LEWISTOWN - The Lewistown Borough Council will be holding a special meeting at the end of the month to vote on several new ordinances that were discussed Monday night.
Council made the motion for three ordinances to be advertised, with hopes of implementing said ordinances as soon as possible. The first ordinance, an amplified noise ordinance, addresses the noise complaints of the area. This ordinance prohibits "loud, annoying" noise, including loud music, coming from vehicles. Sound cannot be heard past a distance of 50 feet in order to comply with the ordinance. The civil penalty for violating the ordinance will be $50. Behavioral noise exceptions will be made, such as honking a car horn to prevent accident.
The second ordinance, in regard to curfew, will now state that anyone under the age of 18 will not be allowed out between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. throughout the borough. Parental accompaniment or being sent out on an errand by a parent, school activities and employment were all listed as justification for breaching the curfew. Though there was discussion as to whether the age should be changed from 18 to 17, the board made a motion for the ordinance to accept and advertise the ordinance as is.
The final new ordinance will effect the Market Square area and the recent improvements that have been implemented. This ordinance will will make the improvement area closed to the public between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., and will prohibit the public from standing and lying on new benches, smoking and consuming alcohol in the area. No smoking signs and public hours signs are to be posted as well.
The council also made a policy decision, turning over 9-1-1 addressing and the new addressing that is to take place, over to the county. The county presented the board with new areas that they recommended receive address changes for emergency service purposes.
In the past, the borough council has retained the responsibility of changing addresses and sending appropriate notifications to area residents. However, with new addresses being implemented as well as the necessity to name alleys, new signs will also have to be made and posted, costing the borough money.
The board also recognized that changing addresses is not a popular nor easy task. The board voted in favor five to two of turning this responsibility over to the county, with Larry Searer and John Adams in opposition of the decision.
A non-smoking ordinance will also be going into effect throughout Lewistown. This ordinance will prohibit smoking in municipal playgrounds, parks and recreational areas within the borough, including areas Victory Park and the Rec Park Community Center. This ordinance was adopted with a vote of 5-2, with John Adams and Larry Searer in opposition.
Finally, the borough made a motion to accept the job description of borough manager as it had been advertised. The job description states that a new manager must become a resident of Mifflin County, and remain a resident during their term, within one year of accepting the title. The borough manager must also live within six miles of Monument Square, and may not be consistently absent from the area at any time.
The term will be served at the will of the council, and includes a specific list of duties and powers. The board voted in favor of the job description 5-2, with Adams and Searer again in opposition.
"I think you should be a resident of the borough," Adams said.
In other business:
* Council made a motion to approve the Evangel Baptist Church development plan. The church, located at 375 W. Fifth Street, will be adding a building where a parking lot is currently located. The church has already placed its financial security deposit.
* A motion to begin a 90-day trial resolution to prohibit parking in the area located from the end of the Lewistown Borough building to the railroad tracks, per the request of Searer.
* A hearing of issues regarding theft and damage to property belonging to Bill Wilson. Police Chief William Herkert assured Wilson and meeting attendees that the issue will be looked into further, and that every case is filed and followed through to the best ability of the department.
The council will hold a special meeting at 5 p.m. June 25.
