Residents of Coaldale Borough may have noticed an effort to clean up properties before the Fourth of July.

It's part of an effort by borough officials to enforce its quality of life ordinance and improve lots that are a nuisance for residents who keep their properties in compliance. Council reported on the cleanup at their July meeting."We did courtesy calls in Coaldale to certain properties in town before the Fourth of July to try to make it look a little nicer for the people who take care of their properties," Councilwoman Claire Remington said.The effort is even more impressive because the person responsible for enforcing the ordinance quit last month. Borough council is currently looking for a new code enforcement officer. The previous officer, Michael O'Hara, resigned June 30.In the meantime, Remington said she visited about 30 properties to tell the residents about the ordinance, that they were in violation, and that they could be cited by a police officer. She also distributed copies of the ordinance.Some of the properties were issued citations.However, most of the residents, when asked, cleaned up the properties themselves, Remington said.In addition, borough workers and even some concerned neighbors helped to mow tall grass at properties that had been neglected.Borough resident Robert Demyanovich said that he noticed the effects on a lot near his home."I have to say the borough employees did an excellent job. There was a vacant home across the street from me, they cleaned it up last week. They did a nice job on both properties," he said.