Walnutport will not allow hunting on borough-owned properties

As of July 1, there will be no hunting allowed on any borough-owned properties in Walnutport.

On a 6-0 vote, with Councilwoman Joan Rehrig absent, borough council agreed to have the Walnutport Authority and borough street department post all of the properties. The measure approved by council will affect any borough-owned property, specifically in Lehigh Township.

Council revisited setting the limit, as the office was starting to get applications for the 2018-19 hunting season, and the current hunting permits expire June 30.

Dennis Green, of the Walnutport Authority, discussed the matter with council. The Walnutport Authority leases some of the land the borough owns. They are the reservoirs where the town water come from.

However, the borough does not own or operate the water/sewer. That is Walnutport Authority.

“You should know who’s there at all times,” Green said.

Councilwoman Patrice Hunsicker said she believed there should be a limit because of liability.

“I was just concerned because I saw a lot of applications coming in,” Hunsicker said.

The borough has received several complaints about hunting on several borough-owned properties from people afraid the bullets will reach their houses.

“It only takes one (incident),” Green said. “God forbid if it would be one of our employees.”