LEWIS RUN — Lewis Run Borough Council met Tuesday evening, and discussed issues relating to address signs and blight in the municipality.
Borough Council Vice President Steve Kloss told those assembled at the meeting that Lewis Run would begin enforcing a 2001 ordinance requiring reflective address signs at each residence — similar to what other municipalities in the Tuna Valley are currently doing.
The signs, supplied by Tina Yohe of the Derrick City Volunteer Fire Department, cost $15 and can be acquired by calling the borough building.
“It’s a great idea,” said Councilman Joe Cucuzza, referring to the importance of emergency responders being able to find the right address. “And they look nice, the ones that have gone up on (U.S. Route) 219.”
Council later moved to implement a program to assist property owners in the demolition of blighted houses, providing up to $4,000 (up to $2,000 per house) to cover “tipping fees” — the cost of transporting building debris to the landfill.
Cucuzza said it is “money well spent” and will raise property values in the long run.
Township solicitor Dan Hartle commented that eventually the borough would make up the loss in tax revenue. The money wouldn’t go to the property owner themselves, but would be paid directly to cover the tipping fees, Cucuzza clarified.
Council passed a motion for the purchase of tar and renting a machine to lay down the tar for road repairs at a cost of $2,000. They said whatever isn’t used, they can sell back to the tar provider. Cucuzza urged that they seal the patches, too.
Council also moved to award a low bid of $5,900 to J.A. Frisina for patch work in five locations in the borough. “They’re crumbling apart, and we’ve got to do something before it gets too bad,” Kloss said.
He also announced that representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation met with borough officials Tuesday morning, stating they would be cleaning the two ditches on JFK Drive.
Meanwhile, council is researching prices for a new garbage packer for next year’s budget.
In other news, council president Irv Swartz said secretary-treasurer Joanne Caldwell will start to work on the budget this month. A meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 27 to start going over budget considerations.
Swartz and Caldwell recently attended meetings with leaders of other communities in the region discussing garbage rates and options. They found the residents of other communities are paying between $25-30 dollars a month for garbage collection, whereas Lewis Run residents pay just $15.
They said the borough is able to keep prices this low and still raise revenue for the garbage fund by doing their own pick-up — but to do so they’ll need to replace the garbage packer they currently have that is falling apart.
Swartz and Caldwell also recently attended a networking conference at the Barrel House in Lantz Corners, where the topic was recycling. Borough council is considering starting recycling back up, but more price research and negotiation is needed before they decide to move forward. Swartz said when McKean County sold the landfill to Casella Waste Systems six or seven years ago, and the recycling bins were removed from the borough, the amount of garbage sent to the landfill from Lewis Run increased by a ton — equating to an extra $48 per month.
Also at the meeting, council members approved a revised floodplain ordinance that states that, in place of a designated floodplain administrator, the duties would be undertaken by the borough council president. In this case, Irv Swartz.
The ordinance, which has been in place since the 1980s, requires individuals, businesses and corporations to obtain a permit for construction or development; provides for the issuance of permits; sets certain minimum requirements for new construction and development that are subject to flooding; and establishes penalties for those who fail or refuse to adhere to the requirements or provisions of the ordinance.
In other news, Mona Kay Sullivan said she will be no longer be the tax collector for the borough after next year. Anyone who would like to run must do so next year to take over for Sullivan in 2018, she said.
The Lewis Run Volunteer Fire Department will be training on Sept. 26 and Oct. 10, the council announced.
