A public hearing for new ordinance 2015-04 was held June 1, wherein the fire department is authorized to bill concerned parties for reimbursement.

When an incident occurs and the fire department has to expend funds and materials, it can now bill, via the insurance companies, for reimbursement of those expenses. Moreover, all concerned neighboring fire departments will be included as well; so if Lower Macungie and Alburtis are involved in an incident with Macungie Borough, the borough's fire department will handle billing insurance for all three.

Council approved the ordinance unanimously, after some clarifying discussion of the terms.

Council authorized the advertisement of a new ordinance implementing the Deferred Retirement Option Plan program for the police department, an item in the works since a draft first appeared before council in February as part of the borough's negotiations with the police union.

Three months later, after a reviewing/revising process through council and the Fraternal Order of Police, the DROP is ready for its public hearing, which will likely be held in August.

The main advantage of the DROP is it acts as an incentive for valuable officers of 25 years of service to remain on the force for up to three years after officially retiring. The officer can draw on a pension and still collect a salary. On the other hand, the officer must stop working after the three years are up, effectively enforcing retirement.

Mayor Gary Cordner said this makes it a difficult decision for some officers, who may not wish to bar themselves from working past the age of 58 (the earliest age for retirement is 55).

Also coming up for final review is the revised organizational chart of the borough, the semantics of which have been under discussion for several meetings. The chart is part of the employee handbook, which is also slated to be approved but cannot be without the final approval of the chart by council.

Revisions come in part from the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs' recommended organizational chart, which council member Debra Cope has been using as a guide for how the borough's chart should be set up. Certain items do not apply to the borough-auxiliary police, for instance-while others do.

Subtle but crucial details like the connection between the mayor, the chief of police, the borough office and borough manager and the police officers themselves have been revised with varying opinions from council members about what sort of line denotes what relationship. The revisions are intended to make the organizational chart clear and precise, showing the mayor's control over the police department in operational capacity, the borough manager's collateral relationship with the police largely concerned with human resources and payroll and the council's authority to create the department, set policies and terminate employment.

Council will review a new copy of the organizational chart with recent changes at the next meeting.

In other business, council authorized the disposal of a piano at the Macungie Institute to an interested student who will purchase the aged instrument for a nominal cost of $10– suggested to council via a letter from Institute Coordinator Karen Holt, as the borough is not permitted to donate equipment.

Items on the agenda not discussed due to pending information include the intergovernmental agreement, the rental inspection program (a meeting for which was canceled), and the Sidewalk and Park Amendment Ordinance.

An update on capital projects was provided. Cotton Street construction is still pending on the completion of temporary and permanent construction easements, most of which are completed according to the borough solicitor and waiting on legal descriptions of the property or piece of property concerned. Some easements have yet to be signed by property owners.

The traffic light on Church Street will be put out for bid soon, including options for different color treatments of the pole bearing the light.