The Borough of Weissport is forming a Recreation Committee to help plan events for the community like the Christmas and Easter parades.

Council members are asking anyone who may be interested in serving on the committee to call 610-377-5606. This committee will be part of the borough council and replaces the former Weissport Recreation Committee that disbanded after the Redneck Festival was canceled.

Trees in the park

Fred Kemmerer, a certified arborist who helped other areas such as Jim Thorpe with their trees on Broadway, was on hand to discuss his analysis of the trees in the borough park. Four trees near the road that had been trimmed too harshly, or “topped” by PPL, will need to be removed.

“When trees are trimmed so harshly, or ‘topped,’ they get a lot of decay, and they cannot be saved,” he said. He suggested that the borough may want to talk to PPL about removing those trees that they overtrimmed.

Kemmerer said there are about 10 trees with dead branches that will need to be thinned and have the dead wood removed. The branches could break off and potentially hurt someone.

Kemmerer reviewed the bid that had been submitted by Trees Plus of Slatington. One section suggested “topping” trees in the center of the park. “Some of those trees are over one hundred years old, and could end up having the same fate as the trees by the road that PPL topped and now have to be removed.”

Council, at the suggestion of solicitor Gregory Mousseau, will review the exact work needed and provide a new bid request, ask Trees Plus to resubmit their bid, and seek bids from other companies to do the work.

Councilman Thomas Ketchledge asked whether the borough could do the work themselves. Kemmerer said he would offer his advice on what needs to be done.

In other business

• Mayor Paulette Watson also took a moment to thank Police Chief Matthew Williams for his work for the town.

“I’m in my fourth year now as mayor, and the town is much better off because of Chief Williams, and I greatly appreciate his work.”

Council members agreed and thanked Williams for his efforts. Watson also suggested to the council that his hours be increased from 15 to 25 hours per week in May, especially with Memorial Day coming. The council will make a decision at the next meeting.

• Movie night, hosted by Hope Community Fellowship Church, will be held May 14 in the Weissport Borough Park. The movie “Zootopia” will be shown and will begin at 8:30 p.m. The public is welcome.