, *

ha&e met "ith 2$' #iti>ens dis#ussing a myriad of to)i#s and

re#ei&ing substantial feedba#k on a multitude of issues

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*n addition to my o)en door )oli#y, * "ill #ontinue to

meet "ith the Finan#ial Ad&isory Committee, the ?atino

Ad&isory Committee and !usiness Ad&isory Committee to

get in)ut, thoughts and ideas on the Citys )erforman#e and

"hat is ha))ening in the #ommunity

* "ill #ontinue my three B@are to CareD #ommunity

neighborhood "alks

@uring those "alks, streets "ere #leaned, )otholes

re)aired and the Fire @e)artment )ro&ided homeo"ners "ith

o&er 600 free smoke dete#tors Code enfor#ement )ro&ided

noti#es to homeo"ners of )otential housing #ode issues

Through these "alks, o&er 1,;00 )ro)erties ha&e been

e&aluated The result is the im)ro&ement of the safety and

&alue of the Citys housing sto#k a#h of these "alks has

been follo"ed by a to"n hall meeting to further o)en lines of

#ommuni#ation bet"een our residents and their mayor

*t is my strong belief that being out in the #ommunity,

attending blo#k "at#h meetings, is a dire#t and signifi#ant

"ay to understand and )rom)tly address the #ommunities

#on#erns

As )romised, my administration un&eiled the Citys ne"

"ebsite "here one #an get information about all City

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de)artments, rent a )a&ilion, )ay bills online and sign u) for

email alerts

Continuing my )oli#y of trans)aren#y and in

#on-un#tion "ith the Citys ?egal !ureau, * im)lemented an

Administrati&e Gift .oli#y This )oli#y, to be follo"ed by all

City em)loyees, )rohibits their a##e)ting any gift or benefit

that #an, in any "ay, be #onstrued as an attem)t to garner

fa&orable treatment, by anyone, in their gaining or

#ondu#ting business "ith the City

*n early #tober, 201$, * laun#hed a >oned hauling )ilot

)rogram in South !ethlehem This )rogram )ermits the

#olle#tion of residential "aste on the South Side on %onday

and Tuesday This )rogram allo"s for greater enfor#ement

o&er the a##umulation of garbage on (ednesday, Thursday

and Friday

To attra#t ne" businesses, young families and

millennials to our City, "e must take a look at our

#ommunity as a "hole *n 201$, the City )artnered "ith

?ehigh Hni&ersity and the Iede&elo)ment Authority of

the City of !ethlehem in )ro&iding funding for the South

Side Ambassadors )rogram

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This )rogram has been tasked "ith kee)ing South

!ethlehem, s)e#ifi#ally the business distri#t, #lean and

maintained The Ambassadors remo&e trash, assist

residents, businesses and &isitors, and are an

additional le&el of safety as they are in dire#t

#ommuni#ation "ith emergen#y ser&i#es

?ast year ;6 ne" )lanters "ere added, a do>en trees

)lanted and trash and #igarette re#e)ta#les "ere

)la#ed at key lo#ations in the South Side !usiness

@istri#t, all to let &isitors kno" that South !ethlehem is

#lean and safe

*n late 201$, the )osition of South Side !usiness

Coordinator "as #reated through the !ethlehem

#onomi# @e&elo)ment Cor)oration and ?ehigh

Hni&ersity The #oordinator is res)onsible for the

re&itali>ation efforts of the Southside !ethlehem

business distri#t follo"ing the ational Trust %ain

Street Centers #om)rehensi&e #ommer#ial distri#t

re&itali>ation a))roa#h

*n 2016, the City "ill #om)lete a market study and

analysis for the %ain Street business distri#t "hi#h "ill

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#olle#t information on our #urrent trade area, business

in&entory and demogra)hi# )rofile Hsing that

information, "e "ill #reate a detailed re)ort on the

retail ga) and the ability of our #ustomer base to

su))ort s)e#ifi# ty)es of retail Further, it "ill #learly

indi#ate the market leakage that our #ommunity

e3)erien#es allo"ing us to #reate a fo#used business

re#ruitment strategy that targets enter)rises most

likely to su##eed in !ethlehem

*n 201$, the City in&ested a great deal in numerous

infrastru#ture and re#reation #a)ital )ro-e#ts

The Skate)la>a has been u)graded and im)ro&ed

and has seen e3)anded amenities, in#luding a )a&ilion,

on:site bathroom fa#ilities and a ne" entry"ay

This year, "e "ill #onstru#t a ne" stair#ase and an

A@A ram), further in#reasing the )ubli# #onne#tion

bet"een the Green"ay and South Side neighborhoods

The @e)artment of .ubli# (orks #ontinues to

re)air interse#tions and add A@A ram)s n ta) for

2016 are the re)la#ement of the ?ynn A&enue !ridge,

+igh Street !ridge and the .enn@T re#onstru#tion of

the Fahy !ridge

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201$ sa" the installation of ne" street lighting,

