Macungie Council Votes to Sell Former Police Car, Pickup Truck

Macungie Borough Council voted 6-1 to authorize Borough Manager Chris Boehm to put two borough vehicles up for sale.

Macungie Borough Council, at its meeting Monday night, authorized Borough Manager Chris Boehm to put two borough vehicles up for sale via timed online auction known as “Municibid." The vehicles that will be sold include a 1991 F250 Pickup Truck and a 2005 Chevrolet Impala that used to serve as a borough police car. Boehm will list both vehicles on the online bidding service -- putting the Chevy on the auction block as soon as the vehicle is stripped of all police equipment, including police decals. The sale of the pickup did prompt a bit of discussion among council, with Councilman David Boyko, the lone dissenting vote on the matter, suggesting that the borough look into donating the truck, or selling it for $1, to a non-profit entity that…

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Election 2013

4 Republicans Running for Macungie Council

Four Republican candidates are running for Macungie Borough Council in the May 21 primary, according to an unofficial voter registration list.

A total of four Republican candidates -- only one an incumbent -- have thrown their hats into the ring in the race for Macungie Borough Council in the May 21 primary, according to an unofficial voter registration list. The four will fill four seats that will become vacant at the end of December. That's when the terms belonging to Linn Walker, Jean Nagle, Joseph Sikorski and David Boyko—the only candidate who is running again—will expire. The candidates include: Additionally, Democrat Gary Cordner is the only candidate for mayor, and Republican Harry Buchin is the only candidate for tax collector. Republicans David C. Saylor and Jane M. Leeser are the sole candidates for judge of elections and inspector of elections, respectively.

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Ron Beitler

2:36 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013

I'm not sure if they can for a council race. I think it's only a school district thing. I know you can't in 1st class township.   more ›

Borough of Macungie

$1M in Projects Move Forward in Macungie

Council debates the cost versus the need for a traffic light at Church and Main streets.

In another measured, deliberate step, Macungie Borough Council this week unanimously agreed to go forward with three capital projects that will ultimately cost about $1 million. Though little was offered, there was plenty of time for public comment on the construction of Lumber Street, the reconstruction of Cotton Street and a traffic light that may be constructed at Church and Main streets. But consideration for taking on that much debt will mean there will be more time for public comment as the plan proceeds. The first step, taken at the Feb. 19 meeting, was to approve the hiring of a financial consultant because the projects will require the borough to take on either a loan or to issue a bond. A fourth component—the refinancing of Water…

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Ron Beitler

10:47 am on Friday, March 8, 2013

Marvin is correct that the Borough is paying for development decisions in LMT. I wish the council would have made comments on the Allen Organ proposal regarding traffic counts but they didnt. Michael is right a closed loop system is essential.   more ›

Borough of Macungie

Macungie Ambulance Reports Quality Efforts in 2012

Christopher Greb, operations manager of the Macungie Ambulance Corps, presents his annual year in review to Macungie Council.

Macungie Ambulance Corps worked on measuring quality in 2012 and was recognized for its efforts in at least a couple of ways. Operations Manager Christopher Greb attended Monday's Macungie Council meeting to present his annual year in review for 2012 with some statistics to give residents of the five municipalities it serves — Macungie, Lower Mac, Alburtis, Upper Milford and Lower Milford — cause to be grateful and to be comforted by the Corps' scope and skill. Here are five life-saving statistics for 2012: 1. Macungie Ambulance responded to 3,085 calls in 2012. Twelve percent, or 382, were in the Borough of Macungie. 2. The Special Operations Division, which responds to incidents above and beyond normal situations, offered aid at three …

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Borough of Macungie

Macungie Council Agrees to Incur Debt

Capital projects loom and council members are looking for a way to finance them.

At the Tuesday meeting of Macungie Council, the four members present voted to hire a financial manager so that the borough can move forward with several capital projects on its agenda. It has not yet voted to actually spend money on anything but a person -- yet to be named -- who will advice council on the best way to finance projects that include: President Christopher Becker and members Joseph Sikorski, Debra Cope and Linn Walker agreed that none of the projects could be paid for within one budget year, and that council needs advice on how to pay for the $1.1 million that needs to be spent on the projects. Council members Jean Nagle, David Boyko and Gregory Hutchison were absent. Council members talked about the possibility of paying …

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Borough of Macungie

Emergency Management on Macungie Council Agenda

Emergency management and capital projects are among the agenda items for Macungie Council meeting scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Macungie Institute.

