Emmaus Borough Council unanimously voted to once again apply for the $50,000 facade grant at the July 16 council meeting.

This grant is part of the Pennsylvania Keystone Communities Program funding, which allows businesses to receive money to fix up the exterior of their buildings, whether it be signage, painting the facility, new doors and windows or other improvements .

Emmaus Borough Manager Shane Pepe encourages businesses interested in the grant program to get their applications in to the borough soon.

“They’ve [the borough] been doing this grant program since the mid-90s and they’ve put over $1.2 million into this town between grants and what the downtown people have invested,” Pepe said. “It’s really been a successful and useful program for our community.”

In related business, the Chamber Foundation awarded the Emmaus Public Library and the borough a $1,000 grant to do crosswalk improvements from the library to the adjacent park.

They also awarded the Emmaus Main Street Partners and the borough $1,000 to paint the town’s hydrants. Pepe said the borough will be partnering with the arts commission to paint some decorative hydrants around the borough, starting in the business district. Eventually, they want to run an “adopt a hydrant” program across the borough.

In other business, resident Lynn Donches spoke to council regarding her concerns about the recent increase in firework usage on her street and in the borough.

A recent law passed in 2017 allows Pennsylvania residents to purchase consumer-grade fireworks such as bottle rockets, Roman candles and a variety of other explosives.

Council President Brent Labenberg said the state ordinance has several conditions people must follow and if Donches feels her neighbors are breaking them to call the borough’s non-emergency number.

According to the state, some of these rules include not setting off fireworks 150 feet from a building, not using them if alcohol is present and not shooting from a home or vehicle.

It was noted that while the borough has a noise ordinance, the public safety committee is looking into the situation more, and trying to set some guidelines such as a time restraint and restricting fireworks in the public parks.

Borough Solicitor Jeffrey Dimmich said he’s been looking into the issue and a lot of municipalities are posting ordinances mimicking each other.

“I don’t know how you can pass any ordinance that is in contravention to the state statute that says you can do it,” Dimmich said. “The 150 feet is hard to enforce and the definition of consumer fireworks is like 30 pages long. I don’t know how the police will ever work effectively with enforcing it.”

In other business, Mayor Lee Ann Gilbert made a proclamation that July 30 of each year will be known as Emmaus Founders Day.

“I proclaim July 30 of each year henceforth as a special day to show appreciation of the settlers in 1747 who established a Moravian Congregation of 44 people that evolved into the village of Emmaus, Pennsylvania, which we enjoy and govern,” Gilbert said.

Council noted the Tenth Street Culvert project will start the first week of August, with the culvert being put in place mid-September and the project being completed in early October.

Gilbert also announced trick or treat night in Emmaus will be 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 26.

Council passed Resolution 2018-28 which will allow council to begin the first step in the process of bringing back the Pennsylvania State Associations of Borough’s Junior Council Person Program.

Ordinance 1179 passed its first reading which will remove a residential handicapped parking sign on 570 Broad St. and add a residential handicapped parking sign at 228 Furnace St.