Demolition is on the agenda for the borough of Tamaqua.

Council approved the demolition of several condemned properties at Tuesday night's meeting. First on the list were 160, 162, and 162 1/2 W. Spruce St. Council also denied a request for a repository sale of 160 W. Spruce St. The bid was awarded to Northeast Industrial Service Corporation of Shamokin, in the amount of $48,800.Additionally, properties at 133 and 135 Gay St. will be demolished by the same company for $28,970, and a final property at 216 Pitt St. will be taken down by SDL Construction of Orwigsburg for $22,890.According to borough manager Kevin Steigerwalt, the borough currently has $99,000 in CDBG funding available to use for demolition, and these projects will exhaust those funds.Council President Micah Gursky was pleased to see the demolition projects moving forward. "It's a big expense and we do lose a lot of money, but if we don't get rid of these properties, they're a cancer that just makes the neighborhood worse," he said.The recent good weather and melting of snow piles has brought more quality of life issues to the foreground as well. Councilman Brian Connely asked if the borough could start publishing a list of repeat offenders and violators in the newspapers."Maybe we can embarrass them into cleaning up their properties," he said. Connely said it would also show residents who make the calls about nuisance properties that the borough is in fact following up on the calls. Council plans to start releasing that information in a similar style to the information that is released in the police log.Other businessIn other business council approved a one-year extension of the garbage and recycling contract with Tamaqua Transfer. The extension will begin in June. Borough solicitor Michael Greek advised council this would be the last time he would recommend extending the contract, which was approved in 2011.Council approved the reimbursement of the difference in copays for non-UAW borough workers. While council is obligated to cover the copays according to the union contract, it is not obligated by contract to cover the difference in copay for the non-union workers. However, Gursky said, "Personally, I think we should treat all of our employees equally."A request to reimburse retirees who are also covered under the same insurance plan was denied. The current submissions for reimbursement have been running in the neighborhood of $500 per month, total.Police chief Rick Weaver announced the borough will be losing two part-time police officers who will be pursuing full-time employment elsewhere. He asked council to advertise for additional part-time officers.Council approved the police department SOP for body-worn cameras. Weaver said the department has not yet received the cameras for use. Council also approved an agreement for a Buckle-up PA project grant.Council approved the advertisement of an ordinance establishing minimum qualifications for assistant fire chiefs. According to Connely, the changes will update language that has been in the qualifications since 1915 and has fallen out of use. Council approved an agreement with Schuylkill County for one mobile radio and four portable radios for the ladder truck.Council held an executive session at the request of the mayor to discuss personnel issues.