Tamaqua Borough Council agreed to temporarily close some streets so two borough fire departments can host block parties.

Members granted a request from the East End Fire Company to block off East End Avenue and Columbia Street between Friday, June 9 and Sunday, June 11 for the company’s block party. It will hold a truck parade on Saturday, June 10 and received permission to ban parking on the 500-block of East Broad Street.

The American Hose Fire Company will hold a single day block party, and asked council for permission to close Pine Street from East Broad Street to Mauch Chunk Street while the Aug. 6 event is underway.

“This year we will be having a one-day food truck fundraiser in place of our annual fireman’s festival,” according to correspondence from the fire company. The festival was the company’s biggest fundraiser before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“You can tell it’s block party season,” council President Brian Connely said following the unanimous votes.

In an unrelated matter, council approved recommendations made by the Tamaqua Planning Commission that would give the go-ahead to St. Luke’s University Health Network to build a behavioral health medical office on Pine Street.

St. Luke’s plans to demolish a structure at 600-602 Pine St., and replace it with a one-story office building and parking.

In keeping with demolition, borough Manager Kevin Steigerwalt said that the borough is accepting bids to knock down a row home at 423 Willing St. They’ll be opened at 2 p.m. April 27. Results will be presented during a future council meeting, Steigerwalt said.

He also said that street sweeping began two weeks ago. Residents are reminded to move their vehicles from posted streets.

“Police will be ticketing and towing vehicles that are parked in the way of the street sweeper,” he said.

The street sweeper schedule is posted on the borough’s website and Facebook page, and is available from the borough office.

Before the start of the meeting, council held a moment of silence for former borough worker Joseph Coleman, who passed away recently. Connely called Coleman “a great employee and a great person.”