The Palmerton Borough Council met on Saturday morning during the height of a snowstorm and participated in the swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed Councilman Joseph Chintala.

Chintala, who will fill the unexpired term of councilman and past President Kenneth Heiney, was sworn in by Justice of the Peace Lewis Eckhart in the council chambers.

Chintala is an engineer for the New Jersey Zinc Company in the community.

In another move, the council hired Larry Ahner of Palmerton as a probationary patrolman at a salary of $8,000. He is a 1972 graduate of Palmerton Area High School.