At Catasauqua Council's Sept. 3 meeting, council unanimously passed an ordinance to make School Street one way (east) from Howertown Road to Pineapple Street. The move is designed to ease traffic congestion.

"It is difficult to see when someone is pulling out into traffic," Councilman Brian McKittrick said. According to Borough Manager Eugene Goldfeder, Rock Hill Concrete, which has offices and facilities on Pineapple Street, was consulted about the change and agreed with the decision.

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Also at the meeting, the council voted to allow the borough to become a part of the Susquehanna Municipal Trust. The trust is a consortium of municipalities banded together to allow group purchases of Workmen's Compensation Insurance.

"Not everyone is accepted," Goldfeder said of the borough's inclusion in the program. "Our accident rates have come down low enough that we are able to be eligible to join the trust."

The consolidated buying power of the trust will reduce the borough's insurance costs. In the latest proposal presented by Goldfeder at the workshop meeting, annual premiums were reduced by nearly 20 percent.

In other business, Councilman Alfred Regits proposed the borough hire Kevin Lindsay for an opening in the borough police department. Council approved the appointment based on Lindsay's having passing all the required tests and qualifications.

Regits also asked for the Civil Service Commission to prepare a new list of candidates and Goldfeder supported that request.

"We are fully staffed, but we need to have the list available," he said.

Regits also commented on PennDOT's proposals for the intersection of Lehigh and Race streets. He indicated he was unimpressed with the plan. There will be public hearings on the details later in the month.

Council President Brian Bartholomew didn't hold out much hope for revising the state agency's plan, however.

"I talked with PennDOT and they are willing to listen to our concerns, but it didn't seem that they were going to change anything," he said.

Regits wants the borough to show PennDOT the borough's plans for one-way streets in the area.

Also at the meeting:

· In his manager's report, Goldfeder estimated that the borough has spent $35,000 to remove debris at 405 Crane St., the site of the building that collapsed last month.

· Robert Decker approached council about his ongoing complaint against his neighbor over repairs and trash in his neighbor's yard.

"I intend to keep coming back to council at every meeting until they get something done," he said after the meeting. Decker took the suggestion of the borough solicitor and consulted with an attorney. There are legal details still under discussion. Decker complained that he is not getting adequate updates on action taken by the borough.

· Councilwoman Jessica Kroope is looking for volunteers to help with Fest O' Fall scheduled for Oct. 5. Anyone who would like to join in the fun of this community event should contact the borough office.