Lansford Borough Council considered options for a temporary borough garage at the former Zimmerman building, which include adding a bathroom.

Council last week approved Tom Reigel Heating & Plumbing to install a complete bathroom in the building along Dock Street at a cost of $4,100.

Councilman Joseph Butrie said that Reigel is an approved COSTAR vendor through the state purchasing program.

Council President Bruce Markovich pointed out that the bathroom has to be handicapped accessible, but the plans call for putting a floor up on two-by-sixes, he said.

They may need a ramp, Butrie said, and Markovich said either a ramp or the floor has to be flush. Butrie said he could meet with him about changing that part of the plans.

The contractor could start immediately, and have the bathroom installed within two weeks, Butrie said.

Markovich pointed out that he’s not putting up any walls, or enclosure, and Butrie said that he’s only doing the plumbing.

Council members and residents had questions about the cost, requirements for an occupancy permit and location of the bathroom inside the building, which the borough had been planning to sell.

Butrie said that people can go in the main garage door off Dock Street, up three or four steps to the dock and the bathroom would be located where an old cooler was.

“So you have to go upstairs to get to the handicapped bathroom?” Councilman Jack Soberick asked, and Butrie replied, “Yes,” as those in attendance chuckled.

Councilwoman Jennifer Staines asked if they would be tabling the work until they could get an adjusted cost to make the modifications, and Butrie agreed.

However, Councilwoman Michele Bartek didn’t think they should table a bathroom, and council agreed to add a $1,500 contingency for the modifications and allow the work to proceed.

Markovich said that the bathroom was the only thing holding up an occupancy permit.

Council also tabled the purchase of three time clocks from ADP at a cost of $49 a month for a total of $147 a month.

Soberick questioned if the time clocks would be a secondary method for employees to clock in, and Ashley McLaughlin, borough secretary, said that it would.

Earlier this year, the borough moved to a system in which employees — office, police and streets — could clock in on their borough-issued cellphones.

Soberick asked if the time clocks were a way to track time until employees were comfortable with the new system until they gained compliance with the phones, and if they could end the contract if they got compliance.

McLaughlin didn’t know if they could terminate the contract.

Soberick and Councilwoman Gwyneth Collevechio felt that employees should be using their phones to clock in.

Markovich and Butrie said there is no cell service at the Zimmerman building so the phones don’t work there.

Council then discussed a policy for clocking in, training and just using paper time sheets.

Markovich said that time sheets are only as accurate as the person who fills them out, which is the reason for having the system with clocking using the phones.