Macungie Borough Council meets at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Macungie Institute. Usually held on Mondays, the meeting was pushed to Tuesday this week due to the Presidents Day federal holiday. The agenda includes further discussion on the borough's Emergency Management plan with an update on the installation of emergency generators by Borough Manager Chris Boehm. Boehm will also talk about PA Act 154. Pennsylvania Act 154 of 2006 facilitates local government partnerships with land trusts. Additionally, there will be more information about capital projects and financing and further information about the micro-surfacing of Brookfield Drive.

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Borough of Macungie

2 of 3 Controversial GPS Units Already Installed in Police Cars

One Macungie Police vehicle is yet to received the new equipment.

In an update to Macungie Council at its Feb. 4 meeting, Mayor Rick Hoffman announced that two of the three private GPS units he has been wanting to have installed in Macungie police cars have been put in place. All police cars in Lehigh County are equipped with county-monitored GPS systems. The new system, reintroduced at the Jan. 7 meeting, would be additional. Macungie Police Chief Edward Harry has said that the private units Hoffman is installing pose a security risk to police officers. An unfair labor practices grievance has been filed by the Macungie Police Department bargaining unit as a result. The software needed to monitor them, however, has not yet been installed. If completed, Hoffman will be able to monitor borough police cars …

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Borough of Macungie

Macungie Councilman's Residency Challenged

Jean Nagle wonders if Joseph Sikorski still lives in the borough

It seems no Macungie Council meeting so far this year is without a big surprise: * At the Jan. 7 meeting, Mayor Rick Hoffman brought back the issue of installing in borough police cars GPS systems he can monitor from his home. It passed in a 4-to-1 vote. * At the Jan. 21 meeting, Council Member Jean Nagle was voted out as president, and Councilman Christopher Becker was voted in. Again the vote was split, this time 5 to 2. The latest volley between council's warring factions was an attempt to unseat Councilman Joseph Sikorski. At the beginning of the Feb. 4 meeting, Nagle addressed the rest of council -- minus David Boyko who was absent -- during the "Council Compliments, Complaints, Petitions and Appeals" segment of the meeting. "I've …

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Borough of Macungie

Macungie Council Votes to Hire 30-Hour Officer

Macungie Police Chief Edward Harry says he has a candidate in mind.

Macungie Council voted at its Jan. 21 meeting to allow Police Chief Edward Harry to hire another officer who will work a 30-hour week -- almost four 8-hour shifts -- as per the current police collective bargaining agreement. Money for the hiring was provided in the 2013 budget, but at the time council voted on the budget member Gregory Hutchison said he was not in favor of the hiring. He wasn't any more in favor at the recent meeting. "I said I would put money in the budget for it, not that I would vote for [hiring a part-time officer]. I still won't," Hutchison said. Council President Christopher Becker explained the Macungie Police Department's necessity: several full-time officers need time off for medical purposes and someone to cover …

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Responsible Citizen

9:43 am on Friday, January 25, 2013

I totally agree!!!! Debra Cope possesses the courage and strength of character to ALWAYS do what is right for the borough of Macungie!! She IS our unsung hero! Thank you Ms. Cope!!! You serve your position well!   more ›

Borough of Macungie

Macungie Begins Streetscape Planning

Council wants to hear from business owners and emergency personnel.

As Macungie Council begins again to consider streetscape planning for the borough's main street, it wants to meet first with business owners and emergency personnel. The first streetscape planning meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 25, a Monday, in the auditorium of the Macungie Institute. "Without the input of the business owners and emergency personnel, we can't get this off the ground," Council member Christopher Becker said at council's Jan. 7 meeting. Among the topics to be discussed will be bump-outs, traffic flow and other traffic calming measures, and how they would affect the borough's businesses. The general public will be invited to the next meeting, Becker said.

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