PINE GROVE — Although he didn’t say it was his top priority, Mayor Will Shiffer is determined the borough should be kept “neat and tidy,” and he has a way to do it.
In December 2014, Shiffer expressed his discouragement in getting people to cut grass, pull weeds or do any simple, inexpensive things that make their property look like they’re proud of it. He said that he and Terry Noll have been gathering information about a quality of life ordinance, which many municipalities in the county are using. He said the ordinance would streamline the process to solve our problem.
“(It’s) not to make money,” he said.
The mayor explained to how a quality of life ordinance works to the council Jan. 15.
A warning comes first, with time to comply. If the problem is fixed, that’s the end of it. However, if not fixed, the resident can be cited with a $25 fine, followed by even a second, third, or fourth fine. According to Shiffer, the current procedures listed in the borough’s two ordinances covering sidewalks and grass and weeds are too long.
“There’s no sense giving a 15 days warning to remove ice,” Shiffer said, adding people ignore warnings and he’s tired of giving them.
Solicitor Chris Hobb will review the ordinance Shiffer drafted, plus ones he has in his library, and email his suggestions or changes to everyone to consider before this month’s council meeting. Following discussion, the ordinance could be advertised and adopted in March.
In other news, bids for the police department’s 2009 Dodge Durango and 1999 Ford Crown Victoria were opened and, with unanimous agreement, all bids were rejected. It was decided to investigate what could be received for the Durango on a trade-in, buying outside Co-STAR. The Ford will be advertised again.
Only one bid, $801 from a party in Bellefonte, was received for the Crown Victoria. Four were received for the Durango, ranging from $1,389 from Freedom to $2,907 from Chicago. The other two came from Staten Island, New York, and Bellefonte.
Tom Fickinger said in preparation for the state’s resurfacing of Route 443 from the school to the county line in 2016 and 2017, he requested a report covering storm drains and water lines in that area from WJP Engineering. He said the report included a lot of old maps showing some of the lines and three tunnels that had been installed by the state Department of Transportation. He suggested PennDOT could repair the sections of the tunnels under the roads before resurfacing. He also wants to involve the joint treatment authority in making necessary repairs, while the borough’s water engineer, BCM, is also looking at the water lines and will try to get some grants. WJP will come up with what needs to be done and an estimate of the cost, Fickinger said.
Fickinger also noted that PennDOT did a traffic study on Jan. 14 at the traffic light. Since there is no room to construct turning lanes, Fickinger suggested PennDOT could make a one directional traffic move at a time.