During North Catasauqua Borough Council’s Aug. 17 meeting, Marc Hillenbrand, with North Catasauqua Betterment Committee, announced Autumnfest 2020 is officially canceled.

During previous council meetings, Hillenbrand and borough officials discussed the possibility of limiting attendance so the event could still occur under Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 guidelines. Now, however, they do not believe they will be able to effectively limit the number of attendees.

“There will just be way too many people,” Hillenbrand said.

To make up for the lost Autumnfest, the betterment committee plans to add another car cruise to the fall schedule. Hillenbrand received permission from council to hold a cruise Oct. 5. A car cruise is scheduled for Sept. 7 as well.

Hillenbrand also presented a check to North Catasauqua Police Department, on behalf of the committee, to pay for a new nonlethal weapon called a bolawrap.

The device launches a Kevlar cord, which binds a target at the legs so they cannot flee the police. The bolawrap is a part of Police Chief Chris Wolfer’s efforts to better equip the department with nonlethal response options.

North Catasauqua Fire Department is currently selling tickets for its upcoming barbecue chicken dinner fundraiser. The meal - which includes half of a chicken, coleslaw and a dessert from Kauffman’s BBQ in Bethel - can be picked up 4-7 p.m. Sept. 1 at 1066 Front St.

Department members will also deliver the preordered meals to the local high-rises on that date. Tickets can be purchased in the borough office until Aug. 24.

Council President Peter Paone provided an update on funding for a stormwater drainage project that has been in the works for several months now. The borough was approved for both a $600,000 loan, which would cover the whole cost, and a $200,000 grant to go toward the project. Since the grant would not need to be paid back, they intend to only use $400,000 of the loan to cover the remaining cost.

Paone gave special thanks to the offices of state Rep. Zach Mako, R-183rd, and state Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-18th, for their help in securing the funding.

Contract bidding for the project was intended to begin during the meeting, but Paone said additional engineering needed to be mapped out before bidding could start.

In other news, the We Sing! community yard sale has been rescheduled for Sept. 26 at North Catasauqua William J. Albert Memorial Park, 701 Grove St.

All family nights at the park are canceled, and the snack stand will remain closed for the rest of the year as well.