Weatherly Borough Council received an update from the group working to restore the town’s historic high school.

Charlie Palermo of the Schwab School Restoration Project committee spoke to council Monday night about some of the work his group is doing.

The restoration project is the nonprofit set up to maintain and fund repairs for the school. The building and property are owned by Weatherly borough.

Palermo said the group has been cleaning the first floor of the school, and will paint indoors once winter is over.

The group recently had a roofing contractor inspect the flat roofs of the building and found there were holes that if patched could address some of the water issues which are taking place inside the building.

Palermo said his group plans to raise the money to fund the roof repairs.

“No taxpayer money would be required for that portion,” he said.

Palermo said the group also plans to replace a broken window on the second floor of the building. In order to make that happen, Palermo requested that council entrust him with a key to the second floor of the building.

“It doesn’t look good, and I don’t know what it’s doing inside,” he said.

When council approved a lease agreement with the Schwab School Restoration Project, they limited the group’s access to the first floor.

Palermo said that arrangement is difficult because it requires a borough worker or police officer to stop what they’re doing and come over to the school anytime repairs are needed upstairs.

“I really feel bad when the police have to do it — they have things to do,” he said.

Council voted to give Palermo a key on a temporary, but open-ended basis.

Solicitor James Nanovic said that means they do not have to change their lease with the restoration project committee.

“They’ve earned our respect. They’ve put a lot of time in there,” said Councilman Joseph Cyburt.

In other business

Council passed a 2020 budget with no tax increase. The borough tax rate will remain at 6.3 mills. The tax bill for a house assessed at $50,000 will be $315.

Harold Farrow praised the borough for purchasing new Christmas lights and suggested that they buy more after this year’s holiday season.

Mayor/Council President Tom Connors, in his last meeting in the post, said he wanted to make the proclamation that he believes that former NFL player Michael Vick “sucks.”

Connors referenced the fact that the NFL has ignored a petition signed by hundreds of thousands of people asking them not to honor Vick at the upcoming Pro Bowl.

Connors said the NFL is sending the wrong message by portraying Vick positively, in a way where he is a role model.

“Our police and firefighters and first responders are heroes, our servicemen and women are our heroes, not an ex-football player who tortured animals,” Connors said.