Coaldale Borough Council hired a code enforcement officer during Tuesday’s regular monthly meeting.

And based on residents’ comments regarding code issues in the borough, Luis Negron of Systems Design Engineering will be busy in the new role.

Council approved an agreement and a fee schedule of $71.70 per hour with Systems Design Engineering to have Negron on board.

He’ll also be responsible for rental inspections.

Before his appointment, Negron, who has been attending recent council meetings, introduced himself to attendees and offered business cards to those seeking help.

He had some takers, including a resident plagued with cockroaches coming from a neighboring property, and another who said her neighbor’s bedbug problem is now becoming her own.

Negron promised to address both issues. He said he also deals with high weeds, sidewalks problems and “everything that deals with properties.”

Code issues have been mentioned at many recent meetings, with residents concerned about blight, uninspected vehicles parked on streets and in yards, and piles of garbage.

Negron explained that he contacts property owners when problems arise, and gives them a certain amount of time to remedy the issue. If the owners do not comply, he said, he takes the matter to district court.

“Most of the time, the judge tries to be fair and gets the situation done,” he noted. “My company, Systems Design, will do its very best to do what is needed here.”

Negron will set a schedule and plans to be in the borough on certain days. He also hopes to get his contact information - as well as a complaint form - added to the borough’s website, which is getting an overhaul.

Council President Claire Remington expects that others will take heed once Negron begins to issue citations.

Residents who aren’t complying, she said, might clean up their acts knowing that the borough “means business,” she said.

In an unrelated matter, residents likely won’t have to dig any deeper into their pockets to pay property taxes in 2024.

Council accepted the second reading of the borough’s proposed 2024 budget.

According to borough treasurer Lacey Gonzalez, the budget is balanced with $1,548,261.22 in expenditures and revenues.

“At this point in time, we are not going to be increasing taxes,” Gonzalez said.

The spending plan will now be advertised. Council hopes to adopt the budget at its December meeting.