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Dawson council hears rattlesnake report

By Jackie Beranek 4 min read

DAWSON – Residents living along Railroad Street in the vicinity of the fairgrounds might want to keep an eye on their children. Councilwoman Claudia Hiles reported that a borough resident saw a rattlesnake in that area.

“A lady was walking in the area and said she saw the snake,” said Hiles. “I talked to a boy who said he saw it too and agreed that it was a rattlesnake.”

Hiles said she would call the Pennsylvania Fish and Game Commission because she was told that they would come out and get rid of it. In the meantime, Hiles cautioned residents to avoid the area.

Council agreed to send at least one representative to a July 27, 2 p.m. county commissioners meeting to enter their objections to a rezoning request. Solicitor Richard Husband said Samuel Aller, who occupies a property on River Road, has requested that the property be changed from residential to business.

Councilman Jay Nelson said he would check into the matter and if Aller wants the property rezoned for a junkyard he would attend the meeting and express council’s negative opinion on the subject.

“If it’s a business such as a flower shop I would have no objections,” said Councilwoman Phyllis Newill. “However, if its something like a junkyard, we don’t want any part of it.”

About one-half dozen people from Stauffer Street told council that they have concerns about commercial trucks parked on their street. Gloria Burton said the people operating the big trucks start them up at about 6 a.m. and leave them run.

She additionally said that fumes from the diesel engines come into her house and said that the fumes are harmful for anyone with allergies or asthma.

Council President Patty Lint suggested that Burton call DEP (the state Department of Environmental Protection) and complain about the problem. Burton said the noise from the trucks also wakes up the neighborhood.

Several other Stauffer Street residents also complained about people parking in their yards and boats parked on the street. Nelson said although the borough does not have an ordinance for boats people need to be more aware of their surrounds because Stauffer Street is a tight squeeze.

The residents additionally complained about people speeding on River Road. One woman said if the speeding isn’t stopped “some is going to get killed.”

Newill reported that the bats are back. She said her neighbor on Galley Street is having bat problems again. Lint also said she is having problems with bats and said her husband will not go into the basement of their home after dark.

Bat houses were strategically placed in the borough in the spring to offer bats an alternative to resident’s homes. However, Newill said there are still a few bats that prefer homes.

Hiles told council that someone blew up the garbage cans at the tennis courts while Nelson said that people are dumping garbage along the railroad tracks on River Road. Nelson suggested that an ordinance be created that would require everyone in the borough to subscribe to a garbage collection agency.

Lint and Hiles disagreed saying that with the new cost of a monthly sewage bill because of a $11 million sewage project by the Yough Sanitary Authority residents simply can’t afford it.

“They are already going to have to pay a $38 a month sewage bill so I don’t see how we can ask them to foot another bill,” said Lint.

Nelson also suggested that council institute one-way parking during the day on Cochran Street. Hiles again disagreed saying that most of the people who live near the Post Office on Cochran Street have more than one vehicle.

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