At the Dec. 4 Macungie Borough Council meeting, council took another step closer to designating Lower Macungie Fire Department as its fire protection unit for the borough.

Authorization was granted to move forward with the Memorandum of Understanding with Lower Macungie Township and the Lower Macungie Fire Department. Ordinance 2023-01 will be advertised designating Lower Macungie Fire Department as the fire protection unit for the Borough of Macungie.

Representatives from Kay Builders attended the meeting to explain the issue with the proposed left turn lane into Brookside Country Club. There is a small piece of land causing some problems. Resolution 2023-05 authorizes execution of the HOP permit, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation application and requisite conveyance documents.

A Lehigh County Authority representative made a presentation on Kline’s Island and the current status of 15 municipalities’ sewer situation.

There are 270,000 people being served by this water treatment with 32 million gallons of waste water daily.

The system is aging. Issues discussed include capacity for new connections and existing infrastructure size. Also included is regulatory oversight.

There are 160 million gallons of water per day entering the treatment plant. The current system can only process half of it.

Act 537 must include a 10-year implementation schedule. If no action occurs there can be environmental damage. continued aging, regulatory action and stalled new connections

Some parts of Kline’s Island Pumping Plant are over 100 years old.

Plans are being made to work on improving and enlarging the operation. Act 537 will address the improvements within municipalities.

In other news, Michael Miklich has been hired as a new part-time police officer. This was approved by council.

Barry Isett & Associates was chosen to be the engineer on the South Church Street/Hickory Bridge project with a contract amount of $244,790. Council approved the contract 4-1 with Greg Hutchison voting nay.

Macungie Institute is working on a user agreement amendment request by WAWA Inc. The contract value is $4,500.

The department of public works received approval for a water tank level controller replacement for the Hillcrest tank. Also a request was received for Well #2 replacement project for Shulte.

There was an executive session held over real estate, legal and personnel matters.

The next council meeting will be held 7:30 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Macungie Institute, 510 E. Main St., Macungie.