Traffic problems in front of S.S. Palmer Elementary School and Parkside Education Center have persisted this school year, but Palmerton parent Ann Cronk thanked the police department for stepping up patrols.

Her thankfulness was expressed in an email to Palmerton Borough Councilwoman Holly Sell, who read it at the meeting Thursday night. Sell said Cronk was unable to be at the meeting in person.Cronk said she has seen officers directing traffic and ask cars to move from areas they are not allowed to park. Sell said she is surprised officers have to explain to people why they need to move."I would think if a police officer asks you to move you would move," she said.Sell said she thinks it's important to tell the public to be vigilant when they are driving past the schools, because children are walking."Slow down," she said. "And park in real parking spots."Mayor Christopher Olivia told borough council he contacted the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation about conducting a traffic study on Delaware Avenue. In February, he asked the council to approve his pursuit of the study to see if the speed should be reduced on the 600, 700 and 800 blocks of Delaware Avenue. Currently, the speed limit is 45 mph in that area.Olivia thinks the speed limit should be reduced to 25 mph, which is the speed along the rest of the road. PennDOT agreed to do the study, but no date has been set for the study to begin, he said.The council approved a budget increase of $8,000 for the purchase of an SUV for the Palmerton Police Department. The budget allows for $30,000 for a new police car, which the department had planned to replace. They still plan to replace a police car, but decided an SUV would be more helpful to them than another car."They really used the SUV last winter," Danielson said. The department has only one.Danielson said there is room in the budget for the increase, because money is going to be saved in other areas.In personnel, the council approved the resignation of Larry Zawaly as the code enforcement officer. Zawaly had retired in October as chief of the Palmerton Municipal Fire Department. The borough council recognized in February his many years of service to the fire department. No comment was made about his decision to resign from his position in the municipality, but Borough Manager Rodger Danielson asked the council to approve advertising for a new code enforcement officer.The council approved hiring maintenance help for the summer. Zach Svetik will be making $7.80 per hour; Tyler Svetik, $7.43; and Kole Rodrigues, $7.25.