EMPORIUM — While one area of Emporium is being cleaned up, Emporium Borough officials are working to remedy several other locations that have caused issues for residents and adjoining property owners.

Demolition on the former Admit One building and two other structures located on the same lot began on Dec. 1, though the deadline for tear-down was set through the contract on Nov. 30, according to Borough Manager Don Reed.

The project is being monitored by development director Cliff Clark, who administers the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program providing the funds, and borough officials will participate in an inspection when work is completed.

The borough approved a move to purchase the former Lundin home located at 236 West Fifth St. from the county repository for $1, with plans to demolish the structure with CDBG funding earmarked for similar projects.

The move was prompted by an inspection completed on behalf of the county and borough when private individuals attempted to purchase the structure to rehabilitate and use it as a residence. The borough officially declined the offer during the meeting, mirroring recent actions taken by the county and Cameron County School District.

Reed said too many structural issues were identified to allow the home to be salvaged, and the borough will request to purchase the property with the intent to demolish it. The county and school district must approve the request before the purchase can be finalized.

Ordinance violation hearings on four Emporium Borough properties owned by Matthew Grimone were completed. Reed said that Grimone was granted 60 days to remedy problems at the properties, or he could face fines of $400 per day per property, plus costs, and up to 30 days in jail.

More than 25 individuals, all residents living near the properties in question, attended the hearings to voice their concerns over living next door to the blighted and deteriorating structures.

Residents in attendance at the council meeting asked if the owner had been provided with a list of issues that must be remedied by the deadline. Reed said borough officials are willing to walk-through the properties with Grimone to identify issues, but they have not yet been contacted.

The borough owns the Admit One lot, and approved a letter to be sent to the county requesting that the borough also take ownership of the lot at the location of the former Jasper Harris building.

In other news, downtown Emporium businesses are requesting assistance from the borough to increase security following recent acts of vandalism on East Fourth Street.

Cameron County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tina Johns-Solak visited the borough council meeting to ask for one of three remedies on behalf of downtown business owners — installation of street lighting, increasing on-duty hours and patrols by borough police officers, or assistance with funding for purchase of security camera systems for local businesses.

Johns-Solak suggested the old street light poles that were removed from the downtown area could be sold to help raise funds, or Act 13 funding could be used.

Council president Luann Reed stated that Act 13 money is currently earmarked to help the Cameron County Ambulance Service continue operations, but talks are scheduled with the Sylvan Heritage Council concerning installation of street lights downtown.

More than $300 in damage was done by an individual or individuals over Thanksgiving weekend. A number of decorations made from recycled tires as part of a Chamber of Commerce contest were tipped over, broken or stolen, and greens and other items were removed from planter boxes and in front of stores. The damage was done on two different nights, likely in the wee hours of the morning, and destroyed the efforts of a number of volunteers working to beautify the business district.

Council was receptive to assisting business owners, and Councilman Randy Frey said the borough is working to get a number of borough-owned cameras up-and-running. The issue is not with the hardware, it is with getting what is collected to transmit to a central location for collection, according to Frey. A company is assisting with the system currently.

The next council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 2 at the borough building on North Broad Street.