When is an appointment to fill a vacancy on a municipal board not an appointment after all? It's when there was no actual vacancy to fill.

Tamaqua Borough Council found themselves regretfully unappointing the newest member of the Tamaqua Planning Commission during Tuesday night's meeting. Deb Althouse was appointed to the board during an April meeting, seemingly bringing the board to capacity.However, council discovered there was no actual vacancy on the board as an earlier action this year decreased the number of members. Althouse's appointment was declared null and void. She will be sent a letter of regret and offered the opportunity to serve on other boards where vacancies do exist."It's hard enough to find people willing to serve," noted Council President Micah Gursky. "I'd hate to lose someone who is interested in serving their community."Council also received unpleasant news about its Community Development Block Grant program. In the past, eligible areas of the community were determined by the U.S. Census.But, starting with the 2014 project year, eligibility is being determined through the American Community Survey, a somewhat limited survey rather than the all-encompassing census.Also, the eligible area of the community has changed thanks to the survey.The North and Middle Wards have been designated as the low- to moderate-income level areas of the borough. The bad news was provided by Karen Parish of the Schuylkill County Community Development Program.Due to changes mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, all of the eligible municipalities within Schuylkill County must have their projects folded into the county's program.As if that wasn't enough bad news, the new bath house proposed at the Howard Buehler Memorial Pool will no longer be considered an eligible project. Council had planned on using CDBG funds, stretched over a number of fiscal years, to replace rather than refurbish the aging structure.Because the pool benefits the entire community instead of just those in the low- to moderate-income level, any improvements there would be limited to handicap accessibility. This news caused Gursky and Councilwoman Kerry Dowd-Lasky to cry foul.Gursky asked if it was possible to survey those who purchase pool passes to see if the majority meet the income levels needed. Parish said she doubted it as the pool was available to everyone, but "would check to make sure." She then suggested using the CDBG funds to make the bath house handicap accessible, which would not fix any of the major problems related to the structure."That would give us a fancy entrance but not solve the leaks or deteriorating foundation and walls," noted Dowd-Lasky. "We've been counting on CDBG funds and now the rug is being pulled out from under us."Council instructed Parish to make every effort to find a way to save the bath house project.There were no other CDBG eligible projects discussed and council will have to go back to the drawing board.