CLARKS SUMMIT — Council voted 7-0 Sept. 2 at the regular council meeting in favor of the borough’s participation in SAPA, the Scranton Abingtons Planning Association, multi-municipality agreement.
Clarks Summit Borough SAPA representative Lenny Wesolowski attended the meeting for SAPA Coordinator Denise Prowell, who was unable to attend. Wesolowski acknowledged Prowell for her “unbelievable efforts,” and council also acknowledged and thanked her for the hard work getting the SAPA agreement to come to fruition.
Council also voted 7-0 to table the vote to purchase new parking meters and to possibly raise the cost of metered time and fines until the October meeting. Borough Manager Virginia Kehoe clarified the new card-reading meters council was planning to purchase did not actually take credit cards as payment, but pre-loaded special cards made specifically for the meters.
“The extra $8,500 is not worth it for the card readers,” Kehoe said.
In other news, numerous residents attended the meeting to discuss the borough’s paving work, or lack thereof, on Barrett Street as well as parking issues on Timber Lane.
Gene Gallagher addressed council to ask why Barrett Street wasn’t included in the paving work for 2015. Gallagher said he came to council, “with the same impassioned plea” to pave Barrett Street, and that he was disappointed to see the alley between Grove Street and Powell Avenue was paved instead of a road such as Barrett Street with residential homes.
“I am not in accord with any of the actions that were taken by who was in charge of selecting the streets to be paved this year,” Gallagher said.
Kehoe said Barrett Street was considered for 2015 paving, but that, “We worked out how much money we had to spend and the estimated cost for each of the roads,” and the borough paved what they could with the funds allocated.
“I think the general public should also have a say (in what roads are paved),” said council member Herman Johnson, who said he voted against taking Barrett Street off the paving list when council was allocating the funds for paving.
Council member Vincent Cruciani said now was the time to bring the matter to council’s attention so Barrett Street may be included in the budget for paving in 2016.
“We could publish the list of roads to be paved in 2016 in November to be reviewed (by the public)” before the budget is completed in December, Cruciani said.
Scott Perry also addressed council regarding the condition of Barrett Street, and to ask for a no parking sign along the 200 block because cars park between the end of a driveway and a stop sign, creating a safety issue.
“It’s not necessary for someone to park there,” Perry said.
Police Chief Chris Yarns advised he can check the area for ticketing, and Kehoe said the borough can put up a no parking sign.
Residents from Timber Lane also addressed council regarding no parking signs on their street. Dave Tompkins addressed council to ask if the signs could be removed because there no longer seemed to be an issue with the parking in that area, and friends and family members were being ticketed.
“The parking problem stopped because we are enforcing it,” said Yarns.
Cruciani said the parking signs went up in the late 1990s to prevent the high school students from parking on that road when there was not enough parking to accommodate all student drivers at Abington Heights.
Allison Williams of Timber Lane told council the signs should not be removed because, “It’s a safety issue for myself and my family.”
“If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” Renee Williams added when she addressed council to ask that the no parking signs remain.
Council agreed to discuss the issue further at the work session Sept. 29, and may discuss options to modify the parking limitations for only when school is in session.
Charles Kumpas also address council to ask for permission to go through the borough building’s storage area for old council meeting minutes. Kumpas is one of three people helping research the borough’s history as a result of a grant to expand a book on the history of Clarks Summit received by the Abington Community Library.
Council voted 7-0 to allow a staff member to assist Kumpass in going through the storage area to research the borough’s history.
“It will be a labor of love,” Kumpas said.
