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PLYMOUTH — Free parking will soon be a thing of the past along Main Street.
Council President Gary Kochinski announced at Tuesday’s monthly meeting that refurbished black-and-red parking meters have arrived and borough employees are preparing to install them.
“There are being calibrated, and we’ll announce when they are installed and functional,” said Kochinski. “There will be about a two-week grace period.”
Kochinski said the installation of the meters was just in time for the borough’s celebration of its sesquicentennial during the annual Kielbasa Festival and parade.
“We want to make it our biggest and best,” said Kochinski
In other business, a Turner Street resident told the council he didn’t feel safe in his home because of a dog that repeatedly appears on his porch and in his yard.
Police Chief Ryan Williams directed Hornick to call the state dog warden or the SPCA.
“If the dog was attacking someone, that would be different,” Williams said, saying problem animals are not a matter for the police.
“An officer didn’t even come to the house,” said Hornick. “My wife couldn’t go to work.”
Williams said a previous chief had been trained to handle animals, but no member of the department is currently trained.
“I’m going to ask council to move to send an officer for training,” said Hornick.
To which Williams replied, “I’m going to tell you right now, we don’t have the time or the manpower.”
Hornick said the owner of the dog had been cited by the game warden.
“Keep calling,” said Williams. “It’s on record, and he’ll get additional fines.”
In another matter, Councilman Gary Coughlin said the council was waiting to hear about a Local Share Account grant it had applied for at the end of the 2015.
Coughlin said he hoped grants would be announced at a July 1 state meeting.
“And I also hope that we will be a recipient of the grant,” he said.
If received, Coughlin said the grant would go to improvement of borough infrastructure.
The council also awarded a contract for the liquid fuels catch basin replacement and restoration to Ed Krasavage, the lowest bidder at $107,410.
Mike Amato, borough engineer, said the project included 21 new drains and six repairs.
In another matter, the council approved the transfer of $24,500 from its general fund to the liquid fuels account.
Kochinski said in 2013 after a liquid fuel account audit, the borough was given a verbal warning regarding noncompliance with advertising and bidding requirements.
In 2014, they were again found to be in noncompliance and were directed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to transfer the funds back into the liquid fuels account.
“This wasn’t done with the intent of doing anything wrong,” he said. “The council at that time did things little by little, and they were flagged for not putting things out for bid in their entirety.”
The council also accepted the resignation of Councilman Charles Lasinski and will be accepting applications for a replacement until July 8.