The Palmerton Borough council is getting a new animal enforcement officer.

Council President Terry Costenbader announced the resignation of the borough’s current animal enforcement officer Phil Bell during Thursday’s meeting. Peter Luzzo, who was appointed to the position of deputy animal control officer early September, will be taking his place.

“(Bell) is resigning due to ill health,” Costenbader said during Thursday’s meeting.

In other business:

[naviga:ul][naviga:li]

The borough council wanted to make an appeal to residents of Carbon County: walk on available sidewalks, rather than in the street.

[/naviga:li][/naviga:ul]

Their plea came after Palmerton resident Jared Cebrosky voiced his concerns, telling the borough that as the fall season comes, and mornings grow darker, being able to spot people walking on the road is becoming increasingly difficult.

“I go to work at 6 o’clock in the morning and it’s still dark out, and pedestrians are still walking in the street,” Cebrosky said.

“It is a hazard,” he added, recalling an instance from last week when he was turning a corner near Fourth Street and had to swerve to avoid hitting pedestrians walking in the roadway.

Numerous council members empathized with Cebrosky, including William Gallagher, chairman of the sewer, solid waste and water committee.

“It is a very important safety issue because I too am on the street early at 7 o’clock or 6:30 and my house is a prime walk-by,” Gallagher said. “People were in the streets and not wearing safety gear.”

[naviga:ul][naviga:li]

[/naviga:li][/naviga:ul]