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LEHIGH VALLEY WEATHER

MACUNGIE BOROUGH COUNCIL Stormwater management study for Fairview Street to be discussed Nov. 10

Macungie Borough may be looking into a stormwater management study as a new budget item.

The need for one has arisen from residents of Fairview Street who reported damage to curbs and sidewalk due to large amounts of rainwater and a lack of a proper storm drain in the neighborhood.

The cost of a study is $22,000. Council President Chris Becker reported the borough is already over budget for the fiscal year, so any new item like this will certainly impact the budget.

Becker talked about the need for a comprehensive plan in the borough to cover stormwater management. He said about 50 percent of the borough does not have this plan in place. He guessed about three to six months would be necessary to develop it. He said the master plan would be used as a guide to follow for specific areas like Fairview Street and would designate how those areas should be handled.

A study is required before any kind of work can be done on improving the management of storm- water on Fairview or any street. Residents of Fairview Street signed a petition asking the borough to replace the water main there, install storm drains, resurface and repair the street and allocate funds to maintain it. Becker said the street is scheduled for resurfacing.

The residents of Fairview Street believe their responsibility to maintain sidewalks is unfair due to the lack of a storm sewer system that led to the sidewalk damage in the first place.

This item will be discussed further as a budget item 7 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Macungie Institute.

After some discussion council approved the ordinance increasing the local services tax from $10 to $52 per year for resident and nonresident employees who work in the borough. The law stipulates at least 25 percent of the collected tax revenue must be designated for emergency services, which can include fire department and police, as well as emergency management. The remainder can go toward transportation expenses, including road maintenance and property tax relief.

The ordinance was duly advertised for three weeks and subject to a public hearing during council's regular meeting. Council heard from the borough solicitor regarding these details of the ordinance and mostly were in favor. Council member David Boyko, however, dissented and voted against the ordinance.

In tandem with increasing the tax, council also approved the appointment of Berkheimer as tax collector for the LST and per capita tax, in two separate resolutions. Berkheimer can collect on both taxes more inexpensively and efficiently than the borough office, which had been doing the job. The three year agreement includes a collection fee of 2.25 percent of total collected LST to be paid to Berkheimer. The fee for PC tax is 95 cents per bill, which Borough Manager Chris Boehm says is less expensive than the current cost to the borough office.

In addition to a savings of at least $250 to the borough for not having to update the software, Boehm says Berkheimer has the ability to maintain a better list of who the tax is collected from. East Penn School District which currently provides the list will no longer be doing so, according to Boehm.

Boyko objected to the raising of the LST and to the appointment of Berkheimer as tax collector based on his belief council members had not "done their homework," and investigated enough into Berkheimer's collection fees which the latter sets without borough input. Council member John Yerman asked Boyko whether he wanted an alternative to Berkheimer, and says it was discussed during meetings where Boyko could not be present. Ultimately the advantage to appointing Berkheimer is the savings to the borough, confirmed Yerman and Boehm.

In addition, Boehm was appointed as confidential delegate to Berkheimer. Her responsibilities as borough manager will include being the designated point of contact for Berkheimer to share confidential tax information as needed.

A bid to repair roofs at Macungie Institute and Borough Hall was awarded to Alan Kunsman Roofing and Siding in the amount of $68,000. The expense is covered by the borough's insurance because of damage to the roofs sustained over the last winter. Boehm says she wants work to start as soon as possible.

Another bid for the conversion of the Macungie Institute and Borough Hall's heat from oil to gas was approved in the amount of $18,200 for Borough Hall and $16,220 for the Macungie Institute. The bid was awarded to MBI HVAC, Inc.

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