Having last month accepted the resignation of its previous president, Ernest Guldner, Bowmanstown Borough Council opened its regularly scheduled monthly meeting Tuesday by taking time to reorganize.

Three council members were nominated for president, including newly selected councilman Norman Engle Jr., Kara Scott and Darren Thomas. Engle received two votes, Scott three and Thomas two.Scott accepted the position of president for the remainder of Guldner's term.Since Scott had been the vice president, so nominations were then taken for that position.Scott nominated Pam Leiby, and since no other nominations were made, Leiby accepted the position of vice president unchallenged.Scott later said Guldner's resignation was due to ongoing health issues. She also said that, after it was first learned in July that Guldner would be resigning, residents had been invited to write a letter of interest in becoming a council member. Out of the numerous letters received, Engle was chosen by council at last month's meeting to fill the position.Afterward, resident Carl Walck said he had recently purchased "the (Robert) Sheckler building on White Street" and would like to "figure out how to get it squared away" since it currently houses two apartment units and a store but only has two equivalent dwelling units when it should have three. Council and solicitor James Preston said they would look into the matter.Bowmanstown Volunteer Fire Company Chief Mike Spairana said he was at the meeting to ask council to pass a resolution authorizing the fire company to apply for a grant to the Local Share Assessment Fund (gaming funds) for the purchase of a new brush truck for $173,000. He also asked for a letter of support.Spairana said the truck would replace a 1985 Chevrolet pickup the fire company has that "we have difficulty starting and, when we start it, we have difficulty stopping it."Council unanimously adopted the resolution.Preston said he has been in contact with Cellco Partnership, dba Verizon Wireless, about a land lease agreement between the borough and the company and is waiting to hear back.Preston later said the borough has indicated it is ready to sign the agreement for the cell tower, to be located up the hill from the firehouse, with lease payments to go to the borough.In other news, council acknowledged that it had received several complaints, including dogs defecating on public and private property and not being cleaned up and also disappointment in the borough for banning burning with no plan for disposal of this nature.In regard to the dogs, Councilman Rob Moyer asked what the mayor needs to enforce this state offense. Mayor William Ravert said he must have both a complaint and knowledge of whose dog is involved.In regard to the disposal of leaves and brush, Scott said the borough is discussing a cooperative agreement with Lower Towamensing to work with its chipper and shredder on certain days.Leiby asked if the borough would also be offering residents fall and spring cleanup of leaves and brush. Moyer will report at the next meeting on the option of using the borough's East Penn Township property, which includes a former dump site, for collected leaves and brush.In regard to the upcoming repaving of Hamilton Street, Moyer asked that residents be notified as soon as possible what the timeframe is for getting the curbing done.