The Kalmbach Charitable Trust has offered a donation of $20,000 and a tract of land along Cotton Street and Chestnut Street to the borough, announced publicly at Macungie Borough Council's meeting Jan. 19.

Dale A. Dries, trustee for Kalmbach Park, read a letter to council stating the Trust's concern the current plan for Cotton Street does not include a pedestrian footbridge, due to lack of funds. In addition, Kalmbach offered to hand over all the land adjacent to planned sidewalks on Cotton Street and existing sidewalks on Chestnut Street with the condition the borough takes over responsibility for maintenance.

Dries explained the Trust has had to dip into the park's principal in the past after storm damage, and after new sidewalks are completed it may place additional strain on the principal the Trust does not want to bear.

The Trust is interested in seeing the footbridge completed sooner rather than later, as it ensures pedestrian safety and avoids additional costs that would have been incurred when the vehicular bridge is modified at a later date. The $20,000 donation is earmarked for completion of the pedestrian footbridge part of the project.

Council President Chris Becker and the other members of council thanked Dries and the Trust for the generous donation. Becker, however, expressed reservations at what might become the legal repercussions of the transaction. Transferring deeds can be an expensive legal process, and Becker asked Dries if the Trust would be willing to field some of those costs. Dries responded affirmatively, stating the Trust wants to help the borough and it might be willing to help absorb those costs.

The transfer of land to the borough requires the borough absorb responsibility for maintenance of all sidewalks and the new pedestrian bridge.

In other business council determined a letter should be written to the Ridings at Brookside through the planning commission, requesting the removal of a center island on Brookfield Drive that according to recent complaints by resident Marvin Moyer, causes somewhat of a safety hazard for vehicles pulling in and out of the neighborhood. Moyer told council the island was not installed in the current position according to plans of the community.

Council member David Boyko suggested the letter should be a directive for removal of the island as a safety hazard and public nuisance, but Becker reported the zoning officer told him the island has been there for too long to demand its removal, and enforce any agreements on the plan that were not originally met.

Mayor Gary Cordner reported to council a potential mutual aid agreement is being drawn up with the Borough of Alburtis which essentially would allow one officer to go to another jurisdiction when requested. This is already covered under Pennsylvania law.

Alburtis is the closest borough to Macungie and similar in size of population as well as size of its police department. The two boroughs often share resources and are more often involved with each other's police departments than the other municipalities. Council and the borough solicitor will review the draft of the agreement before further action.

Council continued to discuss the fee in lieu of parking brought up under the fee schedule at the last council meeting. Borough Manager Chris Boehm believes the fee should be dispensed with because the lower proposed amount of $500 will not amount to anything very quickly, and she is concerned about business owners wanting to see results for the money they're paying the borough in lieu of a parking space.

The fee exists for businesses required to have a certain number of parking spaces as designated by the zoning ordinance. When the number of spaces cannot be accommodated, the business owner pays a fee in lieu of parking to the borough with the condition the money goes into escrow and cannot be used for anything other than parking. Other municipalities usually accumulate the funds into capital for a parking lot.

Instead of the fee, Boehm suggested businesses would apply for a zoning variance, which involves a fee to appear before the zoning board anyway. There was no further action taken but the issue will appear before the planning commission.