COVID-19 has put a damper on a lot of activities and events in recent months, but it won’t stop Santa from coming to Summit Hill.

Things will be different from years past, though.

The annual Christmas on the Hill festivities by the Summit Hill Recreation Committee are canceled.

So as not to disappoint the youngsters of the town, the Rec Committee is partnering with the Diligence Fire Company to bring Santa to town on Saturday, Dec. 6. Instead of greeting youngsters at Ludlow Park, Santa will be given a ride around the town on a firetruck.

Shawn Hoben, fire chief, said the tour of the town by Santa will begin at 5 p.m.

In other business

• Unlike in some other communities, there presently aren’t plans to close the borough hall because of COVID-19.

However, Kira Steber, the borough’s secretary-treasurer, urged residents either mail payments for water and trash collections or place them in the container at the entrance to the borough hall. She urged such payments should not be made with cash.

Steber said if anyone must enter the borough hall, it will be required they wear a face covering.

She said in the near future, the borough will be accepting payments via credit cards.

• The council hired Amey Barclay as a part-time police officer.

• The council agreed to support the fire department’s effort to obtain two grants to help purchase a new firetruck. It was noted the new truck, if purchased, will replace a 1987 tanker that has catastrophic failure.

• St. John and St. Paul’s Lutheran churches were granted permission to use the gazebo in Ludlow Park for Christmas Eve services. The services will begin at 7 p.m. and people can sit in their vehicles and have the event transmitted to their car radios.

• Council member Michael Alabovitz said several terms are expiring on Dec. 31 on various boards.

Anyone interested in serving should submit a letter of interest before the next council meeting, which is 7 p.m. on Dec. 21.

The terms expiring include:

Water Authority, one seat.

Sewer Authority, one seat.

Planning Commission, one seat.

Zoning Hearing Board, one seat.

Appeals Board, two seats still open.

Recreation Commission, multiple seats expiring.