Fairchance Council removes animal cruelty signs
The Fairchance Borough Council unanimously voted to remove two signs warning visitors of prosecution for animal cruelty from the community park last week despite borough residents who spearheaded the effort to have the signs erected being upset with the action. Councilman Neal Christopher, also a member of the playground committee, said the council removed the signs after the last regular council meeting because the residents did not follow procedure and seek approval from the council to have the signs installed in June.
“I’m not against what they are trying to do, but people need to come before the council because there are procedures that have to be followed,” said Christopher. “No one ever came to the council.
“My solution is black and white. It comes down to policy and procedures,” he added. “We are all for people getting involved in our community, but it has to come from a council decision.”
Christopher said Council President Herb Myers granted permission to install the signs, unaware of the signs’ 4-foot-by-8-foot size. Myers has since admitted he made a mistake, Christopher said.
Both signs were installed in June by humane police officer with Noah’s Ark of Fayette County Robin Moore with the intentions to curb any criminal activity in the park through making people aware that a 24-hour pet watch was in operation.
“We have policy and procedures,” said Christopher. “(Council President Herb Myers) had given them the OK when he needed to wait until the issue was brought before a quorum of the council. He admitted he made a mistake.”
Christopher said the playground and recreation committee was created to handle efforts such as these.
“I’m not arguing what they are doing, but how they went about it,” Christopher said.
Christopher said the signs will be returned to Noah’s Ark and are going to be replaced with reworded signs that will include a number for people to call to report any misdeeds.
Councilman Harry Swaney agreed that the intent of the signs was a good idea.
“We can’t have people put signs up in the borough wherever they want,” said Swaney. “They need to ask permission of council to put up signs first.”
Councilman Ray Eicher is opting for smaller signs that still get the message across to not harm the ducks. He said the park is a lot better looking without the signs, noting he has received more comments that the park looks better without the signs than with them.
“The signs are the first thing that slap you in the face,” Eicher said. “You think it’s a terrible place.
“We need to get the message out, but in a little less obvious way,” he added.
Eicher said he thinks the parents have gotten the message to not allow any disruptive behavior to continue.
“There’s nothing going on as of late, no vandalism or lewd behavior,” he said, adding, “There’s no real issue right now. There are no ducks being injured as of late, but if there is, we’ll keep an eye on it.”
Fairchance Mayor Samuel Glisan said borough police have not arrested anyone for injuring or killing ducks in the park. He said the police force responded to only one report of a kid killing a duck since the alleged incidents have surfaced. In that incident, police and a fireman arrived at the park with a floodlight, but did not find anything suspicious, Glisan said.
“There are animals in there that kill the ducks,” Glisan said.
In recent weeks, borough police have responded to incidents in the park concerning kids or cars going into the area after dusk, but nothing about ducks being harmed.
“They go in and chase (the kids) out,” said Glisan of the police.
Swaney said he believes good kids live in the borough.
“I never saw any of our kids doing any harm (at the park),” Swaney said. Rather, he has heard of teenagers sneaking into the park at night and doing things they’re not supposed to be doing, but the incidents do not involve killing or harming the ducks, he said.
The council also recently voted to change the wording of a playground rule listed on a sign posted at the park. The wording included the words “fondling” and “genitals,” said Christopher.
The wording will be replaced by a phrase that still stresses the point of prohibiting lewd behavior in the park, but avoids what Christopher called “sick words.”
“It was too harsh for any age group,” he said.
The council also voted to amend the playground ordinance to include rules that prohibit depositing livestock, including ducks, at the park.