The Bowmanstown Borough municipal building on Ore Street will remain closed for at least another month, council decided at their meeting Tuesday.

After a brief debate between members, the body chose to continue hashing out health guidelines before opening doors to the public again. Councilwoman Kara Scott sided on keeping it closed, while Bowmanstown Mayor Zachary Snyder pushed creating protocols for reopening as soon as possible.

“One thousand people are entitled to use this building,” Snyder said. “So, at the first available moment that it can be open, we owe it to the residents for this building to be open.”

Councilman Rob Moyer, the entity’s point-person on resuming operations at the municipal building, was tasked with tweaking state delivered health guidelines, specifically for borough hall.

The borough emergency declaration remains in place as of June 7, Snyder noted.

Bowmanstown Borough Council also discussed Tuesday:

The Lime Street road connection project, which will offer another access point to the Meadow Crest development. It’s nearing its end, Jessica Rehrig, borough engineer, said Tuesday. “We’re getting closer and closer to completion,” Rehrig said.

Work on the project resumed in April following a more than 30-day coronavirus-induced hiatus.

Rehrig also announced early this week that the borough missed the deadline for 2020 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant funds. It hoped to use the money toward improvements to Lincoln Avenue.

“We’ll have to apply next year,” Rehrig said.

The 2020 Census, which has a response rate in the borough at around 62%, Scott noted. The borough is hoping to improve that number, asking all residents to complete this year’s survey.

An electrical quote will be sought for lighting around the borough park. Because the borough playground is open past dusk, Snyder pointed out, it needs to provide adequate lighting. Additional fixtures will cost just over $2,000.