Macungie Borough Council agreed on a motion to accept recommendations for repair work on the relatively new sidewalk on Lumber Street at theirJune 15 meeting.

Sections of the sidewalk on the recently opened street have suffered from spalling, where the top layer of the concrete has broken apart due to freeze-thaw cycles. Council accepted a proposal from JC Sons Excavating to apply Micro-Crete to 34 damaged panels of the sidewalk to renew the concrete there. In addition, Seal Hard, a chemical compound coating, will be applied to the entire sidewalk.

A similar material was used on other sidewalks in the borough with successful results.

Part of the advantage of the offer from JC Sons is a year warranty to buy the borough a little more time to do additional repair work if necessary after the upcoming winter of 2015-2016 and any damage which may occur as a result of winter weather. The current warranty on the sidewalk is set to expire in October.

Council adopted the revised employee handbook with organizational chart for the borough, effective immediately. The employee handbook has been under discussion, in particular the borough organizational chart which details relationships and chain of command among borough officials, for some months.

After a report from Mayor Gary Cordner stating he and the chief of police were happy with the police department's light duty policy, council approved for the policy to be adopted. The policy received some suggestions from the borough solicitor, but has been more or less de facto already.

The light duty policy allows officers to perform in-office work while otherwise incapacitated for outside duty, for instance, after an injury or during medical leave.

Cordner also reported to council Police Chief Edward Harry was approached by some police officers about instituting personal body cameras for the department, in light of recent national events. Cordner acknowledged there was certainly some "turmoil" surrounding the idea nationally and it would also be a budget item. He estimated cameras at this point to cost approximately $300, but officers could easily share two or three amongst themselves. The biggest cost, Cordner reported, is usually storage for the digital files of video, but Harry said it will not be an issue for Macungie as the current data server has plenty of space.

Cordner asked for council to consider the idea.

According to a report from Borough Manager Chris Boehm, the borough has received its permit for a traffic signal at Church Street. The light will appear in the streetscape bid which is currently being developed.

"Things are slowly moving," Boehm said.

Council approved the funds necessary for the zoning hearing board to engage the services of a solicitor. The council's vote on this item is a formality.

Council concentrated some discussion on a section of the zoning ordinance dealing with backlit or internally lit signs, the kind used by businesses on premises. These have been banned from the town center and the revised zoning ordinance has certain rules regarding usage, but some– at least two– have been grandfathered in. Any changes made to the signs will require them to be brought to code.

The question brought forward by John Yerman of council's zoning committee during a report on zoning amendments was whether the ordinance as written made it clear regarding signs of this nature.

Council member David Boyko questioned further limiting use of the sign might peg the council as "fashion police," arguing placing such a limit for aesthetic purposes could damage the appeal of the borough to new business owners.

"Is this a quaint old town that doesn't want to move forward?" Boyko asked.

Council president Chris Becker is not in favor of flashing or neon signs, not least because of their unavoidable effect on residential areas at night. Becker said council has a responsibility to determine the look of the borough. Not discounting Boyko's view backlit signs should be permitted, he said all members of council had the right to weigh in on the issue.

The discussion did not yield decisive action on the item and council continued with the agenda.

Agenda items not receiving action but appearing on the agenda for mention include the DROP ordinance and the sidewalk and park amendment ordinance, both of which are up for adoption at council's Aug. 3 meeting. The rental inspection program will be discussed during a workshop at the next planning commission meeting.

Due to the absence of at least four members, council determined to cancel the July 6 meeting for inability to make a quorum.

Council's next meeting will be July 20.