Mayor Kathleen Palmer started the July 8 Alburtis Borough Council meeting by delivering a report on the police activity on the Fourth of July weekend.

The police department deployed five officers 6 p.m. - one unmarked car sought out firework violators and instructed marked cars and officers to that location. The police department received four calls related to fireworks and wrote 10 incident reports that weekend. Three residents received warnings, as seven of the reports found residents legally using fireworks.

Borough council agreed the past holiday celebration was “relatively quiet” and applauded the police department for their time and effort.

Resident Chad Atkins expressed his gratitude at the meeting as well.

“I spoke to some of my neighbors and we all agreed that the police force did an excellent job on the Fourth of July,” Atkins said.

In a report, Chief Robert Palmer also shared his appreciation for the department and resident’s dedication to safety.

“I was proud of the work done by the officers as well as the cooperation done by the residents,” Palmer said.

Council then carried a motion to accept meeting minutes, bills for payment, the treasurer’s report and the Macungie Ambulance Corps report.

After opening the meeting up to public comment, resident Michael Wambaugh thanked council for their dedication to the borough amid the pandemic.

“I want to thank the council really for the work they’re doing to react to the pandemic for the safety of the community,” Wambaugh said. “You guys have taken it serious and as a community member I wanted to say I appreciate that.”

Council thanked Wambaugh for his kind words.

Stephen Reichenbach attended the meeting to inform council the next town watch meeting would take place 7 p.m. July 22 at Lockridge Park. The town watch anticipates discussing topics including summer safety, staying cool in the heat, risks of swimming in quarries and safety with biking and pedestrian walking.

Next, council evaluated a request for response by the basketball league that plays at the Alburtis Area Community Center. Borough Manager Sharon Trexler explained the man who manages the basketball league requested a portable toilet, explaining he would lock it and asked for council’s response.

Council carried a motion to permit the league to use a portable toilet, with hand sanitizer required for the facility. Council members Hector Vasquez and John Aleszczyk voted no out of concern for the liability potentially falling on the borough in the event the league cannot maintain or sanitize the portable toilet.

Council also discussed a request for a block party.

The residents who wished to hold the party sought permission to close off part of Cobblestone Court. However, council members soon raised questions about health concerns and social distancing for neighbors who may not want to participate in the block party.

Stephen Kaufman questioned whether or not the residents knew if their neighbors wanted to participate. He then suggested moving the discussion to the next meeting agenda to give neighbors more notice.

Council also asked Trexler to request a date and time for the block party from the residents requesting to host it, as well as if they could contact neighbors about any potential issues.

Following that, council carried a motion to adjourn the meeting.