Macungie Borough Offices, Police Department Still Lack Electricity

Macungie fared well this weekend in the face of the rare October snow storm, but the process could have been smoother and more complete if there had been more planning, said Emergency Management Director Dave Boyko.

The borough was not 100 percent prepared, he said.

"I did the best I could do while dealing with people who believe emergency management is not an important issue," Boyko said, referring to council members, council candidates and some other community members

Electricity to the borough's pumping stations was interrupted by trees on electrical wires, he said, and he and other borough officials including the fire chief and the Public Works crew had to scramble to put their hands on some.

"People keep telling me we don't need back-up generators for water and to run the police department, but you know who's going to yell the loudest now: the people who laughed the loudest at the suggestion of getting extra generators," Boyko said.

Additionally, the borough needs a generator to run the Macungie Institute so that it can be used as a warming station, he said.

The situation will either be helped or hurt by next week's election, he said, depending on who is elected.