The Owl Creek Reservoir Commission is changing the way it operates.

“Moving forward, there will be no open meetings or plans for big events such as hayrides or Christmas (celebrations),” Commission President Tom Banditelli Jr. wrote in a letter to Tamaqua Borough Council.

The commission, however, will continue to rent its pavilion and other facilities to community groups and individuals, he noted.

It will also continue its mission of keeping the reservoir and its natural environment clean and safe for residents and visitors, Banditelli Jr. said.

The borough owns the Owl Creek reservoirs and surrounding land where people can fish, boat, walk or bicycle.

The change in operations is a result of aging membership and a depleted number of volunteers.

Banditelli Jr. will send reorganization letters to previous active members to alert them of the changes, he said.

He will also correspond with borough officials as needed to report rentals and donations.

Anyone wishing to contact the commission may do so through the nonprofit group’s Facebook page. There, they can leave suggestions or comments; make a donation; arrange for rentals or offer volunteer time.

In an unrelated matter, Mark Bower, chief of the South Ward Fire Company, asked if the borough could install “fire station” signs on Spruce Street near the station.

“We come down Oak Street from the blind intersection and turn onto that street. We’ve had a lot of close calls there because people don’t stop at that stop sign at Oak Street,” said Bower, who is also the Tamaqua Fire Department’s assistant chief. “We use the sirens coming into the intersection, but if we can have that marked on Spruce Street, that would be nice.”

Borough Council President Brian Connely asked Borough Manager Kevin Steigerwalt to get estimates on signs for all four Tamaqua fire companies.

Bower also said South Ward is having some trouble with a traffic control system that provides a green light - and therefore a right of way - for emergency vehicles. The OptiCom system, he said, turns a light green at Hunter and Spruce streets, but turns back to red as emergency vehicles are passing through.

“So we are hitting the intersection and it turns red just like that,” he said.

There’s a chance that signs might be blocking the signal, Steigerwalt said.

Connely said another borough fire company is having similar trouble at another intersection.

The borough will have someone address the issues.