Palmerton Borough Manager Donna McGarry fielded questions about the borough’s current state Tuesday during a luncheon at Joey B’s Restaurant.

McGarry took up the mantle in April, following the retirement of Rodger Danielson. She carried more than 30 years experience of working in the borough into her new position.

“I love this town,” McGarry told the crowd gathered under the restaurant’s patio.

Questions posed Tuesday afternoon hit on the borough’s lead concerns, the possibility of making Palmerton a trail town and construction activity on Delaware Avenue.

Here’s a summary of the topics discussed at the luncheon:

Lead concerns

McGarry said the borough is still waiting on results from recent soil tests conducted in Palmerton by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection last August.

The department conducted its first soil tests in Palmerton back in 2018.

After finding excess levels of metal in soil taken from the Palmerton Borough Park and the West End Day Care, additional samples were collected from those two areas earlier this summer.

Making Palmerton a trail town

McGarry said the borough “would love to have” a connection to the D & L Trail. She thinks it’s a possibility for Palmerton, especially after a bridge carrying the more than 150-mile trail over the Lehigh River was christened just last month in Jim Thorpe.

“If they can do a bridge in Jim Thorpe, I think the same thing can be done here,” McGarry said.

As of now, there is no plan in place to make Palmerton a trail town. But if a process were to be set in motion, it would involve multiple municipalities, McGarry later added via phone interview.

West End Fire Company

McGarry said the West End Fire Company No. 2, a nonprofit, is undergoing dissolution. Palmerton Borough has nothing to do with that process, or the fire company’s operation.

Building on Delaware

McGarry said the borough received a lot consolidation plan for a parcel of land located adjacent to Spillane’s Fit on Delaware Avenue, which has yet to be approved. She noted that the borough is not aware of any future building plans for the lot.

Currently, the land is bare, aside from dirt piles, some concrete blocks and construction equipment.

Attempts by Times News to reach a Spillane’s Fit representative were unsuccessful.