New Council Member Resigns, Returns

Debra Cope, one of the Macungie Borough Council members who was elected in November and sworn in in January, recently asked council to accept her letter of resignation, and the action was indeed on the agenda for the April 2 meeting.

But she changed her mind and subsequently asked them to ignore it.

Cope recently had surgery on her shoulder, said Council President Jean Nagle.

"She felt she wouldn't be able to perform her duties," Nagle said, "but then she reconsidered."

The earliest Cope may return is the next meeting at 7:30 p.m. April 16 at the Macungie Institute.

"I told her that we would understand," Nagle said, also indicating that she told Cope that a minimum of three months was an understandable and reasonable recovery time.

However, Nagle said, the law does not specify that Cope must return after any particular length of time. 

"We're happy she's coming back. She one of our team," Nagle said.