Upholding state mandates and keeping down taxes were two of the main topics at Bowmanstown's borough council meeting Tuesday.

An intense debate between council members ensued on whether or not to raise next year's taxes 1 mill, enact the 3 percent or 5 percent cable franchise tax, or give some of the borough's upcoming monthly cellphone tower land lease income, when and if it becomes available, to help fund the borough's volunteer fire department.Solicitor James Preston announced that the land lease agreement with Verizon Wireless "has been completed" and that Geo-Tech will be working at the proposed cell tower site this Friday. However, he said it has not yet been determined when lease payments to the borough will begin, but that it will likely be within a year's time maximum."I'm not in favor of raising taxes again," said Vice President Pam Leiby, with President Kara Scott agreeing. However, both said they still wanted to find ways to monetarily assist the fire company.Leiby suggested using money from the land lease agreement, which she said could actually account for more than one mill. Other members, such as Engle and Thomas, said there was no guarantee when or if that money will come in and/or remain.Ultimately, council approved a motion to find a way to support the fire company monetarily in 2015 but not by raising residents' taxes.The fire company also relies heavily upon donations and fundraisers, such as its upcoming Surf and Turf dinner.Dead end signsWhen Oak Street residents Joseph and LaRue Pogwist asked council why a dead end sign was installed in their front yard "when there's one clearly visible 200 feet down the road where the dead end is," Councilman Darren Thomas said the sign is "actually state code for signage."Thomas explained that at the closest intersection getting into a dead end, the borough is required to place a sign so that any driver, especially of larger trucks or emergency vehicles, knows before entering that the vehicle may not be able to turn around. He said the sign must be in the direction of traffic, which is why it is on their side of the street.Joseph Pogwist noted there are other dead end streets within the borough that do not have an additional sign at the closest intersection, but Councilman Norman Engle Jr. said that will likely soon change.Other businessCouncil also approved a burning ordinance amendment that will allow residents to burn yard waste, yet does not officially obligate the borough to pick it up.Councilman Rob Moyer said this fall's first round of leaf collection will take place today through Friday, with a rain date of Nov. 12, and that Lower Towamensing will assist in the cleanup. He said a second round of leaf collection will soon be announced.In other news, borough engineer Jessica Rehrig said construction on the Hamilton Street project will likely have to wait until spring.Later, Thomas said that the waste water treatment plant will require approximately $46,000 for the whole electrical heat trace system, along with the $11,000 on the insulation (of the exterior piping)."By the time it's all said and done, we're at $60,000 to $75,000," Thomas said.He said he would "hate to see this thing freeze up and cost us even more money," but that since winter "doesn't seem to be beating down our door" he'd like to sit down with the sewer committee and everyone else involved with the plant to go over things in detail.He added that the capital fund for the sewer "is up high enough to say, 'Yeah, if we need to do this, we can do this, and there's still money there for the screening process.'"A motion was unanimously approved to let the sewer department handle the issue.Also, Mayor William Ravert reminded the public that council cannot act on verbal complaints. Therefore, to be considered a formal complaint within the borough, it must be presented in the form of a written and signed letter.