Lehighton has approved its portion of funding for a Main Street manager pilot program.

On an unanimous measure, borough council on Monday approved the funding commitment for the Carbon Chamber and Economic Development Corp. Main Street Manager Pilot Program.

However, council’s approval came with the understanding that the program will be evaluated annually, regular reports are expected at council meetings, and an agreement will need to be executed.

Before the vote, borough Manager Nicole Beckett told council the Main Street Steering Committee and Lehighton Downtown Initiative would merge together under the umbrella of the CCEDC with funding commitments from each organization.

Beckett said the borough’s portion would be $10,000, for which there are funds in the budget.

Councilman Ryan Saunders said the endeavor would benefit the borough a great deal.

“It will help our revitalization efforts tremendously,” Saunders said.

Councilman Joe Flickinger said much work has been done since 2013, and added there have been a lot of great businesses that have come into the borough since then.

“This is something I believe we should strongly look at,” Flickinger said. “With all the (businesses) that have come into the downtown, it just shows what this borough has put into our downtown area.”

Beckett said it would in effect be the chamber’s employee, noting that whoever would get the position would work with Carbon Chamber and Economic Development Director Kathy Henderson.

Flickinger thanked everyone for all the time that was put in.

Beckett, along with Henderson, began the research in 2013 that makes up the backbone of the program.