The Emmaus Borough Council unanimously voted to hire David Nelson, of Myrtle Beach, S. C., as the new director of emergency services.

The hire will be dependent on Nelson’s fingerprint check by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Nelson will oversee both the ambulance and fire departments. This position will not include the oversight of the police department.

Emmaus Borough Manager Shane Pepe said council received 50 applications– 21 of the candidates were from Pennsylvania and 29 were from out-of-state. One candidate was from Nevada, the furthest point.

Nelson will start at the end of October with a salary of $71,000.

In other business, council voted to approve a two-year lease with East Penn Neighbors Helping Neighbors. The building is located right next to the newly purchased Rodale property. There will be a $1,000 security deposit and a monthly fee of $1,000.

Ordinance 1131 passed, which will add two handicapped parking signs in front of 20 N. Fifth Street for Sunday use only.

Mayor Winfield Iobst declared Trick-or-Treat Night to be Oct. 29. Any resident who wishes to participate should turn on their porch lights 6 to 8 p.m.

Iobst asked council members whether or not they felt they should continue to have trick-or-treat on a Thursday. Council members agreed the event should stay consistent year to year, as to not confuse residents.

Councilman Brian Holtzhafer complained there are hundreds of children who do not live in the borough who come to trick-or-treat every year. He mentioned his parents no longer participate because they had hundreds of kids at their Emmaus home in less than an hour, a majority of them not being from the neighborhood.

Iobst said if residents do not wish to participate, they should simply leave their porch lights off.