SHENANDOAH - The quality of life ordinance adopted in September is being enforced, though there is still work to be done in addressing violations.
At Monday's borough council meeting, resident James Burke asked about the cleaning of snow and ice, junk being dumped and other violations.
"I've made a few complaints and they were taken care of but there was a problem with junk near Coal and Catherine streets, and the borough didn't haul the junk away. I hauled it away," Burke said. "When the borough hauls that stuff away, who pays for that?"
"That's why the code enforcement officer (John Boxer) was trying to get in touch with the property owner because that was the property owner's responsibility to remove that," Borough Manager Joseph L. Palubinsky said. "By you removing that, the borough is now going to have to pay for that, and it shouldn't have to."
The material was dropped by Burke at the borough garage.
"I had spoken to the owner and he was going to remove it," Boxer said. "You removed it without any permission."
"I called three times and it wasn't removed. So I removed it myself," Burke said.
"I understand your point and your frustration, but you can't have the law function at your speed," Councilman Robert Shortt said. "It will eventually work so we can take care of things expeditiously. It's not going to be overnight."
Referring to the Quality of Life ordinance, Shortt said Boxer issued 60 citations in January. Boxer said when he is called with a complaint, many times the problem is taken care of in short order.
"In this particular situation, we knew where that came from and who owned the property," Palubinsky said. "That's why we were making an attempt to have them clean it up at their own expense, not the borough."
"If you call, it may not get cleaned up that day or the next day, but it has to go through the procedures," Councilman Paul J. Holland said.
"I think what the borough should be more concerned about are the residences where the borough is not picking up the trash," Palubinsky said, explaining that those residents who do not use the borough collection of trash must tell the borough how household trash is being disposed of. He said that's where some of the problems with trash ending up on the sidewalks begin.
"It's a work in progress," said Palubinsky about the Quality of Life ordinance. "It's going take some time and it is evident that the amount of tickets John (Boxer) has issued so far shows what is being done."