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Johnsonburg Borough Council to toughen minor curfew laws |
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Tuesday, 09 June 2009 |
By Heidi Zemach
Special to The Ridgway Record
JOHNSONBURG – Responding to Police Chief Bryan Parana’s request that the department have more tools at their disposal to deal with minors creating mischief late at night, the Johnsonburg Borough Council passed a motion to amend and toughen the existing curfew ordinance at yesterday's meeting.
The tougher version ordinance proposed will be published in the newspaper at least seven days prior to the next regular council meeting, the first Monday of July, so that residents can respond. It may be officially approved at next month’s meeting.
The amended ordinance gives youngsters under the age of 18, picked up on the streets, or a public place or establishment, between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., three chances before they are fined up to $600 for breaking the curfew ordinance. They also may be imprisoned for up to 90 days upon failure to pay the fine. The first time they are picked up, the police will escort the minor home; the second time, the police also will talk with their parents or guardians; and the third time, they can be arrested, explained Elizabeth Feronti, the borough council solicitor. The new fine of $600 is what Ridgway’s ordinance currently allows, she said.
Currently, the Johnsonburg curfew ordinance, passed in December 1976, allowed the parent or guardian – and not the minor – to be fined not more than $100, the costs of prosecution, and if they didn’t pay, to be imprisoned in the county jail for up to 15 days. The ordinance, like before, would not apply to minors accompanied by their parents, or upon an errand or legitimate business directed by their parent or employer, provided that the person carries identification and written evidence of this errand.
The motion was made after some heated debate. Councilman Carmen Cannella said he believed that the proposed curfew changes could unfairly ruin a youngster’s future, for instance if the person applied for a government job later in life. But a chorus of others said it might save the young person from a worse future, by stopping their behavior early on in life. Parents used to be more responsible for their kid’s behavior, noted Councilman Lois Imbrogno.
In his report to council, Chief Parana said the police department had been extremely busy lately. In his May report of incidents police responded to, there were 62 offenses, including five assaults, five thefts, 13 criminal mischiefs, 12 involving family and children and 10 miscellaneous offenses. The department made 14 arrests.
Chriss Bullers, of 1st Avenue, appeared before the council to see what could be done about a hazardous property on 215 1st avenue, near her own property. She has seen children playing around the house and worries about the possibility of fire or an accident involving the children. The back porch is in especially bad condition, she said.
The property, which has been abandoned for at least a decade, was purchased for $1 by a local resident, who has since taken action to rid himself of it. Its ownership is now in legal limbo, and has been through an Elk County Sheriff’s sale — with no takers. After sitting there for another 2-3 months, it will undergo a second “continuance sale,” followed by another waiting period, and then a third “judicial sale,” said Councilman Duane Duffy. Then, it would go into a repository for another wait period.
Council said the property did not belong to the borough, so the borough couldn’t do much more than simply cut the lawn. The former property owner has sent a hazardous property letter back, undelivered. Harriet Stahli, the council chair, assured Bullers that they will contact the county about the issue, and that the solicitor would look into what could be done.
In other matters the council:
• Passed a motion to give a Penn Street owner until Sept. 30 to tear down a hazardous property.
• Give the solicitor the authority to give the owner of the Tassone Building 30 days to state his intentions on what he will do about its hazards.
• Send a letter to owner of vacant lot on Market Street on whether they would be willing to donate or sell it.
• Agreed to donate $500 to the Elk County Solid Waste Authority to help with rising recycling costs. Johnsonburg’s Green Container cost was $6,000 last year.
Harriet Stahli urged residents to remove their garage sale signs following their sales. Mayor David Zilkoski acknowledged residents for their patience during all of the recent road paving work, and said there’s more to come with the Route 219 Bypass.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 30 July 2009 )
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