Changes are slated for the area's municipal auction.

Set to take place this fall behind the Northampton Borough municipal building and police station, the event is likely to get a new auctioneer.

"I recently had a meeting with William Hahn, an auctioneer from Bath, who conducted the school district's auction, about taking over our municipal auction," borough Manager Gene Zarayko told borough council May 16 "He seemed very receptive and was willing to eliminate the buyer's premium, which was controversial with Liberty Auction Services."

Liberty Auction conducted the municipal auction for the last two years.

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In other business, Councilman Keith Piescienski, public works committee chairman, reported the administration met with an engineer from Gannett Fleming to discuss specifications for three emergency generators.

Grant money will fund the new generators. One will be installed at the Stewart Street pump station. A second will be installed at the Hampton Ridge pump station and the third will be at the 21st Street pump station.

Once the three generators are in place, the borough will have emergency power at all the pump stations, including the new station that will be built by the Northampton Area School District at Smith Lane.

Public Works Director Steven Gerny was able to obtain seven loads of top soil from the school district, which the borough will keep on stock at its Howertown Road site.

"Top soil is always something we need in the parks," Zarayko said.

Councilman Robert Coleman, member of the administration and finance committee, reported the school district has paid the borough $108,540 for building permit fees involved with the construction of the new middle school.

Also at the meeting, council voted to post the west side of Howertown Road, from Banks Street south to Fifth Street, as a no parking area. The east side is posted as a no parking zone.