Membership to a newly formed fire company in Palmerton continues to grow.

Borough council, after a 45-minute executive session on Thursday, accepted four more members to join the Palmerton Municipal Fire Company.Firefighters Joseph Kercsmar, Anthony Harry, and Marlena Beers were appointed by council on a 5-0 measure as members to the fire company. Councilmen Richard Nothstein and Michael Ballard were absent.On a 3-2 motion that passed only after Mayor Chris Olivia cast the deciding vote, council also approved firefighter Gerard Alfano as a member of the fire company.Councilman Kris Hoffner and council President Terry Costenbader voted in favor, with Councilman Jason Behler and Councilwoman Holly Sell opposed. Councilman Jeremy Barbosa abstained.After council deadlocked 2-2, combined with the abstention from Barbosa, Olivia in his capacity as mayor broke the tiebreaker to approve Alfano's membership to the fire company.Last month, council scarcely adopted an ordinance to establish the Palmerton Municipal Fire Company as an officially recognized fire company to provide fire protection and related services to the borough.Also at that time, council appointed 16 firefighters and six fire police as members of the fire company.Borough Manager Rodger Danielson said applications are still being accepted for membership to the fire company, and are available at the borough office, located at 443 Delaware Ave.The establishment of the Palmerton Municipal Fire Company will result in two fire companies, the Palmerton Municipal Fire Company, and West End Fire Company No. 2, under the Palmerton Fire Department.The formation of the Palmerton Municipal Fire Company coincided with the completion of the borough's new, $1.2 million, three-bay, two-story fire station at Fifth Street and Lehigh Avenue.The fire station was built by CC Construction Services of Allentown, which was awarded a contract to build it in the amount of $1,249,000.In October 2010, the borough accepted a grant presented by then Speaker of the House Keith McCall, for the purchase of a new fire station. It was determined at that time that the borough would utilize that grant, along with $35,000 from the borough's general fund, to cover the $940,000 cost to build the fire station.Danielson said at that time the new station was built with a $906,000 grant the borough received, and funds the borough had available.In other business, council:• Approved the 2013 per capita tax exoneration list, in the amount of $1,085.• Appointed Berkheimer Associates for the balance of the 2013 per capita taxes and penalties, in the amount of $3,795.• Adopted a resolution for the sale of surplus property, either individual items, or lots of items, of an estimated fair market value of less than $1,000.• Approved the renewal of the lease with Palmerton Memorial Park Association.• Approved the renewal of the snow plowing agreement with Lower Towamensing Township.