BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Bethlehem City Council approved a measure creating a “temporary help account” as the fire department evaluates creating a short-term, part-time position to support the ongoing conversion of its records management system.

Fire Chief Matthew Griffin said the temporary assistance will help update system data related to calls, emergency contact information for properties and other records. He expects the position to last about 90 days.

Additional firefighter positions were a point of contention during discussions of the city’s 2026 budget, with two councilmembers voting against the budget because it did not include funding for more firefighters.

Griffin has said the department is staffed to its budgeted complement of 106 firefighters but remains concerned about overtime.

During public comment on Monday, Bethlehem IAFF Local 735 President Lou Jimenez said he does not view temporary help as a long-term solution to staffing concerns.

“Temporary fixes can become long-term Band-aids. When that happens, issues never truly get addressed,” Jimenez said.

Year-round shelter

Also during the meeting, a representative of the city’s homeless population presented a letter with numerous signatures supporting a year-round emergency homeless shelter and the city’s broader efforts to address the affordable housing crisis.

The speaker described challenges, including crime and harassment, faced by the city’s unhoused population as spring approaches and the Bethlehem Emergency Shelter closes.

“It’s hard to sleep soundly when anything can happen under the cover of dark,” she said.

Community and Economic Development Director Laura Collins said converting the city’s volunteer-run emergency shelter to a year-round operation will require significant capacity building.

Collins said the project is estimated to cost about $6 million. Of that total, about $4.5 million could come from public funding sources for which the shelter has applied with the city’s assistance. A capital campaign would raise additional funds, she said.

Zoning relief would also likely be required for year-round operation.

Bethlehem Emergency Shelter is a faith-based partnership that provides a network of care and hospitality for the homeless, with overnight sheltering offered from November through April.