Vandalism, curfews discussed at Dawson meeting
DAWSON – Although crime in the borough is going down, police officer Roger Adams said he is still keeping a vigilant eye on vandalism. “I’ll be cracking down on kids throwing tomatoes, riding skateboards in the middle of the street and kids who are on the streets after curfew,” said the police officer.
Council President Patty Lint said several incidents of kids throwing tomato’s at houses and at a pizza shop on Railroad Street over the weekend were reported while councilwoman Phyllis Newell said kids are still ridding their skateboards in the streets.
Adams, in his monthly report, said one juvenile was cited for a disturbance for lying down in the middle of the street. He also said three violations regarding quads were reported. Adams reported that he witnessed three curfew violations at 1 a.m., however, he said the kids fled the area before he could catch them.
“If I catch them, their parents are going to be fined,” said Adams. “There are rules in this town and council wants them followed.”
Adams said one person was cited for disorderly conduct, while a second person was cited for disorderly conduct and harassment. A third person was cited for a nuisance violation for causing interference to television and telephone operations.
Adams said several council members, over the past couple of months, have complained about the interference that was coming from a hoisted CB antenna in one man’s yard.
Solicitor Richard Husband said although there are federal regulations that protect resident’s rights involving interference, the regulations are hard to uphold.
In other unrelated matters, Adams warned that residents who don’t keep the junk off their property would be fined. Adams, who also serves at the code enforcement officer, said several residents were cited earlier this year for that offense.
“We cited them before and we’ll cited them again,” said Adams. “I don’t know why they would want that junk to build up on their property again, but if they don’t clean it up they will be cited.”
Council talked about the vandals who struck the Dickerson Run portion of the Yough River Trail over the weekend and voiced their support for stepped-up state police patrols in the area. Twenty-one sections of split-rail fence were smashed, a 6-foot by 6-foot bulletin board was smashed and graffiti was scrawled throughout the area.
In other matters, council:
– Learned that they have five applications from residents to have decorative lamppost lights placed in front of their homes. Council agreed last month to purchase 10 new lights for the town. The applicants would be responsible for the lamppost electric bill.
– Agreed to send a letter to the North Fayette County Municipal Authority informing them that they have been paying for a fire hydrant in the borough for the past two years that doesn’t work. Councilman John Nudo said the non-working fire hydrant has cost the borough about $480 over the two-year period and feels that the water authority should reimburse the borough the money.
– Learned from Nudo that the Army Corps. of Engineers will soon begin work on Sarah’s Run, a creek on Route 819. Nudo said the Corps. is expected to reinforce the banks of a 150-foot section of the creek in addition to cleaning the creek.