Lehighton has opted to not apply for additional funding for new basketball courts at a popular recreational facility in the borough.

On a 4-3 vote Monday, borough council declined to adopt a resolution in which it would sign for a Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant for new basketball courts at Baer Memorial, as well as a walking path.Council members Joe Flickinger, Darryl Arner, Helen Torok and Lisa Perry were opposed. Councilmen Scott Rehrig and Jared McEvoy, along with council President Grant Hunsicker, were in favor.As a result, the grant application will not be submitted.That decision comes a little over a year after council approved a resolution to submit an application to the DCNR for a $530,000 grant.Also at that meeting in April 2015, council approved the funding commitment letter in the amount of $265,000, as well as a letter supporting the project.The project would replace the baseball diamond at Baer Memorial with basketball courts and be handicapped accessible. Additionally, the basketball court at the grove would be removed, borough secretary Brenda Koons said.If there is money left over from the grant, Koons said the borough would start on the rehabilitation phase of the grove playground, which would include different play stations for different age groups, as well as a handicapped accessible area. Additionally, the tennis courts could be rehabbed, the existing pavilion may be taken down and replaced with a bigger one, she said, and a Little League Baseball diamond may be installed in another section of Baer Memorial.To date, none of the previous grants applied for have been received, she said.If council chooses to revisit the matter, it has until June 30 to apply for the additional funding, Koons said.