JERSEY SHORE — Borough Council accepted the resignation of Mayor Dennis Thompson and unanimously appointed him to fill the First Ward vacancy on Monday evening.

“I just felt that it was a much better way to serve the residents,” Thompson said. “I can better serve the residents of the First Ward by being on council. I can have a voice and a vote.”

The next step is for Cody Hoover, assistant borough manager, to notify the county of the vacancy and advertise for letters of interest to eventually appoint a new mayor.

In other business, borough council approved a resolution to apply for the multimodal transportation fund grant, which could accumulate upwards of $3 million for the borough’s project on Lawshee Run, a stream that runs under the borough’s main road, Allegheny Street.

The project is part of the borough’s stormwater management.

Two members from the Town Meeting non-profit organization came to discuss a possible holiday fair, coupled with the annual Christmas parade, the selling of hot chocolate, hot dogs and soup as well as the decoration and lighting of the gazebo lot.

Those events would take place on Saturday, Dec. 5. At next month’s meeting, the borough is to discuss and approve or deny Santa Hut hours, the route for the parade and the holiday fair.

Council also approved an easement agreement with SEDA-Council of Governments Joint Rail Authority to put in a bike path to cross the railroad tracks at the Rails to Trails entry on Railroad Street. This path will bring bicyclists onto Allegheny Street.

A handicap parking space in front of the property located at 414 S. Broad St. was also approved on Monday evening. The space will be available to the resident living at the property until he decides to move or passes away, according to the borough’s ordinance.

The Election Day Dinner at First United Methodist Church is going to look differently this year after borough council approved to make the dinner available by curb-side pick-up only due to the ongoing pandemic.

Thompson Street will be closed from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. for this dinner pick-up.

Borough council also amended the Community Block Development Grant agreement for the 2020 project to move the expiration date of the project from June to December of 2020.

Members present include: Sean Simcox, Barb E. Schmouder, Scott Bierly, Paul Garrett, Kenneth Scheesley and Mike Zellers.

The next Jersey Shore Borough meeting will be held Monday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m.