DALTON – At the July 13 borough council meeting, Susan Davidson, of North Turnpike Road, reported she was fined not filling a large gathering permit for the 2-Mile Long Yard Sale (held every Saturday after Mother’s Day in May), which she has been running for 15 years. Davidson explained the yard sale is neither a large gathering nor an organized event, and that’s why she didn’t complete the permit. She explained that the neighbors of North Turnpike Road get together to pay for one advertisement in the newspaper.

“It brings people into this dying town,” Davidson said of the sale.

Davidson also said the sale helps the Dalton United Methodist Church and the Vacation Bible School programs of both the Dalton United Methodist Church and the Factoryville United Methodist Church. She said it also helps the Dalton Public Library, which has an annual perennial sale at the Dalton Firehouse on the same day as the yard sale.

“In 15 years, neither the police nor the council ever said there was a problem,” she said. “What is the problem?”

None of the council members responded to her questions.

In other business, Denise Prowell, secretary of SAPA (Scranton-Abingtons Planning Association) gave an overview of SAPA, a multi-municipal organization. She said legislature passed this plan because of concerns of the previous law, in which each community was forced to provide for each and every land use. She said some of the communities wanted to revitalize their downtown areas while others wanted to maintain their rural character.

“The legislature enables this (SAPA), so that communities would have more choice of what they wanted rather than being forced to provide for each and every land use,” she said.

Board member Bill Montgomery read two resolutions which pertain to SAPA. The first one is a resolution of Council of the Borough of Dalton authorizing Dalton Borough president and other appropriate officials of the Dalton Borough to execute and enter into an amendment to SAPA intergovernmental cooperative implementation agreement. The board voted to approve this resolution, which extends Dalton’s participation of SAPA by two years.

Montgomery then read the second resolution, in which Dalton Borough Council authorizes Lackawanna County Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to submit a grant to the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development on behalf of Dalton Borough to the Pennsylvania Municipal Assistance Program and further committing Dalton Borough municipal resources as a match for the SAPA plan’s implementation.

“I’m pretty sure what that means is they (SAPA) is going to borrow money and we’re going to let them,” he said.

The board voted to approve this resolution.

In other business, board member Kyle Brown announced the Dalton Council is under a permit requirement for Ackerly Creek because it is a tributary to the Chesapeake Bay drainage.

“We’re being asked to improve sediment runoff,” he said. “We’re in the process of reapplying for a permit and, with that new application, there will be a requirement to provide some specific remediation plans.”

Brown then announced he contacted KBA Engineering in Jermyn to help with the application process and to help make suggestions to the borough with projects that would address the requirements.

Environmental management specialist David Lamereaux and John Mandarano, PE, both of KBA Engineering, gave an overview. Lamereaux mentioned that, since part of Dalton Borough is an urbanized area, the permit requires that Dalton reduces whatever pollutant is coming to the Chesapeake Bay. He said most municipalities are handling siltation by putting in a rain guard.

“The government is moving in a whole new direction regarding storm water,” he said. “They’re asking more municipalities to not even put in curves. They’re asking businesses that have a parking lot to put in an area where the water can drip directly into the ground.”

Mandarano then emphasized the importance of not dumping anything such as paint, soap or antifreeze down storm water drains because they pollute water in the Chesapeake Bay.

“Try not to wash your car or pump your pool water into the drains of the street,” he said.

Mandarano also said the government wants to recharge water wells because groundwater treats and purifies storm water.

Brookside Road resident Barbara Cutler said her neighbor’s driveway has flooded for the past 23 years, adding that her animals and her brother passed away of heart disease because of mold.

“Who’s been protecting me? she asked.

Mandarano suggested Cutler contact the Lackawanna County Conservation District.

“If there’s any runoff during construction or if post-construction measures are not implemented, the Lackawanna County Conservation District can enforce it.”

Vlassis thanked Lamereaux and Mandarano for their little presentation. He suggested they come back on a specific evening to do a PowerPoint presentation to get into more details. The two agreed with Vlassis’ suggestion.

Sale has been held for 15 years with no problems

By Ben Freda

For Abington Journal

Reach the Abington Journal newsroom at 570-58-1148 or by email at news@s24528.p831.sites.pressdns.com.