Jun 26, 2002 By Steve Ostrosky 4 min read

MASONTOWN – Borough council Tuesday denied a zoning permit for a concession trailer that two people would use to feed Duke Energy workers assembling the new power station, though the issue may be revisited. According to council president Carole Daniels, Sean and Kathy Arnold of New Orleans would like to install a concession trailer on property on South Main Street near the intersection with Fairview Avenue, to prepare breakfasts and lunches for Duke Energy workers.

Daniels said Sean Arnold is a Duke Energy employee who travels to each new Duke site and has also offered meals from the trailer at other power station construction areas. She said the couple would like to be in operation July 5 and have met all the necessary requirements for operation.

“These people want to bring a business to the borough, and we should be happy for them,” she said.

Others on council weren’t as convinced.

Councilman Joe Volansky asked if water and sewage taps were already present and, if they were not on the premises, if the couple was planning on paying the fees to have them installed. Parking was also a concern to him, saying that area of the borough is already traveled enough and extra cars in the area could be a big problem.

“Should we look at a traffic study? Do we want more people pulling in and out down there?” he asked.

Volansky and others expressed concern about the possible negative effect the trailer could have on restaurants in the borough, which Volansky said are suffering already and could benefit from the additional customers coming in from Duke Energy. He said the Arnolds could come in for a year as is planned, but by then, the restaurants that were in place before them could be closed, leaving little left in an already struggling business community.

Mayor Walter Scarton agreed, saying the few restaurant owners he has spoken with admitted they are struggling, and he said approving the trailer could mean a death sentence to those businesses. He said Masontown needs more retailers, not more restaurants.

Because Arnold is a Duke employee and is operating the trailer outside of his company work, Scarton said Arnold would be directly competing with the borough’s restaurants.

“If it was Duke Energy, I would open the door for them,” he said. “If it is someone else, I’ll close the door.”

Later in the meeting, a motion to approve the zoning permit failed, with only Daniels and Sheilah McGalla voting in favor of it. Councilman Frank McLaughlin was absent Tuesday.

Council did vote to invite the Arnolds to attend the next regular meeting, July 9, to discuss some of the issues with council before another vote could be taken.

Volansky said the process works in all zoning matters: The county’s zoning officer reviews the site and then the borough’s zoning officer looks at the site before council discusses whether to approve the permit. In this case, the borough has not had adequate time to review the plans, he said.

“I want them to explain what their business is about, what the hours are and to discuss the parking and sewage problems,” he said. “Plus, I want to give the zoning officer time to do his job.

Councilman Tom Loukota concurred.

“The process was short-circuited, and that’s where the problem lies,” he said.

In other business, council voted to advertise for water line replacements on Westwood Avenue from Redwood Street to First Street, on High Street from Washington Street to Ross Street, on Blaney Street from East Church Street to the street’s end, and on East Church Street from Willow to City View Dairy.

Daniels also reported that the borough received a $28,000 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to be used at the Redwood Street and Jefferson Avenue mini-parks. She said the money will be used for resurfacing and for new playground equipment at both sites.

Finally, Daniels noted that plans for the borough’s Fourth of July celebration in German-Masontown Park are moving along and that the event could be the biggest the borough has ever had. More than 20 booths are planned, along with various vendors, games for children and adults, arts and crafts vendors, and more, she said. The event will be capped with a fireworks display at 9:30 p.m.

“The donations have been tremendous and everyone has been very cooperative,” she said. “It’s going to be a wonderful affair.”