Jay Hollenbach has been appointed to fill the Tamaqua Borough council seat being vacated by Councilman Tom Cara. Hollenbach was appointed by a 4-2 vote over Kathy Kunkel, who had also submitted a letter of interest in the position.

Cara abstained from both votes. Cara addressed council for a final time, detailing some of the projects and a few of the disappointments he had worked on over the past years, calling it a “gratifying experience.” Council also presented Cara with a plaque thanking him for his service.

In other business, council received a thank-you note from the Salvation Army for the borough’s help in facilitating their Christmastime distributions. 190 families, including 360 children, in the Tamaqua area were served by the program.

Council approved two repository sales, one at 5 Cherry St. and one at 160 W. Spruce St.

Director of Community Development Ann Marie Calabrese informed council that the borough will be getting money returned to them from the CRIZ participation, 5% of the total that is toward administrative costs, in the amount of $26,949.

Certificates of appropriateness were approved for 47 Market St. and 517 E. Broad St.

A handicap parking space was approved for 327 Lafayette St.

Upon recommendation from an ad hoc committee, the borough approved a change to the historic sign ordinance, exempting nonprofit emergency service providers from the sign ordinance.