Mayor Rickie Hoffman may have resigned, but it seemed like business as usual for the Macungie Borough Council at the July 1 meeting.

The former mayor's resignation was accepted without fuss and without ceremony at the tail end of a meeting that primarily focused on easement issues and the day to day business of borough affairs. Not a single public comment accompanied the council's formal action in accepting Hoffman's resignation.

Apparently, this is also the first time it has ever happened. Borough manager Chris Boehm attested that in the borough's history she knows of no mayor ever resigning only plenty of council members, she says. The borough's solicitor Patrick Armstrong confirmed for council that no set process exists for appointing and installing a new mayor but council will proceed as quickly as possible.

The new mayor will be appointed from interviews held in a public meeting. The borough is asking for letters of interest to be submitted by noon July 11. Interviews will then be held at the beginning of council's next meeting July 15. Macungie has 30 days to select a mayor from the applicants, and this appointed official will hold the office until the end of the term Dec. 31.

In the instance of a mayor's absence, the council president is supposed to perform certain official duties, such as swearing in new officials and civil servants, or declaring a state of emergency. Should such an instance occur during the 30-day period before a mayor must be appointed, Chris Becker will perform these duties, Boehm confirmed.

The issue of a new mayor is bound up with the affairs of the police department, which has requested that a security camera be installed at the doors of the police station due to the incident of a suicide recently at its front doors. Becker said he would rather see the borough spend a small amount of money on something simple that can be upgraded rather than an advanced camera that would foist a greater hit on the budget. For now, the request will be tabled until the new mayor is appointed.

Another issue at the top of the list for the newly appointed mayor to tackle will be the internal affairs policy of the police department. The policy covers how to handle complaints to the department, but does not include the chief under its umbrella. Becker is in favor of tabling the issue until the new mayor can be involved in the discussion as head of the police department. Becker says the complaint notice on the police should include the police chief and the mayor by default in order to provide a check and balance system.

Those residents of Village Walk Drive who received a letter from the zoning officer regarding easements on their properties (unknown to most if not all of them up until May) may have been granted at least an extension on the deadline for removing encroachments on the easements in question.

Council has authorized a letter to be sent out to the residents clarifying the easement notification was nothing more than that, and while the properties in question are being investigated, the 90-day timeframe for removing encroachments and plants on easements is on hold.

To date no properties have been identified with violations on their easements. Becker insisted the borough should not have sent out letters on a matter it wasn't even certain of yet. The main difference between this letter and an official notification of code violation is an enforcement letter would be property specific, Armstrong said. The borough's attorney recommended council send a letter stating their intent to look into specific properties on Village Walk Drive pointing out none have been found to date with violations.

In other business council approved the request of Linden Miller to join the Macungie Institute Board of Trustees, and approved the emergency management plan.

Becker issued a proclamation on behalf of council in recognition of centenarian Alan Fink, whose milestone birthday was July 3. Fink has been a resident of Macungie for 61 years, serving in numerous capacities as a civil servant and council member. Becker recognized Fink as an exemplary citizen thanking him for all his years of service to the community, and wishing him a very happy birthday.