It took more than two hours for members of Walnutport's workshop committees to discuss many scheduled topics, and more, at Thursday's meeting.

Jay Rubright, chairman and founder of Sharon's Hands, asked council if it would allow the 501(c)(3) group to hold a free event at the Walnutport Playground facilities. He also asked, if so, which dates were available this summer.Sharon's Hands, he explained, is a nonprofit organization that raises money to assist local families in which someone has suffered a stroke. He and member Susan Horn, a medical social worker, explained that oftentimes private insurance companies stop paying some medical costs once they deem a stroke patient has reached a "plateau." This can leave the family in dire straits when it comes to being able to continue to pay for care for their loved one.Since its inception in 2011, the organization has been able to assist three families, they said.Rubright said he and his wife, Kimberly, founded the organization in honor of a close friend's mother, Sharon, of Slatington, who had suffered a stroke months before her son's planned wedding in Richmond, Va.Grant optionsdiscussedLongtime borough grant coordinator Michael Wentz, who during the March workshop meeting unexpectedly resigned but a week later agreed to continue in his position after being asked to do so, discussed several new grant options.One such grant, from the Sands Casino, is hoped will help to purchase a new $73,000 2015 Ford 550 dump truck. Council has been discussing for months how constant repair costs for its current truck, which were budgeted for in 2014, are now outweighing the benefits of buying a new one.Members unanimously approved the purchase of the truck, with Council President Matthew Newhard explaining that liquid fuels money will also curb the cost, thus residents will not directly foot the bill.Another grant Wentz discussed had to do with gaming money for rehabilitation of the canal's Lock 24. He requested an executive session to discuss contractual issues regarding it.Upon reconvening, council unanimously approved a motion to release the pay applications to send to the state for the $200,000 of grant money.Other businessIn other news, Streets Committee Chairman William Turk and committee member David Stankovic discussed that many more streets than usual this year are in need of mill and overlay, oil and chip and reconstruction.In addition, council said bids open April 4 for its Oak Street road project.