Tamaqua Borough Council hired a number of people at its Tuesday night meeting, including someone for the newly created position of Director of Community Development.

Mary Linkevich of Tamaqua will fill the new full-time position as of July 1. Her salary will be $52,000 annually, plus benefits. The job's responsibilities will include grant writing, City Revitalization and Improvement Zone related marketing and paperwork, and recreation development. She will also take on the webmaster role once the borough's website is implemented.In other CRIZ-related news, Councilman Micah Gursky reminded business owners who operate within the CRIZ that they must file paperwork related to the CRIZ annually with the state. Gursky said there have been many new businesses opened within the CRIZ, however, no one has submitted any projects for funding yet.He said they will not know what funds are available until October.The borough also hired seasonal part-time employees for summer, including Bernie Gigli, Tyler Hollenbach, Ernie Shilko, Dylan Woods, Tyler Calkins, Ben Turrano, Daylon Barron, Brad Clemson and Christian Slane. Returning workers will receive $8.25 per hour and new workers will receive $8 per hour.Council hired Carly Kosciolek, Hanna Perla, John Ritzko, Robert Stidham, Christopher Miller, and Chance Szabo as lifeguards for the 2016 season, bringing the total number of guards to 30.Several pieces of used equipment were put up for sale to the highest bidder. All of the equipment is used and there are issues with each piece. Up for bid are a paver, a flexible steel sewer router, a garden trailer, two paint stripping machines and several portable dog pens that had been in use by the sewer plant. Interested parties can get more details from the borough.Council approved handicap parking spaces for 203 Market St., Apartment 1, 339 Schuylkill Ave., and 338 Clarke St. They also approved the move of a handicap parking space sign from 321 W. Spruce St to 734 E. Broad St.Councilman Tom Cara asked how streets can be vacated by the borough, noting that St. Peter and Paul's church may be interested in having the borough vacate the street between the church and the parking lot. "I think Father wants to expand the church," Cara said.Borough solicitor Michael Greek advised Cara that the borough can vacate a street if it wants to; however, the normal method is to submit a petition from the property owners that abut the street.Gursky said, "The way churches are closing, I don't know that we want to vacate anything."Following an executive session, Council voted to approve the purchase of 15 S. Lehigh St. for $25,000. The attached property at 13 S. Lehigh was heavily damaged by fire and council determined it was more cost effective to purchase the second property than to try to reinforce it when the damaged property is demolished.In other business• Appointed Rich Stianche to the HARC review board;• Approved a request from the Tamaqua Civil Service commission to update the civil service rules and regulations;• Sent two requests to install no parking signs across from residents' garages to the Parking and Traffic Committee for review;• Set the rental rate for the borough's sewer camera and one operator at $225 per hour;• Heard from one resident who requested that code enforcement officers inspect her neighbor's house, as the fumes from cat urine are causing her child to have asthma attacks;• Approved a service agreement with Service Electric Cable TV for the borough for three years.