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South Abington Township Supervisors consider safety of parking on SR 307 by Hillside Park

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<p>CLARKS SUMMIT &#8212; The prospect of eliminating parking meter enforcement on Saturdays in the borough was a topic of conversation during the May 4 Clarks Summit council meeting.</p><p>&#8220;During our last work session, members of the Abington Business and Professional Association (ABPA) expressed their concerns (regarding parking tickets) and asked if the borough could give warnings or eliminate Saturday enforcement for the businesses,&#8221; Councilman Herman Johnson said. &#8220;I would like to make an amendment to our parking ordinance to eliminate just Saturday enforcement. It would probably help the business people and I don&#8217;t think it would be a problem.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re trying to get council, our meter enforcement officers, business people and residents on the same page so we have a good parking program.&#8221;</p><p>Members of council voted, 5-2, to authorize solicitor Dan Mulhern to make an amendment to the ordinance eliminating Saturday enforcement.</p><p>Councilmen Vince Cruciani and Bob Bennett voted no.</p><p>Mayor Patty Lawler stated there has been a significant spike in collections after a part-time <a href="http://theabingtonjournal.com/news/19517/clarks-summit-borough-council-members-approve-hiring-of-part-time-parking-enforcement-officer" target="_blank">parking meter enforcement officer</a> was hired in March.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re really gaining on the money we&#8217;re making on meter collections,&#8221; Lawler said. &#8220;Last month, just in meter collections, we brought in $2,614. The total had been running around $2,000 since the beginning of the year.&#8221;</p><p>Also, members of council voted, 4-3, to sign a resolution opposing House Bill 340 of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.</p><p>Cruciani, Bennett and Jenkins voted no.</p><p>If the bill passes, the borough would be mandated to retain the recording of each executive session for one year.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a vote against transparency,&#8221; Cruciani said. &#8220;The (recordings) protect us in a lawsuit and unless there is a lawsuit that compels us to (release the information), it&#8217;s not going to be public.&#8221;</p><p>In other business:</p><p>&#8226; Council voted to allow the borough of Clarks Summit to apply for a Community Re-Invest grant through Lackawanna County to enhance the Clarks Summit Veterans Park, home of the Abington Area Veterans Monument. Renovation plans would include a gazebo, lights and bollards to stop cars.</p><p>&#8226; Members of council approved a CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) Cooperative Agreement with Lackawanna County for the borough&#8217;s Depot Street Project which will include street paving, additional parking spaces and new lights and sidewalks.</p><p>&#8226; Borough Council President Gerrie Carey announced four prospective clients were interviewed for the borough&#8217;s treasurer position.</p><p>Melissa Jones, who has served in the position since April 2012 is resigning, effective June 30.</p><p>&#8220;We will miss her terribly,&#8221; Borough Manager Virginia Kehoe said.</p><p>&#8226; Sickler&#8217;s Bike &amp; Sport Shop donated a bike to the Clarks Summit Police Department to patrol the borough and members of council passed a motion to allocate $900 to the police department for the outfitting of the bike.</p><p>&#8226; Members of council approved a motion to activate the Department of Public Works assistant foreman position, effective until Dec. 31.</p><p>&#8226; According to Lawler, Clarks Summit has been named a Tree City USA community by the Arbor Day Foundation.</p><p>The award recognizes Clarks Summit as an effective urban forest management borough and an area that is very cognizant that trees are important to the infrastructure of the community.</p><p>&#8226; Members of council issued a proclamation to Ralph Marasco to recognize his 60 years as a barber shop owner, including 52 years in Clarks Summit</p><p>&#8226; Members of council recognized police officer Eric Williams for his initiative in bringing the Prescription Drug Take-Back program to the borough.</p><p>&#8226; Members of council recognized junior councilman Christian Orlando for his service to the borough.</p><p>Clarks Summit Borough Council will hold a work session at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 31 at the borough building, 304 S. State St.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Clarks Summit Junior Councilman Christian Orlando was recognized for his service during the borough&#8217;s May 4 meeting. From left, Clarks Summit Borough President Gerrie Carey, Orlando and Clarks Summit Borough Vice President Herman Johnson. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_ABJ-CS-Council.jpg</photo0><caption0>Clarks Summit Junior Councilman Christian Orlando was recognized for his service during the borough&#8217;s May 4 meeting. From left, Clarks Summit Borough President Gerrie Carey, Orlando and Clarks Summit Borough Vice President Herman Johnson. </caption0><photoCredit0>Robert Tomkavage | Abington Journal </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_ABJ-CS-Council-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Clarks Summit police officer Eric Williams was recognized by members of council for his initiative in bringing the Prescription Drug Take-Back program to the borough during the May 4 meeting. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_ABJ-CS-Council-2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Clarks Summit police officer Eric Williams was recognized by members of council for his initiative in bringing the Prescription Drug Take-Back program to the borough during the May 4 meeting. </caption1><photoCredit1>Robert Tomkavage | Abington Journal </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_ABJ-CS-Council-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Members of council issued a proclamation to Ralph Marasco to recognize his 60 years as a barber shop owner, including 52 years in the Borough of Clarks Summit during the May 4 meeting. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_ABJ-CS-Council-3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Members of council issued a proclamation to Ralph Marasco to recognize his 60 years as a barber shop owner, including 52 years in the Borough of Clarks Summit during the May 4 meeting. </caption2><photoCredit2>Robert Tomkavage | Abington Journal </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Robert Tomkavage</p><p>rtomkavage@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Robert Tomkavage at 570-704-3941 or on Twitter @rtomkavage.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Clarks Summit Borough Council members discuss parking meter enforcement during May meeting