Lansford Borough could be turning over the former Lehigh and New England train station to the Lansford Historical Society this month.

Borough council reviewed the sales agreement and utility reimbursement package for the historic Dock Street building at its workshop meeting Tuesday night.

The borough will receive $1 for the property and continue to lease the ground west of the property for the borough salt shed for four years at an annual rental of $1.

The Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau, which supports the transfer of the station to the historical society as part of a tourism plan for the community, will reimburse the borough for any incurred utilities.

Those utilities, which include historical water and sewer payments as well as final sewer, water and electrical bills, total $8,705.13, according to the package presented Tuesday night.

Councilman Bruce Markovich, who is also vice president of the historical society, noted that he won’t be voting on the action due to the conflict of interest, but asked if council could set a date for signatures, if the transfer is approved next week.

Council President Joe Genits believed if council approved the transfer at its regular meeting Wednesday, that the borough could sign off and then the historical society could sign and process the document.

Markovich asked about how the exchange of funds would work then, and Genits asked if the visitors bureau was also paying any fees related to the transfer of deed and legal filings.

Genits also related a matter brought up by an absent council member, who wanted to know if the property wasn’t maintained or improved in so many years that it would come back to the borough.

The historical society would be paying those legal fees and has plans in place for the station moving forward, Markovich said.

“We already have a plan for the station,” he explained. “We have to get a security system in there. We have no lighting out there.”

There is also an issue with homeless people hanging around the building, Markovich said.

“That has to get dealt with,” he said.

Genits explained that he was aware of issues in the past few days, and he drives past the building daily to check on it. Several windows on the building, which were uncovered, have been broken by vandals.

Kids also managed to break into the building, open doors and open fire extinguishers inside, Genits said. The building has since been secured, he said.

“The building is secure as of today,” Genits said. “You’re in good shape there, except for maybe people hanging out that we weren’t aware of, but the sooner you transfer, and do what you have to do, the better.”

Marianne Rustad and Marilyn Kissner, representing the visitors bureau, were present at Tuesday’s meeting. Genits asked if they were prepared to have a check next week to complete the transfer.

“I think as long as everything happens and that’s what your decision is going to be, we can,” Kissner told him. “I can go back and request that.”

Genits replied, “I think if you come with a check, you have a good chance of it passing,”

In May, PMVB presented council those tourism plans, which would pair the station with the No. 9 Coal Mine and Museum and the newly established, historic trolley tours in town.

The visitors bureau plans to partner with the historical society as a consultant and adviser, helping to form a business plan for the property.

The organization also showed council images of what the station could look like with continued investment transforming the building into mix of small shops, eateries, a trail stop, visitors center or even a train museum.

The historical society also has plans for the station, including bringing an O-gauge model train display in as an attraction helping to keep visitors in town longer, Markovich said in May.

The transfer of the station to the historical society also garnered support from local legislators, who also see the building as an asset to the community.