Story and photo by Rick Hiduk
(Also published in the Rocket-Courier)
(Due to the coinciding funeral services for the reporter’s father, this week’s coverage of the Laceyville Borough meeting is abbreviated but will be followed up with a more extensive report as soon as possible.)
What began as a congenial resignation by water company supervisor Keith Pennay (above) at Tuesday evening’s meeting of Laceyville Borough Council ended in a heated exchange. Pennay said that he felt that it was right for him to step down from the mostly unpaid position because he has not been able to put enough time into it. His resignation was accepted with regrets by board members who thanked him for his years of service to the community.
Then Pennay asked about a substantial amount of Act 13 funds that had been put into the borough’s water account in 2016 to serve as matching funds for grant applications. In 2017, he noted, approximately $7,000 of that was removed from the water fund for the purchase of a police car that now sits idle outside the borough offices because the council disbanded the police force at the beginning of the year.
Council member Henry Laborante explained that the purchase of the police cruiser was a response to an emergency situation whereas the police officer the borough then employed was patrolling the borough on foot. “God forbid, if he was involved in a shootout, we did not want him to have to run away, rather than driving away or having a vehicle to protect him.” Laborante added that the borough intends to bring back the police department as soon as it is economically feasible.
Pennay suggested that future Act 13 funds be placed in a dedicated account rather than depositing them where it seems best at the time and then moving them around. He was on council in 2016 and voted to put the money in the water account and was offended that the new council members moved it without understanding the reasons for it having been put there. The ensuing exchange between Pennay and council members did little to appease him, and he abruptly left the meeting without another word and sped out of the parking lot.
Laceyville Council was informed via a letter that its application for a Multi-Modal Transportation Funds grant to replace the Franklin Street bridge had been denied because requests for the money from across the state exceeded the available funds. Council president Randy Brigham said the borough will consult its engineers to see what other options may be available. In the meantime, Franklin Street will remain closed to through traffic.
The borough will soon be advertising for mowing bids, but current plans to purchase a mower will result in a lesser need for contractors this year. An outside mowing company will still be needed to clear around the borough’s two welcome signs on Route 6 once per month and the area around the borough offices known as Wiles Park every other week. The request for bids will be advertised.
The installation of a new phone system in the borough office is underway, but there are a number of bugs yet to be worked out. The new borough office number is 570-721-3179. The new fax number is 570-469-4101, but that may be temporary. The changes will eventually save the borough about $250 per month.