Lansford council received some good news on Thursday: Secretary-treasurer Beth Seymour has found that the borough does not have to come up with a matching amount for a $265,000 state grant.

Council President Rose Mary Cannon announced the finding at a special meeting Thursday.The news came as a surprise. Former assistant secretary Karen Burrell applied for the grant in 2010, and it was awarded the borough in June 2011. But council held off on using the money because members believed they had to come up with another $265,000 to meet the match requirement.But Seymour earlier this week contacted the state Department of Community and Economic Development, and learned that the grant is free and clear. Further, the state has extended the grant until 2014, Cannon said.The news was stunning."Nowhere did we ever see this indicated," Cannon said.But Councilwoman Mary Soberick wants to make sure. She asked that DCED be contacted to get the no-match promise in writing. Soberick also wants to know when, exactly, in 2014 the grant expires.Cannon said she would call DCED today to resolve both matters.Members of American Fire Co. No. 1 plan to use the grant to demolish the 106-year-old fire house at 26 E. Patterson St. and put up a new building.Fire company officers figured the demolition and new construction would cost about $99,000. It would cost another $150,000 to put up a 55-foot by 80-foot, two-story structure that would include three bays, an office, a classroom/meeting room/crew quarters, a social room and a kitchen.The estimated cost does not include plumbing, the concrete floor/foundation, flooring, bathrooms, showers, electrical, heating/air conditioning, lighting fixtures, and refitting an air cleaner, the oil burner, kitchen and house siren.Also on Thursday, Cannon announced that an issue involving paying a police officer who had to stay late because a co-worker did not arrive on time has been resolved.