Judge rules in Hop Bottom’s favor

BY PAT FARNELLI

Hop Bottom Borough took their grievances against resident Hal Akoa to the county courthouse in Montrose on July 22, after several years of attempts to get the property owner to clean up his camper and the surrounding area. T

he borough was represented by solicitor Marion O’Malley.

At the August meeting for the borough council, the judge’s order was read aloud. The order  read, in part: “We find the respondent in willful violation of borough ordinances.”

The order cited a burned out camper and debris,  which are allegedly harboring rats.

Akoa was ordered to remove the burned camper and debris within 30 days, and to pay court fees and fines.

Councilman Ron Barankovitch said that Akoa’s physical condition has made it difficult for him to correct the situation previously.

“He may not be healthy enough to do the job by himself,” Barankovitch said.

He suggested asking Akoa if he was willing to comply with the court order, and if he would accept help in cutting up and hauling off what was left of the burned camper.

Akoa lives in another nearby camper with seven dogs and several cats. There is a nearby lodge that is conducting a scrap metal drive that may be willing to remove the trailer frame.

The borough council meeting, held on Tuesday, Aug. 2, proceeded slowly at first, as there was not a quorum. Janice Webster had called and let the council know she would be arriving late, and was on her way, so the correspondence, police report, and treasurer’s report were read in the interim.

The borough council has had difficulty filling seats and keeping council members. They have been considering having fewer council members, as there are vacant seats that never seem to be filled, and it is permissible to have a council with only five members.

The borough hall needs a new roof, and Michael Ainey has been hired to do the job. He has several other projects underway, including the roof at theLutheranChurch’s preschool, which he hopes to complete before school starts.

For the borough building remodeling job, one grant has been received. The council has agreed to wait until February for the second grant to come in before beginning renovations. They are waiting on a building permit.

The park committee report included updates on signs ordered, which are held up until the sign maker’s paint booth is back in working order; basketball court repairs; and fences and gates. The basketball court has new hoops and nets, but someone pulled down one of the nets with a potato fork, leaving behind both the farming implement and the net itself. Barankovitch said that he put the net back up, and left the potato hook near the entrance, in case its owner wanted to claim it, then took it home after some time passed.

The park grounds have been treated to control weeds, and mulch is being added. The estimate from Pierce Fence for labor to install the fence is $250.

He said that a good deal of brush and vines are intertwined with the old fencing, and the brush needs to be taken out of the fence before it can be taken down and replaced.

He said that the new chain link fencing and posts are ready to put up. The park itself is mowed, weeded, and presentable.
Mayor Paul Henry said, when it was time to update on the Sign Committee, “I don’t know why we have so many stop signs made- no one reads them.”

Secretary Deborah Norton mentioned that very recently, the mayor was nearly hit by a car when its driver ignored a stop sign, and she happened to witness the incident.

The police report showed a more active than usual month for July. There were 13 traffic citations issued, two suspended/revoked license citations two unregistered vehicles, two arrest warrants, three cases of eluding police and fleeing, five calls to assist other agencies, one federal background check, and three district court hearings.

The culverts need to be repaired and cleaned up before an inspection. Some cleanup has already occurred, but the bottom grate is clogged. T

he U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection apparently alternate years doing the inspections.

The paved streets need holes cut and patched, in the same way it was done last year. The bottom ofProspect St.is particularly in need of repair, and the whole street is in rough shape.

The correspondence part of the meeting included information on the COG meeting agenda and minutes for July 18.

A letter was received from Berkheimer, saying that an audit for the borough was completed on their end, as well as the EIT report, and everything seemed to be in order.  list of seminars coming up in August and September was read.

A letter was read stating that President Obama had declared a disaster for parts of the region for Apr. 25-28, and the council agreed, there was no damage reported in Hop Bottom.

There was a report of garbage piling up on the Durbin/Miles property, and the council agreed to ask the COG if they could do an inspection.

The Hop Bottom Borough Council meets on the first Tuesday of the month at7 p.m.at the borough hall onForest Street.