SHENANDOAH - Complaints about a variety of problems along the east side of North Main street were raised during the Shenandoah Borough Council meeting on Monday, leading to a meeting scheduled to discuss the problems and correct them.
During recent borough council meetings, residents and business owners have complained about loitering issues on Main Street that has pedestrians concerned about their safety.
"There is an ongoing situation with the adjacent properties to our building at 19 N. Main St.," said Julian Milewski, a Republican-Herald employee. "I have addressed the borough manager (Joseph L. Palubinsky) several times and he was unable to get anywhere.
The bottom line is that you don't need another vacant building on Main Street in Shenandoah, and if things aren't addressed, that's probably going to happen. I hope we can work some things out."
Milewski presented several copies of a letter addressing specific problems to the council, with copies of photos showing the issues attached to the letter, including the shooting out of a security light to the rear of the building, damage to a fiberglass rain cover due to water runoff from an adjoining building and tenants placing filled garbage backs on a second floor adjoining roof.
The letter also cited improperly secured glass windows, rodent problems, water drainage onto The Republican-Herald property that is damaging the parking lot and concerns about safety to employees due to illegal activity in front of the building.
"My question to you is when exactly are you going to do something about correcting these ongoing problems?" Milewski wrote in the letter. "My employer is concerned for the health, safety and security of our employees at that location."
Also addressing the council was Thomas Twardzik, Shenandoah Heights, the owner of 25-27 N. Main St.
"As Mr. Milewski said, conditions uptown are deplorable. The vagrancy and loitering is a detriment and I would love the opportunity, if you are going to hold a meeting, to talk about actions that can be taken," Twardzik said. "I would love to participate with you on that and I offer my support."
Council President Leo Pietkiewicz said, "We will be setting something up."