Borough secretary resigns

Lansford Borough Council on Tuesday accepted, with regret, the resignation of secretary-treasurer Nicole Tessitore, who has accepted a similar job in another municipality.

Tessitore, who started work in Lansford in January 2004, was moved to tears as she thanked borough officials and residents for their help and friendship.

"It has been a great pleasure … I cannot thank you all enough," she said, her voice trembling.

The thoughts were returned in kind as both council and audience applauded Tessitore.

"I just want to say thank you," said council President Bob Gaughan.

Her last day will be March 5, but Tessitore has offered to stay on as a consultant to help her replacement, who has yet to be hired, learn the ropes.

Tessitore has become known for her attention to detail, professional manner and helpfulness.

In other matters Tuesday, Jim Martino of the Carbon County Office of Planning and Development, detailed plans for street improvements using 2010 Community Development Block Grant money.

Of the total $97,267 allotted Lansford, $30,000 went for water and storm improvements on Tunnel, Walnut and Dock streets. Another $41,399 went for street improvements on Dock Street; state Route 209 to Ridge Street; East Bertsch Street; the 200 blocks of Walnut and Chestnut streets; the 300 block of Chestnut to Powell.

The borough also received $10,000 to repair a home.

The projects totaled $81,399. Another $15,868 was allotted for the county to administer the grant.

Also on Tuesday, council praised the borough work crew, led by councilman Len Kovach, for their work clearing snow from last Wednesday's massive storm.

Crews will be working night shifts this week to finish clearing snow from the roads.

The borough declared a state of emergency on Tuesday afternoon, allowing it to control traffic and parking so plows could do their work.

Council also thanked Lehigh Coal & Navigation, which loaned the borough equipment to help move snow.

Kovach thanked residents for their overall cooperation with moving cars to allow plows to get through.

He asked residents to not throw snow into the street. He said sidewalks need to be cleared of enough snow and ice to allow passage, but do not need to be cleared their entire width.

Councilman Tommy Vadyak said he watched a resident do just that and alerted police, whom he said did not act on his complaint.

In other matters, Councilman Bob Hackash said the Public Safety Committee recommends residents not start a neighborhood Crime Watch organization.

However, he urged people to "look out for your own neighborhood" and to immediately report suspicious activity to police.

The committee sought the opinions of the borough police as they considered the matter.

The police, Hackash said, said there was a Crime Watch group several years ago, but it "seemed to cause more problems for them than help."

Hackash urged people to "keep their eyes and ears open in their own neighborhood."

The borough has seen a rash of break-ins over the past couple of months.

Those burglaries included the American Fire Co. No. 1 station and the borough office at 26 East Patterson St. The borough office is housed in the rooms above the fire station.

In that break-in, the burglar(s) entered through the back door of a breezeway that runs through the fire station and rummaged through rooms.

Mayor Ron Hood, who is also a firefighter, said the company had gotten three bids to install security measures. Fire officials chose Blue Ridge Digital Home Security, which offered a $2,250 package.

Hood said after the meeting that he donated his $125 mayor's salary to help offset the cost.

Council tabled a decision on the system, however, saying it wanted to include the price of adding the borough office to the package.

Vadyak said the borough should pick up the whole tab, given that the building is borough property.

Also on Tuesday, Council voted to revise the sewer transmission fee.

Currently, there is a 10 percent penalty if the bill is paid after March 15. The bills are mailed on Feb. 15 and due March 15. Council approved an additional 5 percent if the bill is paid after Sept. 15. The annual bill is $90, the penalty is 10 percent to $99. Council's action added the additional 5 percent, making to total late bill plus the late fees $103.50.