Bethlehem City Council approves $9.3 million bank note

''This is an unprecedented, $5.5 million investment in public safety. We're updating the entire radio system and committing to other very important projects,'' Mayor John Callahan said. ''This, in conjunction with additional personnel, will continue to make Bethlehem the safest city in the state'' with a population over 30,000.

In addition, the city will set aside $100,000 of the debt to perform a facilities plan, determining whether the city is using its space efficiently or whether the city needs to acquire more property. Part of the plan will address whether the city should buy the adjacent Van Bittner Hall, the headquarters of the once-mighty steelworkers union, at 53 E. Lehigh St. In the five-year plan, the city proposed $1.3 million for property acquisition next year should the city decide to buy Van Bittner.