The Oct. 7 Hanover Township, Lehigh County, Council meeting was a demonstration of a gavel-to-gavel rapid meeting, with only one agenda item under new business, several appointed official reports and perfunctory items for council to consider on the agenda.

Council Chair Bruce Paulus tapped the gavel twice and the swift meeting began.

Agenda items, including the call to order, Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, courtesy of the floor and approval of the Sept. 16 regular council meeting minutes, were breezed through like the fast winds of a late-summer pop-up thunderstorm.

Township Manager Melissa Wehr noted the township’s trick-or-treat night is set for 6-8 p.m. Oct. 30, with a rain date of Oct. 31.

Wehr also alerted council that a 2027 township budget meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. Oct. 21, with the regular council meeting planned for 7 p.m. that evening.

Wehr informed council a capital budget purchase for cloud-based phones has a budget line item of $50,000. She told council AT&T offered the best price and is a COSTARS participant.

COSTARS, a cooperative purchasing program, enables Pennsylvania local governments and state-affiliated organizations to purchase supplies and services through state-mandated contracts, providing access to competitive pricing and a simpler purchasing process.

In his solicitor report, Jason Ulrich noted there is a referendum on the Nov. 3 election ballot to allow a township council member to call into a council meeting and vote along with the council members physically at the meeting. This situation would arise if the council member is out of town and unable to attend the meeting in person.

Engineer Kevin Chimics reported the pickleball court at Sherwood Park is uneven and created puddles on the court that lasted well after the rainstorm passed. He said the issue is being corrected with three epoxy applications to resurface the court and eliminate the low spots.

Under new business, council authorized the township manager to release payment 5 for SLC Excavating LLC for the Sherwood Park pickleball and basketball courts project in the amount of $2,510.85.

Council approved paying the bills for Oct. 7 in the amount of $841,319.

The efficient gavel-to-gavel meeting closed after about 30 minutes.

The next Hanover Township, Lehigh County, Council meeting will be held 7 p.m. Oct. 21 in the township municipal building, 2202 Grove Road, Allentown. It is an in-person-only meeting. Visit hanleco.org to review the meeting’s agenda.