A police officer and fire department members were praised by Summit Hill’s mayor on Tuesday for their actions at a serious traffic crash last month.

The incident happened on West White Bear Drive when a motorist became ill and crashed his vehicle into a garage attached to a residence.

Mayor Jeffrey Szczecina said the driver was unconscious when police arrived. He said the owners of the property “expressed gratitude” to police officer Kodie Pituch.

In addition, they were impressed with the fire department for its response and professionalism. In charge of the fire department’s operation was officer Ronald Yuricheck.

In other matters during the meeting:

• A meeting of the Carbon County Blight Committee will be held either in the Summit Hill borough hall or Community Center at 6 p.m. on March 1. The meeting will be open to council members and township supervisors from Carbon County to discuss how to combat growing blight problems. It will be open to the public.

Meanwhile, the council voted unanimously to pass a resolution urging Carbon County Commissioners to attach a $15 fee on every mortgage and deed processed in the county to create a demolition fund for fighting blight.

• The council passed a resolution opposing the use of sewage sludge on local farmland. Councilman David Wargo said at least four farms in Carbon County are utilizing Lehigh County sewage sludge on their farms, which he said creates a potential health hazard despite the state approving the use.

• It was a agreed to have an engineer study a request made by Lisa Lapos and residents of Polar Court to take over a private road in that area. Council members said it must be determined that the road meets specific criteria before the borough is legally permitted to acquire ownership.

Lapos said she has lived in Polar Court for 35 years and “we are paying taxes and there is no road maintenance.”

• Christine LeClair, director of Veterans Affairs in Carbon County, was given permission to use the Community Center for a yoga class on April 4 or 17 from 9 to 11 a.m.

• Congresswoman Susan Wild received permission to host mobile office hours at the borough hall at a day of council’s choosing. The borough secretary/treasurer, Kira Steber, was instructed to contact Wild and set up a date.

• The Cressona Band was granted permission to use Ludlow Park on June 28 for a community concert, as well as the Community Center for a rain location.

• The borough’s Recreation Commission will hold its annual Easter on the Hill event on April 1 in Ludlow Park. The rain date is April 8.

• The council voted 6-1 to hire Arrow Consulting of Orwigsburg as the borough engineers for 2023. Opposed was council member William O’Gurek.