Lansford to take count of reserved parking spaces

Lansford Borough Council plans to find out exactly how many reserved parking spaces for the handicapped there are in town and where they are.

Council president Bob Gaughan proposed the project at a public meeting Wednesday.

"We need to see if we are overloading a particular block or street," he said.

He asked if council would consider mapping the spaces, perhaps using the help of high school students who need to fulfill their community service requirements for graduation.

"We are getting a little overloaded," said Councilman Tom Vadyak.

It was not known late Wednesday how many of the reserved spaces there are in the borough.

In other matters, Councilman Ron Hood praised members of the Welsh Congregational Church for their quick action after an Aug. 31 fire.

The 159-year-old church, in the 200 block of West Abbott Street, is the oldest in the borough. The fire broke out at about 5 a.m.; there were no injuries.

Hood thanked the congregants for quickly securing the church and fixing the roof.

"I think they should get a pat on the back for stepping up and doing things the right way," he said.

Also on Wednesday, council:

- Granted approval for an Oct. 10 prayer service to be held in Kennedy Park by St. Katherine Drexel Church;

- Approved a 2010 minimum municipal obligation for the police pension plan in the amount of $100,304.29 - and increase of $32,405 for the 2010 budget;

- Referred a request by a borough resident to reconsider an recent ordinance that bars use of any open burners, including chimineas, to the Public Safety Committee;

- Accepted a request by Jesse Hiles to resolve a longtime problem with storm water runoff damaging the Sports Zoo at 340 W. Snyder Ave;

- Accepted a letter from Vadyak concerning a 2006 council action concerning the Lansford-Coaldale Joint water Authority. Vadyak contends the action violated the state's "lame duck" law because council appointed members of the authority at the end of their terms in office in December instead of waiting until a new council was seated in January.