additional angled )arking, ne" and refurbished

side"alks "ith underground ele#tri# #onduit and ne"

trees and the #om)lete re)a&ing of %ain Street from

Chur#h to !road Additional #ameras, lighting and

.oli#e "ere utili>ed during %usikFest "here "e had a

re#ord lo" 2' arrests

ur .arks @e)artment #ontinues to im)lement

sustainability measures in trying to redu#e the Citys

#arbon foot)rint

The im)ro&ement of +AC systems, the

re)la#ement of "indo"s and )ur#hasing more than $0ine The City "as

also listed by +uffington .ost as one of the 10 most

beautiful HS to"ns to &isit in the fall

The @e)artment of (ater and Se"er resour#es

#on#luded su##essful negotiations "ith ?o"er a>areth

To"nshi) for se"er #a)a#ity resulting in a 52$ million

boost for further se"er #a)ital im)ro&ement )ro-e#ts

And for the se&enth #onse#uti&e year, the City re#ei&ed

the Area:"ide )timi>ation .rogram A"ard for (ater

Filtration .lant )erforman#e

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* "ould be remiss, if * did not mention the ongoing

initiati&es of the Citys +ealth !ureau

!ased on a #ommunity health needs assessment,

#hild abuse ranked as the number one health issue that

!ethlehem residents thought the bureau should fo#us

on This resulted in the +ealth !ureau and the

!ethlehem .artnershi) for a +ealthy Community

re#ei&ing a grant from T"o:Ii&ers +ealth and (ellness

Foundation to #ondu#t the Front .or#h .ro-e#t, a #hild

abuse )re&ention )rogram, in lo#al neighborhoods

The result has been the training of 11$ #ommunity

members on ho" to be#ome in&ol&ed "ith )re&enting

#hild abuse and negle#t before it o##urs

*n addition, the +ealth !ureau "orks "ith &arious

homeless shelters and )ro&ides free flu &a##ines to

!ethlehem Area S#hool @istri#t Students and the )ubli#

through a &a##ination grant donations by ?ehigh alley

+ealth et"ork

*n mid:201$, the +oo&er:%ason Trestle "as o)en to

the )ubli# and has be#ome a ma-or attra#tion of the

Steel Sta#ks #am)us

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(e ha&e a##om)lished a great deal but there is

still so mu#h to do as "e mo&e into 2016

%y administration "ill #ontinue to em)hasi>e

)ubli# safety, e#onomi# de&elo)ment, fis#al

res)onsibility, a##essibility and strong #ode

enfor#ement

The .oli#e @e)artment "ill e3)and its K:= unit

from 2 to ' dogs

*t "ill enlarge its S)e#ial i#tims Hnit "ithin the

Criminal *n&estigation @i&ision to 2 fulltime dete#ti&es

to handle #hild abusese3ual assault #ases

The !.@ "ill be -oining "ith both ?ehigh County

and ortham)ton County @istri#t Attorney offi#es in the

im)lementation of the ala3one )rogram, "here an

offi#er administers an in-e#tion that #ounters a heroin

o&erdose

(e "ill #ontinue toE

1 *m)lement additional #ost redu#tions through

a ne" )ro#urement )oli#y dealing "ith &endor

#onsolidation

2 3)and the Green"ay from ast 6th Street to

Auburn Street

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; *m)lement the (ayfinding and signage

)rogram for !ethlehem

' 3e#ute a )o"er )ur#hase agreement for a

solar energy )ro-e#t at the "ater filtration

)lant that "ill su))ly nearly all of the

ele#tri#al needs of the )lant

$ Com)lete the ?ynn A&enue and +igh Street

bridge re#onstru#tion )ro-e#ts

6 Try to meet the goal of o&erlaying 17 lane

miles of streets in house

!ethlehem, like other #ities, fa#es #hallenges, but,

as "e #elebrate our 27$thbirthday, the future of our #ity

is as bright as the star on South %ountain !ethlehem

"ill #ontinue be the -e"el of the ?ehigh alley

SummationCon#lusion

*n #losing, * "ould like to take this o))ortunity to

thank the !ethlehem Chamber of Commer#e, !S*

Cor)orate !enefits, (est Side +ammer le#tri# and

Ca)ital !lue Cross for hosting this e&ent, and a s)e#ial

thank you to all of our great s)onsors for su))orting

this breakfast

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Berhlehem State of City 2016

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Transcript of Berhlehem State of City 2016