After months of negotiations, Alburtis Borough Council approved a three-year collective bargaining agreement between the borough and Alburtis police officers.

Voting revealed two no votes one from Councilwoman Kathleen Raines and the other from Councilman David Lehr.

Regarding the agreement, Raines said "it was too much of a raise and it was a lot of money to pay." Raines also voted no because of the dental [insurance].

"I would rather have stayed with eye and dental than have them pay out all that money every year," Raines said.

"I did not want to go above 3.1 and because of the bump [in pay] of 22 cents for full-time officers and 18 cents for part-time officers," Lehr said.

Solicitor David Knerr answered several questions Lehr had about the 99-page contract.

The three-year contract council approved includes a 6.6 percent salary increase the first year, no increase the second year and a 3 percent increase the third year. Shift differential includes a 10 cent per hour increase.

The health plan was changed to Capital Blue Cross with a $300 per person and $600 per family deductible, dental and vision health reimbursement with an annual family maximum of $1,200. It also includes 10 holidays, four personal days and seven sick days.

Initially the borough offered a 2.1 percent increase and their final offer gave two choices. The first choice equaled a 9.3 percent increase over the life of the contract, a 3.1 salary increase for each of the three years and a member contribution of 5 percent toward the monthly cost of the health insurance premium with the borough paying $2,000 per member deductible or $4,000 for family deductible.

A second choice offered was a 3.5 percent salary increase for each of the three years and a member contribution of 5 percent toward the monthly cost of the health insurance premium, $300 toward the $2,000 per member deductible and $600 toward the $4,000 family deductible with the balance of the deductible being paid by the borough.

Mayor Kathleen Palmer began her report with a story she wanted everyone to hear, including the citizens of Alburtis. Palmer reported she went to Frey's store recently and was in the store a short time when Kyle Housman came into the store with a purse and asked if it was hers, and it was. He told Palmer he saw three kids going down Copper Alley with it and he went after them and asked one of them if it was his mother's purse and the kid dropped it. He caught one of the kids and retrieved her purse. These three out-of-town kids entered Alburtis walking down the railroad tracks from Macungie and two of them got away by running back down the tracks. The juvenile caught was brought to the police station, charges are pending and it is currently under investigation.

"We need to lock our car doors," Palmer said to council and she wants the residents of Alburtis to know they need to be vigilant and lock their car doors.

Palmer also reported Chief Robert Palmer ordered ammunition costing $2,200 and parking tickets and flares costing $800.

The mayor advised council the mutual aid agreement between Alburtis and Macungie will be approved at Macungie's April 6 meeting. Council approved by motion the mutual aid agreement between Alburtis and Macungie boroughs.

Palmer advised council the Mayor of Macungie told her the mutual aid agreement will be approved at Macungie's April 6 meeting. Council unanimously adopted Ordinance No. 529 authorizing the borough to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Lehigh County Conservation District to comply with control measures in the borough's national pollutant discharge elimination system, the municipal storm system, the separate storm system regarding construction and post-construction site stormwater runoff, control stormwater management in new development and re-development and to be a basis in administering erosion sedimentation and stormwater management regulations.

Council mentioned the snow plowing done at Frey's store this winter was done by a private contractor, not the Alburtis Maintenance Department.