Plymouth plans to hire more part-time police officers

PLYMOUTH – Council President Frank Coughlin announced Tuesday night the borough will be hiring more part-time police officers.

Coughlin said the additional officers will help with the growing problems in the area, including the recent drive-by shootings.

The borough is awaiting clearances for the prospective officers.

Coughlin added residents can help do their part by attending meetings, such as the ones held by the Plymouth Citizens Action Committee, which meets on the first Tuesday of each month, and the Plymouth Crime Watch Committee, which will meet next Tuesday.

In reference to the recent crime problems, Councilman Bill Dixon stated that residents need to take care of their housekeeping and "keep their houses clean." Dixon said that when a house has no curtains and high grass it "invites a certain element."

Church Street resident Jim Thomas said the problems lie within the houses owned by absentee landlords. Thomas said these houses, which usually have broken down banisters, uncut weeds and are a general "mess," will keep decent people from renting them.

Thomas said there are several houses on Church Street that have been in this condition for the past five years, and that "something has to be done with the landlords (in order) to correct their property."

In other matters:

• The borough has received a $38,666 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be used to buy two new police vehicles. Because the grant will cover 55 percent of the cost, it is like "buying one and getting one free," said Coughlin. The only other municipality in the area to receive this particular grant is Nanticoke.

• The landlord/tenant agreement, which was to be voted on during the meeting, will be postponed until the Sept. 11 meeting. The postponement is due to the ordinance not having sufficient time to be advertised.

• Council has approved the motion for the borough to join the West Side Council of Government. Frank Coughlin will be the voting representative for the borough, and Stan Stibek will be the alternate representative member.