Tamaqua Borough Council accepted the resignation of Shirley Becker from the board of health during its regular meeting on Tuesday night. Becker, citing health reasons, stepped down after serving on the board since 1968.

"Forty-eight years of service, I don't know if that's a record, but it's in the running," council President David Mace said.Council praised Becker for her longtime commitment and contribution to the borough, then appointed Hans Shinton to the board of health.Council also referred two communications to the parking and traffic committee. The Side Track Tap Room, the former Happy Endings Bar on Railroad Street, is asking for a designated parking area in front of the new business for takeout parking and deliveries, and a resident of Mahanoy Street is asking the borough to look into resident parking in the area.Director of Community Development Mary Linkevich advised council the project to potentially purchase the borough's streetlights from PPL is moving faster than anticipated."The make ready work could be completed by the end of next week," she said.Linkevich said the engineer doing the assessment has contacted the borough about potential problem lights, which have been minimal.Council adopted an ordinance authorizing an $800,000 general obligation note for the acquisition and improvements to the borough street lighting system.She also said that plans to freeze over a basketball court in the borough for ice skating will be on hold until next winter. It has been determined that the Dutch Hill courts would be the best location. However, there is curbing work that needs to be done when the weather improves.Mayor Christian Morrison said Tamaqua will be getting a sign installed on the south side of town to help celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Anthracite region. The effort is targeted for 2018, but will be promoted through 2017. Tamaqua and Shamokin are two of the locations that are going to be featured. Morrison said the effort is being coordinated by photographer Scott Herring, and more information will be forthcoming.Council also heard a resident of Hunter Street, who raised concerns about commercial vehicles being parked on Hunter Street, and possibly interfering with the school bus route and concerns about the number of dogs on a neighboring property. The matter will be referred to code enforcement and the police department.An executive session was held for real estate matters.