The Borough of Alburtis Council convened for its regular meeting Nov. 8.

The meeting started 7 p.m. with the council members and key officials in attendance, led by Mayor Kathleen Palmer and Borough Manager Stephen Nemeth.

Next, residents had the opportunity to voice their thoughts during the public comment session.

A resident who lived off School Street asked the council to aid visibility or install a speed hump on his road. Council was receptive to the request; however, a speed hump needs to be evaluated before acting and using borough funds, as speeding is an ongoing issue occurring all over the borough.

It was decided the police will place a radar sign and cut the bushes back in that area.

Palmer did not have an official report for the night.

Alburtis Police Chief Tony Alsleben was in attendance for the police report. The report showcased incidents dropped from 152 in September to 109 in October. Vehicle stops were cut in half from the previous month, contributing to the large drop in incidents. This was due to two police vehicles going out of commission. New vehicles are arriving soon.

Next, council considered the Norfolk Southern Railways Safety First Grant Program. Alsleben explained the police department grant request would be for monitoring of the crossings and traffic by the train tracks, as well as materials and enforcement aid to properly secure those areas. The grant is a maximum of $15,000 to go to safety programs in communities. This was approved by council.

Council members then reviewed and approved the minutes from the previous meeting. The bills for payment were also approved. Bills totaled $132,234.77.

The treasurer’s report provided an overview of the borough’s financial status.

Councilman John Aleszczyk voiced his concern over the general fund. Multiple members of the council agreed with his concerns. The fear is an increase in borough taxes. A budget meeting is planned for Nov. 13.

The engineer’s report detailed updates on various projects and maintenance activities, highlighting the ongoing work to improve Alburtis’ infrastructure and services.

Following, council entered the administration section of the meeting.

First, council approved a request to release partial retainage to Grace Industries for work completed on Franklin Street, the next step in the completion of the project.

Council members next discussed a letter from the Sanctuary at Haafsville. The Sanctuary will no longer be taking in stray dogs due to the inundation of stray dogs. They do not have space and believe that many dogs are being dumped in the municipalities they serve. The Sanctuary was one of the last no-kill shelters that would take in stray dogs, so this information came as a blow to the borough. They are actively looking for another location to send strays.

A Bridge Inspection Priority Maintenance Notification was received. Traffic Planning and Design completed a routine inspection of the bridge carrying Church Street over Swabia Creek. There was debris and a fallen tree they recommended be removed. The council also received a notice regarding a $400 disbursement from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.

The meeting was then adjourned.

The next Alburtis Borough Council Meeting will be held 7 p.m. Nov. 29. Meetings are located at Alburtis Borough Hall, 260 Franklin St.