Alburtis Borough Council met March 13 where, during public comment, a question was asked about a missing police car. Police Chief Tony Alsleben responded by saying the car was sold. Borough Manager Stephen Nemeth said it was sold for $3,100.

A resident of Macungie rose to ask the council about the date of the Alburtis Halloween Parade. The resident was concerned about the time and proximity of both municipalities’ parades and wanted to work with whoever was in charge to schedule time between the two events. They aimed to encourage higher attendance at both. Mayor Kathleen Palmer suggested she contact the Alburtis Area Community Center, which is a separate organization coordinating the parade.

Moving on to agenda items, council unanimously approved the meeting minutes of Feb. 28 meeting, as well as the bills for payment in the amount of $62,112.15.

The treasurer’s report was approved without discussion.

The Macungie Ambulance report showcased seven calls to Alburtis in February.

The engineer’s report offered updates on infrastructure projects and maintenance efforts. Questions were raised about projects that seemed complete but were still left on the engineer’s report. The engineer explained an observer was needed for contracting work done to correct an error. It was said closing out engineering projects is paramount with the borough council.

Under the administration agenda, several decisions were made. First, council approved Pay Application 1 to Construction Master Services LLC, advancing the Bicentennial Village construction project. The payment was for the demolition and sidewalk removal, totaling $26,223.30.

A request by Nemeth to apply for a Firehouse Subs Public Safety Grant was approved. The grant will match any amount committed toward funding for lifesaving equipment, prevention education, scholarships and disaster relief.

Additionally, a request to place the old water/sewer truck out for bid was endorsed. The council also announced a recycling and shredding event scheduled 8 a.m. to noon Nov. 9, promoting sustainability and community engagement.

A draft of the amended fireworks ordinance was presented and approved. This highlighted the council’s efforts to regulate fireworks usage responsibly. Furthermore, the council celebrated the receipt of the 2024 liquid fuels grant totaling $67,680.97, which will likely be allocated toward critical infrastructure projects.

Lastly, council acknowledged the resignation of Christina Kaufman from the Alburtis Planning Commission. She faithfully served the community for the past five years. The spot is now vacant and needs to be replaced. However, a member of the public who was in attendance volunteered for the commission. This will be decided and put in place later.

A member of the public spoke at the end of the meeting. He lives on Lockridge Lane, where the new sidewalk infrastructure project is occurring. In his view, the sidewalks being installed are lower than they should be and the curbs are going to be too high, which will potentially cause a tripping hazard. Borough Engineer Mike Preston explained that to meet Americans with Disabilities Act compliance with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and building standards, the planned sidewalk is a happy medium so the slope of the sidewalks and driveway isn’t too abrupt for vehicles. He understood the resident’s concern but explained that if they raised the sidewalk to match the curb, vehicles would get damaged. ADA compliance requires a 2% grade.

It was announced an executive session was held 6 p.m. to discuss personnel matters.

The meeting was then adjourned. The next meeting will be held 7 p.m. March 27 at borough hall, 260 Franklin St., Alburtis. As a reminder to the public, meetings take place 7 p.m. on the second and last Wednesday of each month.