Palmerton Borough Council held the first reading for an ordinance to change the borough code requiring residency of its borough manager.

The move would void a prior qualification which stipulated that the borough manager must be a Palmerton resident throughout their appointment.

It would also pair the appointments of borough manager and treasurer.

Longtime borough Manager Rodger Danielson is retiring and will be replaced by Donna McGarry, who lives in Lehighton.

Thursday’s meeting was Danielson’s last as borough manager. Danielson announced his retirement last December after 29 years of service.

“I want to thank council for their support throughout the years,” Danielson said. “It’s been great, and also it’s just been a privilege to serve this council.”

In other business

• Council accepted waivers from the borough’s engineer and gave conditional approval to a land development plan on 730 Church St. — site of the now-closed St. George Russian Orthodox Church — which is slated to become new apartments.

• Council authorized bank signatures for council President Terry Costenbader, Councilman Kris Hoffner, Councilwoman Holly Sell, McGarry and Secretary Kim Rodrigues. Costenbader and McGarry were also authorized as pension fund signers.

• Danielson was removed as the borough’s representative to Carbon County Solid Waste Authority, alternate representative to Carbon County Tax Collection Committee and representative to Mid-Eastern Counties Association of Boroughs. Replacements for these appointments have yet to be named.

• Council approved the hiring of Kimberly Leskowich as a part-time secretary for the borough at a rate of $12 an hour. Leskowich was approved for up to 25 hours a week. Costenbader abstained from the vote.

• Council approved the hiring of Franklin Haas as a public works employee at the rate of $14.91 an hour.