Nesquehoning officials are looking toward the future for its police pension fund.

On Wednesday, Councilman Frank Jacobs told borough council that the budget committee recently met with its actuary to discuss the actuarial assumptions for the police pension.He said the actuary suggested the borough decrease the interest rate of the fund from 8 percent to 7.75 percent, which would then increase the town's annual commitment to the fund by approximately $16,000.Jacobs said council paid approximately $131,000 this past payment.Council President David Hawk said that this change may be better now than waiting for years.If they wait, a future council would have to come up with, for example, an additional $160,000 plus whatever the interest is paid to the pensioners over the annual commitment.Council tabled the matter until its April meeting to allow for further review.Knox box ordinanceIn other matters, borough council voted to readvertise its proposed Knox box ordinance, which allows businesses and residents to purchase a lock box that could be used by borough fire departments in the event of a fire or fire alarm activation, with a change.The change includes adding a $25 annual fee per business, which would kick in on the second year the boxes are installed. Residential properties are not included in this fee.The Knox boxes have been a topic of discussion between council and the fire departments since last summer.The departments want to incorporate this program into the borough to help in the event of an emergency when no keyholder is available at the site.It would allow the fire departments to gain entry without having to break a door.Five of the fire apparatus between the three departments would be equipped with a master key that would open the boxes. The master box would only be able to be opened through activation by the 911 center.Some council members feel the approximate $3,200 bill to equip the five vehicles may not be worth it because it would only benefit a few businesses and not the town as a whole.However, the fire departments believe it will help, so they volunteered to use money from the Firemen's relief fund, which is used for gear and training.No other action on the matter has been taken at this time.Jacobs brought up a habitual false alarm offender, the Nesquehoning Apartments at 90 E. Catawissa St. He said the fire departments are there multiple times a week for a fire alarm activation; often for someone who forgot a pot on the stove.John McArdle, Nesquehoning Hose Company fire chief, said that they are dispatched approximately two to three times a weeks for fire alarm activations and most of the time they are forced to go door to door to find the problem, because the alarm system does not pinpoint the unit where the problem originated.