Summit Hill to regulate dumpsters

Prolonged parking of dumpsters on streets in Summit Hill has prompted the town’s borough council to begin regulating them.

The council on Monday agreed to advertise an ordinance which would require that a permit be obtained for using dumpsters.

Under the proposed ordinance, the permits would be valid for 30 days and vary from $30 to $50, depending on the size of the dumpsters.

They would have to be removed during periods of street cleaning or during snowstorms.

The topic came up last month at a council meeting when Chief of Police Joseph Fittos said some dumpsters have been located on borough streets for months. He suggested the ordinance.

Attorney Michael Greek, the borough’s solicitor, told the council he is proposing an ordinance similar to one in Lansford. He is also the solicitor for Lansford.

At last month’s meeting, Fittos suggested that all dumpsters also have identification on them. The ordinance doesn’t call for ownership identification, but does require they have safety reflectors on each side and be properly illuminated.

The council last month said the regulations would also pertain to storage units which might be placed on the streets, but the proposed ordinance only addresses the “bulk refuse container.”

Violation of the ordinance can result in a fine up to $600, the proposed ordinance says.

The council expects to adopt the ordinance at its meeting on May 21.

In other business

• The council approved Sgt. Jeffrey Ohl to attend Tactical Narcotics Debriefing Training from May 30 to June 1. There is no cost for the training and no overtime will be expended.

• A request was heard from Charles Durning to hold professional wrestling shows in the Hilltop Community Center. Durning said precautions would be taken so the floors of the center aren’t damaged by the rings.

He said bouts are held at the Sokol Club in Palmerton and he would like to see similar events held in Summit Hill.

The council said if approved, they would be subject to the rental fee that the borough charges for the community center.

Councilman Bill Chapman said, “We can’t have an answer tonight. We must talk about it.”

• Bill Searfoss was reappointed to the borough’s zoning hearing board.

• Megan Nocek was appointed to the Summit Hill Recreation Commission, with her term expiring December 2019.

• Councilman William O’Gurek questioned the status of the street sweeper. A schedule had been announced for sweeping borough streets, but then the sweeper broke down.

Kira Steber, the borough’s secretary-treasurer, said the sweeper is still inoperable. She said repairs were attempted but haven’t been successful.

She said a repairman will be checking it out, and if it isn’t fixed soon, the borough will look into using Lansford’s sweeper.

Steber said the only streets swept so far were Ludlow Street and the north sides of White and Hazard streets.

Efforts will be made to have the sweeping done before Memorial Day weekend.

• Chapman asked if pothole repairs will be made.

Steber said the borough’s workforce has been filling the potholes and continues to work on that project.

He urged that anyone knowing of potholes should contact the borough office.

• Only one bid was received for a used police cruiser.

The 2007 Ford Crown Victoria was sold to Family Motors of Lehighton at the bid price of $306.

• The council agreed to purchase new flags for Ludlow Park and the borough hall.

• Steber issued a reminder that the annual cleanup dates for the borough are May 5 for the East Side and May 12 for the West Side. A boroughwide recycling (for both the east and west sides) will occur on May 5.

• Councilman David Wargo suggested the borough look into adding an impound lot for the police department. He suggested it could be a source of revenue for the borough and provide storage space for the police department.

Fittos said although he likes the suggestion, he asked, “Where would you put it?”

He said it would have to be secured properly.

Wargo said, “It’s just something to think about.”

• In his monthly report for March, Fittos said the police department issued 35 traffic citations and eight nontraffic citations. Thirty-one warnings were given.

There were three criminal complaints filed in district court during the month.

The police department serviced 394 complaints.

There were 14 assist calls to other police agencies in March.