ASHLAND - The ABA Mummers Club got the approvals from Ashland Borough Council for the annual ABA parade Aug. 31 that will include the unveiling of a historical marker recognizing the Ashland Boys' Association.
The approvals were made during council's Wednesday meeting on the request from Adam J. Bernodin III of the club's Historical Marker Committee.
In September, the state Historical and Museum Commission approved a historical marker to recognize the ABA's historic significance to Ashland, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania and the United States. The plan is to place the marker at the base of the Mother's Memorial at Hoffman Boulevard and Chestnut Street.
Sponsored by the ABA and erected 75 years ago in 1938, the Mother's Memorial statue is a three-dimensional depiction of "Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1," usually identified as "Whistler's Mother," an 1871 oil-on-canvas painting by American-born painter James McNeill Whistler.
The ABA began following an informal get-together on Labor Day in 1899 by a group of men on a hillside north of Ashland. They had grown up in Ashland and attended the Market Street School. Enjoying the day, they decided that the gathering should become an annual event and that an organization should be formed. In doing so, they elected Harry S. Seam, Mount Carmel, as president, Frank Hoover, Shamokin, as vice president and Charles Barnhard, Ashland, as treasurer. They agreed to invite other Ashland natives to a similar gathering in 1900. The Labor Day weekend reunion led to thousands returning to Ashland, conducting the parade and holding huge outdoor picnics at Washington Park.
The approved requests for Aug. 31 were to hold the celebration parade and dedication ceremony, to temporarily close Centre Street for the parade, use of fire police for traffic control, parking restrictions where necessary and the use of the wastewater treatment plant site overnight from Aug. 30 to 31 by the Schuylkill Historical Fire Society for the parking of antique fire apparatus.
The borough council received a report on letters mailed to delinquent water customers from borough Manager Ray Jones. The first set of 25 letters that were sent to delinquent customers totaled $7,129, and informed them that attorney's fees would be imposed. A second group of 25 letters involved total delinquencies of $8,406.56.
Jones also reported that water shut-off notices totaling $49,976 were also mailed, though as of Friday, all of those accounts have water service.
"As of today, all have paid or have made payment agreements," Jones said. "We have some on double lines who choose to ignore these notices but they will go to the attorney and pay all kinds of additional fees."
Some properties in the borough have one main water line entering two or more homes, which means a delinquent account cannot be shut off at the curb since it would interrupt service for another customer who does pay the water bill.
In other business, the borough council:
- Approved amendments to the Streetscape budget to adjust for changes in expenses in various line items. Entech Engineering project manager Donald Cuff explained the changes would appropriate the funding where it needs to be. Jones said the amendments are paperwork adjustments not affecting payments for project work in the whole project.
Jones said the project will be completed when the line painting is done.
- Placed the future purchase of a new police vehicle with the General Government Committee.
