Lansford Borough Council continues to wait on its insurance company following a fire that damaged its borough garage last month.

The insurer agreed to pay $4,600 for damaged hose from the American Fire Company of Lansford, Council President Bruce Markovich said Tuesday during council’s committee meetings.

Councilman Joseph Butrie, who oversees public works, continues to wait to remove small equipment from the scorched garage and make the short move to the former Zimmerman building, also along Dock Street.

The borough can only store one of its vehicles in the Zimmerman building, Butrie said, and he has also not heard from the insurance company about using a construction trailer as a base of operations.

Residents questioned whether the borough still intended to sell the Zimmerman building, and Markovich said that was the plan, but the building is now going to be used by the borough.

The borough wants to build a new garage along Dock Street, and applied for a grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development to build on a site it has already prepared.

Last month, council approved applying for 4.125% loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a new garage as well. The USDA is offering 30 or 35 year terms on its loans, and payments are on the borough’s ability to repay the loan, Markovich had said.

The project should be shovel-ready by August or September, when the borough will likely know about funding — either through a grant award, a loan or a combination of both.

A new garage was estimated to cost $979,000, but borough engineer Bill McMullen from ARRO Engineering said the cost has climbed to $1 million or $1.2 million now.

Council was also criticized for continuing to use its old garage on Spring Street for salt storage, as it was condemned. Butrie said that was why he wanted the borough to buy a temporary structure for a salt shed, due to the poor condition of the existing one.

Residents then asked why the old garage wasn’t posted as condemned, and said that the borough should check with the state to see the if borough can continue to use it, even for salt storage.

Councilwoman Jennifer Staines said she would have the code officer post the building Wednesday.

Sweeping

Butrie also reported that he is getting quotes on renting a street sweeper to do the annual boroughwide street sweeping. He hopes to have three quotes for council’s meeting next week.

Summit Hill officials offered to assist with street sweeping, but they are having mechanical issues with their sweeper, Butrie said.

Council had discussed last month not replacing two pieces of equipment destroyed in the fire, the street sweeper and the vacuum truck, and working with its neighbors who have the equipment.

On Tuesday, Butrie said that he believes the borough should buy its own street sweeper and vacuum truck, as they are needed.

Butrie said that the borough not only uses the street sweeper annually, but also uses it to clear washouts following heavy rains and during paving operations.

He also pitched the purchase of a vacuum truck, as the borough has 1,500 inlets to clear.

“I’m not going to call Tamaqua every time we need an inlet sucked out,” Butrie said.

Tamaqua Borough offered the use of its vacuum truck following the fire, just as Summit Hill offered to help with street sweeping and Coaldale with manpower.

Residents questioned where the borough was going to get the money to buy another street sweeper and vacuum truck.

“We wait to hear from the insurance company, see if the insurance company covers it,” Butrie said. “That’s where we’ll get some of the money to pay for this stuff. Right now, we’re at the beck and call of the insurance company.”

Butrie also wanted to set the record straight on the fire, which started with the street sweeper catching fire inside the garage. In strong wording, he called talk from people saying the street sweeper was on fire outside and crews pushed it inside blatantly false.

Borough workers found the street sweeper on fire inside the garage and attempted to quell flames with extinguishers but couldn’t, Lansford Fire Chief Joe Greco said after the fire. They then worked to remove other vehicles from the garage to prevent more damage, the chief said.

Combining

Council also discussed combining its streets crew with Coaldale, a suggestion from Councilman Jack Soberick, who was unable to attend the committee meeting Tuesday.

Markovich said that it may be worth setting up a meeting with Coaldale officials to discuss the possibility, along with the potential pros and cons of such an arrangement.