Two Scouts with Cub Pack 80 attended the Feb. 4 Emmaus Borough Council meeting as part of their Webelo II curriculum.

Nicholas Laquin and Riley Ford, both of Emmaus, asked council members about the requirements of their jobs, the biggest challenge in the community, the most important responsibility of a council member and how citizens can help the borough.

In other business, residents along Keystone Avenue attended the meeting to complain about a neighbor who may have violated an ordinance about fencing among other issues. This will be referred to the zoning officer. Council President Brent Labenberg suggested the residents invest in security cameras and document the issues.

“We don’t like hearing these stories,” Labenberg said.

Council member Jeff Shubzda thanked the Emmaus Arts Commission for the SnowBlast event Feb. 2. “Karri [Schreppel] did a great job. Congratulations,” Shubzda said.

Council member Roy Anders Jr. commended the Emmaus Historical Society for their work. “They have done a nice job,” Anders said. “They have neat things about the borough, great volunteers and they are constantly changing their display,” Anders said.

“They are very passionate to share what they know,” Labenberg said.

Emmaus Mayor Lee Ann Gilbert thanked the Mercantile Club for its donations to the community, referencing an article in the Jan. 23 East Penn Press.

In a letter to Borough Code Enforcement Officer Jim Farnsworth, the Knauss Homestead Preservation Society is requesting permission to construct a fence on the historical property at 152 E. Main St., Emmaus. The society had already begun the process of installing the fence before requesting a permit.

The proposed fence is an 18th century “ZigZag” fence five rails high “that is not of a permanent nature. It has no secure fence posts,” according to the letter. The society believes the fence is an enhancement to the property, “much the way that a ‘frame’ is to a painting.” The letter continues to say the fence would set off the “Homestead” from the adjoining ballpark, Remembrance Garden and soccer fields. “Much like the rocks that were positioned along the perimeter to discourage and impede vehicle traffic from entering the ‘Homestead’ grounds as an access to the ‘Community Garden’ the ‘ZigZag’ fence in a noninvasive manor (sic) suggests a healthy respect for the ‘Homestead’ grounds.”

In the health, sanitation and codes committee meeting Jan. 30, Farnsworth discussed the fence. The committee is not in favor of the fence “as it takes away from the open space feel of the property and doesn’t look that great where it is,” according to meeting minutes. Farnsworth said even if council approves the fence, it is still a zoning issue and needs to be referred to the zoning hearing board.

The Knauss Homestead also wants to install a 3-by-4 foot sign at the Cintas entrance. They previously received a zoning hearing board decision for a 2-by-3 foot sign; however, because they are changing the size, they need to go back to the zoning hearing board.

The committee said they will not waive any fees for the society to go to the zoning hearing board as they incur a great amount of cost for a hearing.

The next health, sanitation and codes meeting will be 4:30 p.m. Feb. 27, for which the Knauss Homestead fence is on the agenda.

Following a bid opening Jan. 30, Borough Manager Shane Pepe proposed council accept a bid from Remco, Inc. in the amount of $48,823. Pepe said he will be issuing a change order for an additional $10,000 to the project for an automatic changeover to the old boiler in case the new boiler malfunctions. It will be installed as a free-standing unit. Pepe said at a later date, he will ask council to budget repairing the old furnace and adding the redundancy. Pepe emphasized it is not needed at this time as the new furnace will be under warranty for at least a year.