Slatington's Boy Scout Troop 58's Life Scout, James Yoder, will get his hands dirty this summer as he works to beautify the borough hall entrance way with day lilies and pink creeping phlox.

During Monday night's meeting, Yoder stood before council and requested to begin his Eagle Scout project on South Walnut Street.His plan will include removing loose shale and stone from the large flower boxes, mix in topsoil, install ground cover, plant the perennials and finish the job with mulch and river rocks on both sides of the stairway."I'm excited to be apart of the beautifying the front of the borough hall," he told council. The borough board voted unanimously to allow the project to take place."Mr. Dellecker (borough office manager) spoke to the scoutmaster and asked if anyone was looking for a project," Yoder said."He suggested the front of the borough, and it sounded like a good idea."The project is scheduled to begin in early July and reach completion before the end of summer.Yoder has been a part of Troop 58 since first grade and now at the age of 17, he is close to graduating the program after this final project."It's a great program, it teaches first aid and what to do in different situations throughout life. It just gets you a step up in life," he said."I am also a lifeguard at the Northern Lehigh Pool. Almost all of what I learned in lifeguard training I learned first in Scouts."Yoder is one of four Scouts who will work toward the elevated rank this year."It's me and three brothers. We will be the first guys in a couple years to get to the Eagle rank in the troop," Yoder said.The project will coincide with brickwork repair conducted by Palmerton business Marlatt Masonry to repair, acid wash and replace damaged bricks as well as weatherproof piers and archways. The borough voted to spend no more than $2,000 on the repairs.Retired borough police chief Arthur "Ted" Kistler followed Yoder with a handwritten letter of thanks to the borough council for authorizing the plaque dedicated to him earlier this month."It was a heck of a day. I want to thank council for approving it," he told the board.