DALTON — At the Aug. 9 borough council meeting, Church Street resident Mary Sujkowski complained about a large amount of feral cats in her neighborhood. She said her neighbor puts out cat food for them, which results in the cats hanging around under her deck.

“I counted 35 (cats) the other day,” she said.

Sujkowski said the presence of cats in the area is causing skunks to also live under her deck.

“I paid $600 to have the skunks removed,” she said.

Sujkowski read aloud an amendment in the city code, which no longer allows the feeding of wild animals on public or private property.

“A 2008 amendment includes all animals, including and not limited to, that are typically domesticated cannot be fed,” she said. “I think we have to do something with the winter coming.”

Council president Gus Vlassis asked Solicitor Frank Bolock to look into the possibility of an ordinance to which Bolock said he would.

In other business …

• Vlassis said he received a call from IT specialist Kim Walker about how to obtain a cell tower, which was planned during July’s meeting.

“I told her (Walker) that she has to petition the zoning officer,” he said. “And he will turn her down because it’s not zoned for the town, and then she can file an appeal, and that’s where the zoning committee comes in.”

• In his solicitor’s report, Bolock mentioned Lackawanna Trail School District approved an agreement, authorizing a school resource officer to patrol the elementary school and the high school.

• Bolock also reported the Novak property’s demolition contract, which was awarded to Matt Williams, is underway.

• Vlassis reported that Dalton resident Martin Fotta, who moved to the borough a few months ago, joined the Dalton Fire Company.

“He’s (Fotta) already writing a grant for the fire company for a new roof,” said Vlassis. “He has a lot of experience in grantsmanship.

Vlassis said Fotta volunteered to serve on Dalton’s zoning appeals committee and that Fotta’s family, which is from Moscow, has been involved in government and politics with that borough’s fire company.

The board voted to appoint Fotta as member of the zoning appeals committee. Vlassis said he’s also going to appoint Fotta in the grants committee because of his experience.

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By Ben Freda

For Abington Journal

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