Lehighton has been awarded a state grant in the amount of $125,421 for recycling containers.

Borough secretary Brenda Koons said Monday the state Department of Environmental Protection awarded the grant, which calls for a match of $13,936.Councilman Scott Rehrig, who participated in the meeting via video conference, praised Koons for a job well done."Congratulations," Rehrig said. "It just shows it does work when we aggressively go after things."Borough Manager Nicole Beckett also lauded Koons for her hard work, and said it's impressive to receive a grant of such significance from DEP.Other action taken by council:• Agreed to finance a 2015 Caterpillar 930K Wheel Loader through a six-year lease for $28,046. The borough has funds available through its liquid fuels. At the end of the lease, the borough would buy it for $1.• Approved the demolition of the sewer pump station on Sgt. Stanley Hoffman Boulevard by Nimaris Construction at a cost of $10,000. The pump station has been inactive for several years, and the demolition is an attempt to make Sgt. Stanley Hoffman Boulevard more attractive.• Have the borough solicitor do a lien and title check and evaluate the cost factor on an offer from American Home Buyers LLC, regarding a vacant home at 209 N. First St.• Denied the repository sale of the property at 134-136 N. First St. for $768. The borough could consider making an offer for the property due to it being located in the borough's downtown district.• Approved the transfer of $200,000 from the borough's light and power fund to its general fund.• Granted waivers regarding utility easement width, as well as irregular shaped lots, for Sal Melo's Ochre Street project. In addition, council granted final approval to Melo's subdivision plan.• Reappointed System Design Engineers as the borough's sewage enforcement officers for this year.• Appointed Sherri Steigerwalt as deputy tax collector.• Reappointed Al Steigerwalt to the borough's planning commission for another four-year term.• Appointed Mason Strausberger to the borough's Shade Tree Commission as a junior member.• Approved a request to hold the second Annual Earth Day Hippie Run/Walk on April 25.