Improved heating inside its municipal fire company building will cost Palmerton nearly $19,000.

Borough council on a 5-0 vote Thursday agreed to award a bid to George's Plumbing & Heating of Palmerton, for $18,900. Council members Richard Nothstein and Holly Sell were absent.The contract is for the installation of three natural gas heaters for the Palmerton Municipal Fire Company, which will be installed in the garage bay of the building, borough Manager Rodger Danielson said.Only one other company, HSA Mechanical of Allentown, turned in a bid. Their proposal was in the amount of $24,997.Project costs will be covered by the borough's general fund, Danielson said.In June, the borough held a dedication ceremony and open house in honor of its new $1.2 million, three-bay fire station at Fifth Street and Lehigh Avenue.Car show/bed raceAlso on Thursday, council approved several street closing and parking requirement requests from the Pace-Makers Association.Pace-Makers, which plans to run a car show in the borough park on June 20, received permission for:• No parking around the perimeter of the park on Third Street, Fourth Street and Lafayette Avenue.• No parking and use of the borough lot at Third and Franklin Avenue.• Traffic control in the form of fire police at Third and Delaware Avenue from around 9:30-11 a.m., and from 3-4 p.m.In conjunction with the car show, Family Promise of Carbon County will hold their second annual "Bed Race."As a result, Pace-Makers asked for permission for the following:• To close Fourth Street from Lafayette to Franklin Avenue from noon until 2:30 p.m. for the purpose of racing the "beds."• To place barricades for those intersections.Both matters were approved on a 4-0 vote, with council President Terry Costenbader abstaining due to his affiliation with Pace-Makers.The organization raises funds for recreation purposes.Other businessIn other business, council:• Appointed Berkheimer Associates as the borough's delinquent tax collector for the balance of the 2014 per capita taxes.• Approved a request from Lisa Nemeth to approve Michael Nemeth as deputy tax collector.• Agreed to renew the mutual aid agreement between the borough and Lower Towamensing Township with regard to cindering and salt.• Approved a request from the Palmerton-Towamensing Little League to use the Third Street field, West End field, and borough park for little league baseball and softball practice and games from March through November.