Hop Bottom hermit hospitalized

BY PAT FARNELLI

A property frequently listed on the Hop Bottom Borough Council’s agenda may soon have its issues resolved, according to several borough officials who attended a regular meeting Tuesday.

Resident Hal Akoa, who shares a small camper near the old creamery with a number of animals, became extremely ill recently, and borough council member Ron Barankovitch, Mayor Paul Henry, and borough police chief Ron Cosklo intervened at Akoa’s request.

Akoa had called an ambulance, and Henry and Barankovitch were asked to come to the camper to help Akoa leave for the hospital. When they arrived, the ambulance had already taken Akoa to a hospital inWilkes-Barre, where he was treated for gangrene in both legs, Henry said.

Chief Cosklo had assisted Akoa in exiting from his trailer into the ambulance, according to his March police report.

He (Akoa) was transferred toMercyHospital’s extended care facility today,” Barankovitch said.  It was expected that  he would remain in the facility for at least 30 days.

Four dog complaints concerning the Akoa property were called in to the borough police office, but they were all deemed unsubstantiated, the mayor said.

Akoa had properly fed and watered the four remaining dogs until he became very ill, and then arranged for their care with others, Henry said. The four dogs were taken away on Apr. 3. Numerous cats still remain on the property, presumably to keep rodents under control, and are being fed and watered.

Hop Bottom Borough Council has an open civil case against Akoa regarding the condition of the property and the large rats that previously roamed in the general area of the camper.

Barankovitch said that the camper was partitioned so that two-thirds of the space was allocated to Akoa’s dogs, and one third for himself. The dogs were not dangerous, and were well cared for, he said. Two items, a computer and a guitar, were locked in a car trunk so that they would not be stolen.

“He cared more for his dogs than he did for himself,” Henry said. “He didn’t even have a bed.”

Channel 16 News did a segment on the property about a week before the council meeting, it was said.

The Susquehanna County Humane Society, Lackawanna County Humane Society, Susquehanna County Area Agency on Aging, and the PA Department of Health had all been consulted concerning the Akoa situation, council members said.

The council hopes to clean up the property and may put a lien on it, it was said. Akoa has been making regular $15 payments toward his fines, borough secretary Deb Norton noted.

In other business, the council decided to buy about 300 feet of pipe for fence posts for the park, to speed up the fencing process. The gap in the fence should be closed up as soon as possible. About six quotes have been received for rubber mulch for the play areas for the park.

It will cost between $700 and $1,000 to install electrical service in the borough garage, where the police car and other equipment are currently stored. The council approved making a service request to the electric company.

A number of stop signs and street signs will need to be replaced or fixed.

Council member Janice Webster said that FEMA representatives were checking the sediment basin at her property earlier that day. She said that FEMA is requesting photos of the completed sediment basin before the Hurricane Irene/Tropical Storm Lee flooding.

FEMA is estimating $1,500 for grading and $4,000 for fencing for the sediment basin project, Webster said. She said that FEMA funds should cover 75 percent of the repair project.

The culvert project is waiting on a borough maintenance worker, who has been catching up on last year’s work on the culvert. The council wants to get fabric and herbicide sprays for the invasive bamboo there.

The borough was notified by Phil Gable of the Pennsylvania State Bicycling Association that the bicyclists will be passing through Hop Bottom on Route 11 on June 9 during their annual ride.

Hop Bottom Borough Council meets the first Tuesday of the month at the municipal building onForrest St.at7 p.m.