Special to The Press

Alburtis Mayor Kathleen Palmer began the Oct. 11 meeting of the Alburtis Borough Council with a moment of silence for the victims of the recent Las Vegas shooting. Palmer mentioned she knew someone who lost a family member in the attack.

Boy Scout Troop 86 Scoutmaster Les Bowers asked about the possibility of having a place at Alburtis Borough Hall to collect retired flags. The flags would be collected four times a year and the Troop will have a flag retirement ceremony.

Borough council members were very much in favor of the idea of having a flag retirement ceremony. They will need to figure out what the bin will look like and where it will be put.

Council members also talked about the Sanctuary at Haafsville. The sanctuary is a no kill shelter for strays in the borough. There is a cap of $400 for the year. Council signed a contract with the sanctuary effective Jan. 1, 2018.

Council also discussed updating their phones which would involve adding caller ID. A quote was received from Diefenderfer Electrical Contractors Telecommunication for $1,360 to refurbish the phones. Diefenderfer said council could also mix and match new and used parts and council would have to pay for labor.

There was a discussion about a bid for the maintenance department’s chlorine meter. The bid was $1,477.55. Council decided to not accept the first bid and look into a second or third bid.

Macungie Ambulance Corps filed its monthly report stating in September, the ambulance corps responded to 272 calls for service, eight of which were in the Borough of Alburtis. There was one call to which mutual aid responded.

It was also revealed the Macungie Ambulance Corps will be expanding to house four additional vehicles to the seven vehicles used the Corps. The project will be completed by mid-December and will cost slightly over $200,000.

Alburtis Borough Council will next meet Oct. 25. Meetings are 7 p.m. on the second and last Wednesdays of the month in Alburtis Borough Hall.