ORWIGSBURG - The proposed dog park was again addressed during the council's latest meeting Wednesday along with other routine matters.
Dog park committee member Lisa Lickman asked for an answer regarding Councilman Buddy Touchinsky's question about the validly of a vote April 3 that denied the final plan for the dog park.
Since the council voted to approve the location of the dog park on Long Avenue in November 2012 pending the final plan approval, Touchinsky asked if the council must provide a reason for not approving the final plan.
Borough solicitor Frank Tamulonis said council was "under no requirement" to give a reason as to why members voted against the plan. Touchinsky then asked if "the preliminary approval pending final plan approval does not constitute a contract between the borough and the dog park committee to go ahead with the actual dog park?"
"No," Tamulonis said.
Lickman asked if she could submit a revised plan and Touchinsky said he didn't see a reason why she couldn't.
He then said some members had expressed concern over liability issues and she would have to speak to them to about their concerns.
In response to a question from the public, council President Michele Rudloff said there is nothing preventing residents from walking their dogs in a park but the dogs must be leashed. Borough Manager Mike Longergan said dogs are not permitted at Walborn Community Playground.
Lickman said dogs would be off leash in the proposed dog park.
Councilman Paul Bedway Jr. said he wants the dog park committee to get its own insurance policy to resolve any liability issues. Tamulonis has said previously that a municipality is only liable for animals it owns.
The dog park would be under the borough's insurance policy and pay for the coverage. The insurance carrier for the borough previously gave a quote of $1,000 per year.
"My suggestion to them would be to take it before the (Schuylkill County) commissioners to see if there is a place in the county," Councilman Steven Zimmerman said.
Lickman said she will speak to the Orwigsburg Business and Professional Association and others involved with the dog park to see what the next step will be.
"I think it's unfortunate that the council of Orwigsburg is being so short-sighted, not looking toward the future," she said of those who have voted "no."
In other news, the council voted unanimously to authorize Lonergan to seek proposals for the South Wayne Street improvement project that consists of installing a 24-inch pipe from the inlet at South Warren Street to an inlet on South Liberty Street. The project has a reimbursement of 50 percent of the final cost from HJJT Family Partnership and the cost to the borough will not exceed $40,000.
The HJJT Family Partnership consists of members of the Boyer family.
The council previously approved three waiver requests for a 4,800-square-foot building across the street from the current Boyer's Food Market on Liberty Street.
On Wednesday, the council approved additional waiver requests along with the land development plan pending comments by an engineering firm and authorized Lonergan to sign the plan once those comments are addressed.
