Sewer-related topics, roadwork and borough workers were all discussed in detail at Tuesday's Bowmanstown Borough Council meeting.

First, during the sewer treasurer's report, Councilwoman Pam Leiby, who had questions about the previous report at last month's meeting, said, "Last month, Portland (Contractors) submitted the bill, that was (over) … it's over again this month. They submitted the bill for $4,289.50, and I think last month we had asked them to put a breakdown (of their monthly operational costs)."President Ernest Guldner immediately told her that such a breakdown does exist. Leiby asked if council could get a copy to see what is being paid and why there are overages.Guldner asked Councilman Darren Thomas if he could help explain the additional charges, which Thomas referred to mostly as efforts to unclog lines, referring to them as "additional clean-outs," often due to "disposable rags."Councilman Rob Moyer said that the contractors had also been out following recent heavy rains, which created an overflow, and for cleanup afterward.Thomas indicated that an influent screen project, currently in the works, is expected to help the situation.At last month's meeting, Thomas had questioned Borough Engineer Jessica Rehrig, of Alfred Benesch & Co., about a supplement to the company's current contract for the influent screen project of an additional $12,000.Rehrig said she and another representative had met with the sewer committee on May 22, and Thomas clarified that the project is still moving forward.In regard to a grant, with a rapidly approaching deadline, that the borough is hoping to get for work on Lime Street, Mayor William Ravert said he was in the borough office earlier in the day when Tim Berger, chief of staff of state Rep. Doyle Heffley (R-Carbon), called."I think Doyle's office and the DCED (Department of Community & Economic Development) are trying to get this money," Ravert said.He said he has stressed its importance so that "fire, safety, emergency vehicles (can get) to the development (there in) five minutes instead of 20 minutes."Afterward, a topic discussed at length was whether or not to require borough workers to fill out detailed work reports each day.Both Councilman John Domant and Thomas seemed to feel the workers should write down their duties each day in detail, especially to help keep track of maintenance work and schedules, while Vice President Kara Scott and Leiby referred to it as "needless paperwork" that "wastes borough time" each day.