At the Lehighton council meeting Monday, Councilman John Kreitz suggested the need for basketball courts throughout the borough.

Councilman Scott Rehrig agreed, and said he would like to see the borough move forward with basketball courts.Currently there are basketball courts located at the Grove, but there has been discussion to move the courts from the Grove due to ongoing vandalism.Additionally, Rehrig said he would like for the borough to discuss a new gym.Rehrig said he believes a new gym would further enhance the community."I think the more we have, the more attractive it (the borough) will be," Rehrig said.Currently, the Lehighton Recreation Community Center serves borough youth.Fire chief speaksIn his first council meeting since being appointed as the borough's new fire chief, Patrick Mriss thanked council for his appointment, and said he looks forward to continuing to serve the borough.Rehrig then welcomed Mriss, and added that he believes the borough has the best fire company in the state.In November, council appointed Mriss as the borough's new fire chief, effective Dec. 31, 2014.Mriss, who had most recently served as assistant fire chief, has been with the Lehighton Fire Department since June 1997.Also at the November meeting, council agreed to accept the resignation of incumbent Fire Chief Gary Frable, effective Jan. 1.Frable was appointed chief on May 9, 2011, after he took over the position from former Fire Chief John "Jack" Kuller, who passed away on April 22, 2011.Frable had served as assistant chief under Kuller from 2002 until his ascension to the top post.