At the Macungie Borough Council meeting Oct. 20, Resolution 2014-14 was adopted unanimously, setting the refuse collection fee at $59.50, up from $56.50 per quarter. The borough has a contract with the current refuse collection company for another year.

The next ordinance to affect taxes in the borough is due for approval Nov. 1. Ordinance 2014-01 raises the borough's local services tax to $52 and may also appoint Berkheimer as the collection agency for the LST and per capita tax.

Council is generally in favor of the ordinance with the exception of David Boyko, who argues among other objections those earning beneath the $12,000 annual threshold will find it too complicated to file for exemption from the tax.

Borough Manager Chris Boehm reported on some pending projects for handicap ramps and the new Main Street curb extensions, construction of which will have to be coordinated carefully around each other for the next few months.

Seven intersections are slated for curb extensions or "bump-outs" intended for traffic calming and pedestrian safety. The bump-outs are planned for Race, Pine, Church, Lea, Poplar and Chestnut streets and on the other side of the railroad tracks. Costs are being covered by a recently acquired TAP Grant.

Simultaneously new Americans with Disabilities Act ramps are planned for the same intersections. They cannot both be under construction at the same time and a time limit for the Community Block Development Grant being used to fund the ADA ramps requires they be under contract by April [2015], which doesn't allow enough time to do everything. For now, only ramps not impacted by curb extensions will be constructed– that is, none on PennDOT road Route 100 itself.

Construction on curb extensions is expected to begin in fall of next year, while the ADA ramps must be completed by September.

After some residents of Fairview Street approached council two weeks ago regarding replacement of the water line there, Council President Chris Becker looked into the request and reported to council it would be a big job for the borough to take on.

Residents of Fairview Street have reported problems with flooding during rain, as well as cracks occurring in the curb line. Becker says it is a budget discussion item at this point. The Water Authority was also approached over the matter and Becker reported it too is looking at the request from a budget perspective. The borough must follow the authority's lead.