Coplay Borough Council Jan. 14 symbolically erased lines on the map where its park and recreation board is concerned.

By a vote of 6-1, council approved changes to its parks and recreation ordinance so that people who live outside the borough can serve on the parks and rec board.

Councilman Bill Leiner Jr. cast the sole opposing vote. Those in favor included Council President Lou Bodish and Councilmen Steve Burker, Joe Groller, Dave Royer, Carl Luckenbach and Charles Sodl.

"The main thing we're looking for, and that's going to be the bottom line is, who is the most qualified," said Burker, giving a report before the vote was taken. "It's as simple as that."

Hokendauqua resident Chris Schmidt applied for a spot on the board. He had applied previously but withdrew his application because the ordinance at that time did not allow anyone living outside the borough to serve.

Borough Secretary-Treasurer Sandra Gyecsek read Schmidt's letter of interest at the meeting.

"Although I live outside the borough, in Stiles, my family once lived in Coplay and we have supported the Coplay community," wrote Schmidt, who serves as vice president of Coplay Sports Inc.

He organizes an annual baseball tournament that has become one of the organization's most successful fundraisers, his letter says. He is also involved in his church and brought the Ironton Rail-Trail's annual foot race to Coplay Community Days in order to both grow the race and bring more people to the festival, his letter says.

Burker said the parks and rec board held a reorganizational meeting Jan. 13. He attended along with Groller and Luckenbach, both of whom are council parks and rec committee members, and parks and rec board members Bill Loy, Seth Hoderewski and Ron Helman.

At that meeting, Loy was elected chairman and Hoderewski as vice chairman.

"There is no secretary right now," Burker said. "What we have is a problem here where over all these months, meetings are being missed."

He was referring to board member Jocelyn Wedge who has not attended a meeting since the board was resurrected in early October, and board member Christine Leitgeb who attended only one.

"There's going to be some changes," Burker said.

Burker has said he wants to get Schmidt involved with the parks and rec board.

Although no openings currently exist on the board, Burker said he discussed with Solicitor John Harrison how to best remove inactive parks and rec board members.

"Members may be removed involuntarily from their positions during their terms only for cause, proven to the council, following the filing of written allegations or reasons and an opportunity for the member to respond thereto in writing within 10 days," the ordinance states.

In the interim, the board will purchase a recorder to record meetings. Gyecsek will transcribe minutes, said Burker, adding that documentation is imperative for when the group applies for grants. The group hopes to apply for a grant with an application deadline of April 16.