The Northampton Borough Fire Station on Lerchenmiller Drive could be in for an upgrade later this year.

The town's central fire station built earlier to house all the borough's fire equipment and personnel under one roof is experiencing growing pains.

Borough Council at Thursday's meeting reported Northampton Fire Chief Robert Solderich has begun preliminary work on enlarging the fire station. Councilman Anthony Losonzski Sr., in a report on activities of the fire and health committee, said Solderich is directing the fire department "putting together a committee to work with the borough on designing the addition to the fire station."

There was no definitive timetable or costs provided regarding the projected construction of the fire station addition. The borough earlier replaced its aerial fire truck.The payment for the fire truck is part of a long term repayment plan. The fire station also houses the borough fire police new combination truck.

The addition to the fire station funding will come from a tentative bond issue that currently is in the works of being developed for council action. The bond, with a debt repayment expected to be the lowest in years regarding interest rates, would include repaving of Laubach Avenue property acquisition and the fire station addition.

"The annual New Year's Eve gala that is held at the Northampton Memorial Community Center, sponsored by the Northampton Recreation Center appears to be more successful than in the past two years," Borough Manager Gene Zaraylo informed borough lawmakers.

Prior to the gala, Zarayko said there had been 220 tickets sold, noting the final tally is not yet in. Half of the profit is donated to the borough's recreation center, with the other half going to the community center.

Councilman Anthony Lopsonzski Jr., in a report for the building, land and recreation committee, said there would be only one youth dance held at the recreation center scheduled for this month. The dance, for fourth- through sixth-grade boys and girls, was held the following day, Friday, Jan. 5, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. The other dance held regularly is for seventh- and eighth-grade students, but will not be held this month. Genre Trash is the deejay for the events.