ORWIGSBURG - Upgrading the borough's radios could cost $52,000.
Under new federal regulation, the county's emergency management communications network must be converted to a narrowband frequency to make it more efficient. The county commissioners have approved a bond issue to finance the $16 million project to convert the communications to narrowband frequencies.
"As part of that, the borough has to purchase new radios for the police department," borough Manager Mike Lonergan said at Wednesday's borough council meeting.
The borough council has not taken action on buying the radios that can switch between analog and digital frequencies, according to Lonergan.
"You buy them directly from Motorola," he said.
Currently, the borough has 12 radios. Three of them in vehicles, one in the police station and eight that are portable. The borough might buy the new radios at different times. If it replaced all of them at once, it would cost about $52,000, Lonergan said. He did not know how the borough would pay for them.
Borough council President Michele Rudloff did not return a call for comment.
Also at the meeting, the council considered an amendment to the zoning ordinance to allow self-store buildings in the residential estate district, which is a minimum one-acre lot mostly at three areas in the borough, along Ridge Road, behind Seton Manor and between Grove Street and Faith Avenue, as a special exception. An owner of the property in such a district wanted to put a self-storage building on their property next to the wastewater treatment plant, Lonergan said.
The borough zoning hearing board must approve a special exception.
The council could vote at the Aug. 14 meeting to advertise for a public hearing held in council chambers for a later date.
In other news, a family fun night is scheduled at 5:30 p.m. Thursday downtown. The event is free and will feature a movie, "The Lorax", carnival games for children, a bounce house, the opportunity to stuff a bear and sand art and other events.
Pat Falco, the vice president of Orwigsburg Business and Professional Association, the group hosting the event, said the movie, balloon animals, activity by Mud and Maker, Pottsville, where children can help create a mural, will be free. However, the other events will likely have a small cost.
The rain date for the event is 5:30 p.m. Friday. This is the second year for the event. Falco said last year about 250 people attended.