The cleaning up of several parking lots across the street from a business in Palmerton’s downtown was debated at last week’s borough council meeting.

Joe Federanich, co-chair of the Palmerton Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber recently received a $1,000 grant from the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Federanich said the Palmerton Chamber matched the $1,000, and Spillane’s Fit matched what both of the chambers donated.

He said that gives the chamber $4,000, which it may buy new blue and white trash cans to line Delaware Avenue.

Federanich said they would start at the upper end of Delaware Avenue, and as many trash cans as they can buy, put them out and continue again next year.

He then turned his attention to the parking lot across the street from Spillane’s Fit along Delaware Avenue.

Federanich told council that Spillane’s Fit offered to pay to have the parking lot across the street paved, paint the lines, plant some shrubbery, and put in concrete parking stops.

He also said the business offered to clean up the overgrowth in a lot behind the parking lot.

Councilwoman Holly Hausman Sell told Federanich the borough can have its code enforcement officer look at it.

Additionally, Federanich said there’s a parking lot by the bridge, on the left when coming into town, that Spillane’s also offered to clean up and put parking stops and paint.

Federanich said he received an email saying the borough would go along with trash cans, but that the other parts of the project it was not in favor of.

He told council he was bewildered that the borough’s Streets and Sidewalks Committee voted against it.

“We have people that want to donate money,” Federanich said. “It wouldn’t cost the borough anything.”

Hausman Sell said that the parking stops are an ongoing maintenance issue, and added, “They become a (snow) plowing issue” when there’s a major snowstorm.

Councilman Andrew Hollywood told Federanich, “We already made our decision on this.”

Federanich shot back that the committee didn’t even have the courtesy to sit down with them.

Alisha Brown, the owner of Spillane’s Fit, said she is the person who offered to donate the money.

Federanich asked council to review the letter before it makes a decision.

“I would ask council to take this letter and table it until we can have a good conversation,” he said.

After the meeting, borough Manager Autumn Canfield said there were a number of items the owner wanted to see done.

“Council already has the lot to be paved on its schedule by the end of the year and the project includes lines,” Canfield said. “The owners are working with the surrounding private property owners for plantings.”

Canfield added, “council was fine with the addition of the trash can. Overall, much of the work the owner is seeking is being done.

“Council is always appreciative of donors and their willingness to invest in our community,” she said. “In this case, it was unneeded and certain items called for maintenance concerns.”