There was a public hearing dealing with the Keystone Community Façade Grant held at Emmaus Borough Council chambers Nov. 7 before the regularly schedule council meeting.

The idea of the Keystone Community Grant is to improve the exterior looks of businesses downtown.

The Emmaus Main Street Partners and the façade committee have been applying for and receiving grants since 1995. The Emmaus Borough Council became involved in the process in 2014 as a requirement by the Pennsylvanian Department of Community and Economic Development. With all of the grants they have received over the years as well as the projects they have done, the committee and Main Street Partners have brought over $1 million in improvements to the borough.

“The façade committee oversees the entire program, including the requirements of the program as well as including the applications of different business and property owners that are able to apply for the program,” Borough Manager Shane Pepe said.

This particular program is a dollar for dollar match, meaning for every dollar a business puts toward repairs, the program will match it. The only applicants eligible to apply are those located in the central business district as per requirement of the DCED. The maximum amount per business is $5,000.

Council passed resolution 2016-15 Aug. 15 which allowed them to partner with the Main Street Partners and the façade committee to apply for the grant. The grant round opened mid-September and the application was due Oct. 14.

Head of the façade committee Alan Hawman said 12 applicants have been approved to proceed with the grant, which include the Emmaus Theater, Wesley Works, Tangent Crafts, House Splendid, Switchback Pizza, South Mountain Cycle and Café and Farmer’s Insurance. These businesses will be doing repair work to the store fronts which include painting, new light fixtures and repairs to entrance ways.

“As a business owner, one of the things that you debate all the time is where do you want to allocate usually a pretty small budget of extra available money, and it almost always goes toward advertising or something that you feel will bring in new customers,” acting council president Wesley Barrett said. “So those repairs that you may have wanted to do may have gotten pushed off to the side, but when it comes as a matching grant it makes it a whole lot easier to put those in.”

Barrett said the repairs will not only reflect positively on someone’s business, but as the town as a whole.

Hawman said there is still money available left in the grant, and the committee sent out a follow-up letter to merchants in the central business district encouraging them to still apply.

In other business, council voted 5-1 to pass Ordinance 1146 which will increase the salary of newly elected officials starting Jan. 1, 2018. This is the first time since 1973 there will be salary increases.

Currently, council members receive a salary of $2,001, the council president receives $2,820 and the mayor is receiving $2,820. The new salaries will be $2,800 for council members, $3,250 for council president and $3,600 for the mayor.

Resolution 2016-50 was passed which will finalize the lot line adjustment plan for the Fields at Indian Creek. The final adjustment plan adds an additional five acres to the development.

Resolution 2016-50 passed unanimously, which approved the preliminary and final land development plan for South Mountain Village, which is a 24-unit nursing home designed for those with memory impairments. Construction for the community, which will be located between Seventh and Furnace streets, will begin spring of 2017 with expected completion by late 2017.

Amy Hitch was appointed to the Joint Environmental Advisory council with a term expiring March 7, 2019.

Jason Jesmain was appointed to the recreation and entertainment commission with a term expiring June 7, 2019.