Borough council approves advertising ticketing ordinance
LEWISTOWN -- The Lewistown Borough Council approved advertising an updated ticketing ordinance to improve code enforcement, in addition to other business, on Monday.
Borough Solicitor Mark Remy explained that the updated ordinance reduces the time the borough must spend enforcing codes such as snow removal, high grass, rubbish collection, and similar violations.
Remy shared that the updated ordinance lessens the financial burden on the individual receiving the violation notice.
Codes Enforcement Officer Katelyn Rauch stated that an individual would receive a warning offering about five days to correct the code violation, then a courtesy notice ticket for $25 with a five-day period for payment/correction of the issue, then an increase to a $50 ticket with another waiting period, and ending with an increase to a $75 ticket.
Rauch said that if the violation is not paid by the third time, it becomes a citation to be handled by a magisterial district judge.
Council members, in the absence of council Vice President Robert Barlett and councilwoman Lisa Knudson, approved advertising the updated ordinance by a 5-0 voice vote.
During this ordinance discussion, council members also discussed an updated yard sale ordinance in response to complaints about long-standing yard sales in the borough.
Discussion on the ordinance was tabled for a future meeting.
Also during the meeting, council approved a USG quote for digester work in the amount of $271,851.
Borough Manager Julie Brooks explained that the borough will use grant funding to pay for the work.
"This will allow the wastewater treatment plant to fill the empty digester at the same time emptying two others into it and transferring it in a timely manner," Brooks said.
She added that the cost of the digester work includes cleaning the digester, in addition to removing the sludge accumulated in the drying beds.
Further information regarding the council meeting will be available in a future edition of The Sentinel.