Lehighton Borough Council heard pitches on Monday from several department heads as 2026 budget talks loom in the balance.

In the absence of police Chief Troy Abelovsky, Mayor Ryan Saunders informed council of the police department’s intention to purchase two 2025 vehicles.

Saunders said the department is looking to do four-year leases, which would cost between $32,000 and $36,000 a year.

Borough fire Chief Patrick Mriss said the Lehighton Fire Department wants to meet with the borough’s finance and administration committee once it gets word on the Local Share Account grant it applied for last year.

L&P Superintendent Barry Fisher informed borough council that it will eventually have to hire new linemen.

Fisher noted it takes four years of training before someone can become a certified linemen.

He said two of the four linemen are management.

Fisher said the department has enough equipment and the necessary skills, just not enough manpower.

Public Works Supervisor Kris Kunkle said that the department’s oldest dump truck recently broke down with a hot load of blacktop on it, and isn’t sure how long the truck is going to last.

DeWire said that while requests are made, unfortunately the borough doesn’t make enough money to afford everything.

“I think there’s going to have to be some serious (budget) discussions,” DeWire said.