It was an eventful July 6 Hellertown Council meeting, with the biggest - and most unfortunate - development being that longtime council member Phil Weber submitted his resignation, citing health concerns.

A former council president who has also served as a volunteer firefighter with the Dewey Fire Company, Weber had previously resigned from his most recent position as vice president at the June 7 meeting. “This is a sad day in Hellertown,” said mayor David Heintzelman as he praised Weber’s considerable contributions to the community. “I can only hope and pray that all of you take some time and pray for him and his family.”

Weber also resigned his spot on the Hellertown Planning Commission, and council president Thomas Rieger shared details on subsequent steps to fill the newly-created vacancies. Replacements will be appointed to fill each respective position, serving through the end of the year, he said.

Since Weber’s current four-year council term began in 2019 and does not end until 2023, a successor for the remaining two years will be elected on this November’s ballot. The interim planning commission term will also run through this December, as the next regular four-year term is set to begin in 2022.

For each position, prospective members should submit a letter of interest and resume outlining qualifications to borough manager Cathy Hartranft by email at c.hartranft@hellertownborough.org by July 28. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, a borough resident and a registered voter, and should plan to attend the Aug. 2 council meeting to be introduced to, and interviewed by, their potential colleagues, Rieger said.

In news that’s sure to be a relief to officials, the borough’s much-discussed noise ordinance was finally adopted. The ordinance, which was initially developed several months ago with the assistance of police chief Robert Shupp, aims to better codify allowable levels of sound within the borough.

There had been some concerns raised at the last several meetings; particularly regarding the distinctions between allowable levels for private citizens and businesses, such as bars and restaurants, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Pa. Liquor Control Board. Some residents also expressed concerns over being ticketed for normal maintenance activities like lawn-mowing and weed-whacking.

It was stressed that specifics within the ordinance might have to be changed even after its approval. “The (decibel) chart can be modified by resolution as we continue to go, that’s one of the nice things about this ordinance,” Rieger said. “It’s going to be a learning curve.”

In other news, Jeffery Weiss with Zelenkofske Axelrod presented the borough’s 2020 financial audit. “There were no findings of any sort,” Hartranft said, and Weiss characterized the process as “smooth.” Rieger reminded everybody that the audit would soon be posted on the Hellertown website for public review.

Lauren Sufleta with the Hellertown Borough Authority presented their 2020 audit as well, which she also described as “clean.” She noted that while expenses were up approximately seven percent compared to 2019, assets within the department continued to far exceed liabilities. Both audits were unanimously approved by the council.