Council members Bruce Markovich, Gwyneth Collevechio, and Marlin Ditsky, met with representatives of M&T Bank to arrange a settlement on a 30-year note council has with the bank. The note was from a sewer separation project.

On Dec. 27, the note will have an interest rate reset, which would raise the interest rate.

The bank offered three options:

The first would be to pay off the entire remaining amount of $110,714. In the original agreement, the borough was responsible for 100% of the interest regardless of whether it paid it off early. Now, M&T Bank will waive that remaining interest in exchange for a $908 prepayment fee.

The second option is to arrange a rate lock. They are currently paying 4.32% and would try to lock in a rate of 4.35 percent or 4.37 percent.

The third option is a loan reset, which would raise the rate to 5.3% or 5.5%

Lansford has a certificate of deposit with Mauch Chunk Trust Company for $165,000 and is only getting 0.15% interest.

Borough council voted to cash in that CD from Mauch Chunk Trust and use it to pay off the loan per the first option.

Other business

• Council received one bid for heating oil. The sole bid was from Kattner Coal & Oil, Inc., 333 W Railroad St, Nesquehoning. The bid is $5.35 per gallon for 2,500 gallons of oil for the borough office. Council voted to accept the bid.

• Council passed a motion to allow Brinkash & Associates to do a survey on Cortright Street between West Abbott Street and West Water Street at a cost of $3,600.

“The street isn’t very wide,” said Councilman William Chuma. “There’s not a lot of parking up on the 300 block of West Water Street. I think if we widen the street and put some curbs in, we could widen that street so cars can park.”

Brinkash will survey the street to determine what part of the street and property the borough owns.

• Lansford Alive will hold the Annual Santa Parade on Nov. 26 starting at 4 p.m. The tree lighting and arrival of Santa will take place in Kennedy Park at 5 p.m.

• Borough Vice President John Turcmanovich gave the fire department and ambulance reports, saying American Fire Co. No. 1 responded to 27 fire calls in October and 180 so far this year.

• Lehighton Ambulance Association responded to 75 incidents in October. Its average response time was 9 minutes.

For October, $4,636.44 in taxes was collected, according to the tax collector.

Lansford Mayor Hugh Vrablic reported income of $1,390.20 from the magistrate and miscellaneous sources.

• The Lansford Police Department made 10 arrests, mostly felonies, including attempted homicide. and 2 people were arrested where handguns were used in the crimes.

For October, there were 263 documented calls, 38-plus parking tickets, and 3 quality of life calls.

“They (the police) are stepping up their efforts to get violators off the streets, and it seems to be working,” Vrablic said. “Crime is on the rise, and arrests are on the rise.”

• Lansford to draw up a resolution for Act 57. “Act 57 came into effect in July,” said Borough Solicitor Robert Yurchak. “That has to do with receiving a tax bill. For instance, if someone buys a property and the taxes were not taken care of at the settlement; this would allow a person who did not get a tax bill within one year of purchasing the property to pay the base rate, but no penalty.”

Council passed a motion to authorize Yurchak to draw up the resolution, which would be voted on at the December meeting. The resolution must be in place by January.

• Council approved the purchase of tires for the Public Works trucks. The 2008 truck needs six tires at $178 a piece and the new truck needs six at $328 apiece.