Mayor Kathleen Palmer initiated the May 27 Alburtis borough council meeting by addressing concerns regarding contacting the borough amid the pandemic.

Originally, council proposed Borough Manager Sharon Trexler look into an app that would prevent residents from obtaining her personal phone number. However, they opted to table the discussion until Trexler researched apps and any other potential solutions.

Trexler also informed council she is ready to submit an application for the Main Street Lehigh Valley grant. The money will fund “…solar lights at the base of the four ‘Welcome to Alburtis’ signs at the entrance[s] to the borough… [and potentially] solar lights for Christmas decorations,” Trexler said.

Council carried a motion to permit Trexler to submit the grant.

“My personal feeling is that we’ve been lucky so far, so why not? I say yes, go ahead and submit it,” Council President Ron DeIaco said.

Council then discussed the interim Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act 537 Plan update. Act 537 requires all municipalities develop, revise and implement official sewage facility plans. A fundamental part of this Act 537 Plan is the identification and documentation of the sewage disposal needs in a municipality.

Trexler explained the borough planning commission was to hold a Zoom meeting June 9. Following the meeting, she plans to report back to borough council with the plan update and seek approval.

Before the meeting ended, Trexler asked council if they felt comfortable opening up the baseball fields to the local baseball teams.

“I was contacted by the guy who runs the baseball teams in the borough,” Trexler said. “He asked that once we move to yellow if he can clean up the fields.”

Council member Hector Vasquez supported the idea of opening up the fields.

“As long as they’re going to assume responsibility for it and follow guidelines, I’m fine with it,” Vasquez said. “I would open it all up and just monitor it … keep an eye out and make sure people are adhering to the guidelines, and if we feel that people aren’t adhering to it, then we close it down.”

Council shared the same views as Vasquez.