Hellertown Borough Council Has New Junior Council Member

For the first time in several years Hellertown Borough Council has a junior council member.

Noah Kates, of Springtown, said he wanted to be a junior council member and sit in on council meetings this summer because he has an interest in and would like to learn more about local government.

Kates attends boarding school and is home on summer break.

Mayor David Heintzelman administered a pledge to Kates, whose mother was present for the brief ceremony.

As a junior council member Kates will not vote on borough business and will not be privy to executive sessions (closed door meetings) by council.

Council president Tom Rieger said the junior councilperson program is an educational opportunity that is always available to local students.

Borough councilman Herb Payung is a former junior council member.

In other business, Rieger announced that there is a vacancy on the borough’s zoning hearing board due to the recent death of member Jeffrey Hahn. There is also a need to appoint an alternate zoning hearing board member.

Both of these vacancies will be advertised by the borough, Rieger said.