The Affordable Care Act, often dubbed "ObamaCare," will have an impact on Northampton Borough finances.

At the last council meeting, officials announced the borough will be required to pay $63 for each person covered by its health insurance plan. The money will go into a fund that will be transferred to health insurance companies to offset the insurance companies' cost for enrolling everyone, regardless of health conditions.

Councilman Anthony Lopsonzski Sr. said the borough also will have to pay a patient-centered outcome research fee starting in 2014. The funds will be forwarded to the nonprofit Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, which will promote the use of evidence-based medicine by issuing comparative research findings.

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In other business, borough Manager Gene Zarayko said borough public works personnel had to remove a tree at the municipal park off Smith Lane for a new piece of playground equipment.

Smaller pieces of playground equipment had to be moved to other sites at the park.

Also at the meeting:

· Barbara Matuczinski, administrative aide in the borough office, attended a seminar with the borough's health care provider. The borough faces a 12.8-percent increase for health care costs next year, and rules and regulations continue to become more complex.

· Council Vice President Robert McHale reported borough police in September arrested nine persons and issued 29 traffic citations.

· Officials also announced receptacles for dog waste have been placed at Canal Park and at the uptown park.