Lansford Borough Council hopes to reopen its borough office to the public later this month.

Council on Wednesday night made changes to its wage offer and time-off agreement to retain one of two secretaries hired last week.

Melissa Hoover of Lansford and Maria Ahner of Lehighton were hired as general secretaries at a special meeting Feb. 6. Council did not designate titles of borough secretary or treasurer, waiting to see which slot each would best fit.

Hoover, however, declined the position, leaving them with one candidate for two full-time positions.

Council increased the starting wage from $20.23 an hour to $23 an hour for secretaries, and also raised the hourly wage for former full-time secretary Shantel Lauer.

Lauer, who left for another position at the end of the year, agreed to work part-time on an as-needed basis to help the borough until council was able to secure full-time personnel.

Council raised Lauer’s hourly wage from $20.23 to $23 an hour, retroactive to the beginning of the year. Council also reimbursed her for a medical expense of $308 that she incurred due to her medical coverage being stopped a week before her final day of work last year.

Council also increased paid time off for its full-time secretaries. Changes include increasing personal days from one to three, vacation days from none to five in the first year and sick days from none to five. Vacation days would increase by three a year to a maximum of 20 days.

Secretaries were already granted all federal holidays off, but were given an additional day during the week, if a holiday fell on a weekend. Council agreed to look at its language on this benefit after questions from a resident.

Council President Bruce Markovich said they hope to reopen the borough office to the public by Feb. 21, awaiting bonding approval of the new hire.

The office has remained closed since Jan. 3, the day after council failed to reappoint its borough secretary, Wendy Butrie. Council did not make any new appointments to that position at its reorganization meeting Jan. 2, either, leaving the borough without a full-time secretary to man the office.

The borough has been operating with Lauer coming in as needed, and Lacey Gonzalez of LGH Tax and Accounting, handling day-to-day financials.

Council also agreed to pay Butrie her final salary of $7,808 (gross wages), which includes vacation, sick and personal time that she had accrued or earned.

Councilman Joseph Butrie, who is married to the former secretary/treasurer, abstained from the vote. Councilwomen Gwyneth Collevechio and Jennifer Staines voted against the payment. The motion carried 4-2.

Resident Mary Soberick questioned the quick determination of time owed, when issues involving her husband’s time owed and pension benefits had to be reviewed by an attorney.

Her husband is Jack Soberick, the former Lansford police chief and a newly seated Lansford councilman. Soberick’s claim went to arbitration, in which he was granted some of his unused sick and compensatory time, and some vacation.

A county judge is set to review the arbitrator’s decision regarding Soberick’s monthly pension benefits this April. Soberick retired in May 2022.