Hamburg Weighs Outside Probe, New Noise Rule

Hamburg Borough Council meets Tuesday night, and two of its planned votes stand out. Council intends to hire an outside law firm to investigate a personnel matter, and to change the rules that govern noise in town.

On the recommendation of its Personnel Committee, council will vote to hire the Siana Law firm, naming attorneys Stonehill Ratliff or Andy Rongaus, to conduct a personnel investigation. A personnel investigation is a formal review of a workplace matter involving an employee. The agenda gives no detail on who or what is being looked at. Personnel matters are handled confidentially, so the subject is not part of the public record.

The agenda does note that council held closed-door executive sessions on Sept. 8 and Sept. 22 to discuss personnel matters, and that the Sept. 22 session also covered contract negotiations. An executive session is a part of a meeting that state law lets a public body close for a short list of topics, such as personnel and litigation. The agenda lists these as separate items and does not tie the investigation to any particular person or to the contract talks. The decisions themselves still have to be voted on in open session, which is what happens Tuesday.

Council will also vote to enact Ordinance #892, an amendment to the borough's noise regulations. An ordinance is a local law a municipality adopts. The posted agenda does not spell out what the amendment changes. Residents who want the specifics, such as any new limits or hours, would need to read the ordinance text or attend the meeting to hear it explained.

A separate housekeeping item touches on records. Council will vote on Resolution #158-2026, which would allow the borough to destroy its meeting tape recordings once the written minutes for a meeting are approved at a public meeting. A resolution is a formal action a governing body takes to set policy or direct staff. Residents who want records of borough business can request them under Pennsylvania's open-records law; see our guide to filing a Right-to-Know request.

On the money side, council will vote to certify the borough's 2027 Minimum Municipal Obligations, the least a municipality must pay into its pension funds each year: $138,110 for the Police Pension Plan and $71,975 for the Non-Uniform Pension Plan. Council will also approve the month's bill list, which totals $368,546.14.

Several routine approvals round out the night. They include Casella Recycling renting the entire park for a company event on Sept. 26, the library's annual 5K run at Etchberger Park the same day, and the King Frost Parade LLC holding the 2026 parade on Saturday, Oct. 31. Council will also approve the Aug. 25 minutes and receive committee, manager, and police reports.

The regular meeting starts at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, at the Hamburg Municipal Center, 61 N. 3rd St., and is open to the public. Residents can attend to comment or reach the borough office at 610-562-7821. Council meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month. For a broader look at how these bodies operate, see how Berks County government works and our township and borough meeting schedule.