Smithfield OKs signage resolution
SMITHFIELD — Smithfield Borough Council on Tuesday adopted a resolution for signage suspended over rights of way in hope that a club will be able to place a banner welcoming visitors to the borough.
During last month’s meeting, Jim Terry of the Smithfield Rotary Club showed a prototype of a welcome banner that will be displayed throughout the borough courtesy of the club.
The Rotary Club banners prompted council to ask borough solicitor Gene Grimm to review and make additions or corrections to a sample resolution that was sent to the borough from the state Department of Transportation (PennDOT), which requires council to adopt a resolution regarding the placement and limits of banners and signs in the borough.
The resolution states if the banner or sign is for an event, the name must be listed as well as the dates of the event, traffic control must be in compliance with the law, organizations must complete an application 20 days prior to the installation of the signs and the organization would be held liable for the signs.
The resolution will go into effect pending PennDOT approval.
In other business, council approved amendments to the current rental agreement for the Smithfield Community Center.
After the community center sustained damage by renters, Councilman Bill Dean, chairman of the community center committee, approached council with a list of recommendations to the current rental contract.
“In our hall rental contract, they can have alcohol here at the community center. It is only two to three times a year (people serve alcohol),” said Dean. “Even though we would be free from all (liability) of this, we would still pay out money to protect ourselves. It might be more of a liability of us to have it here.”
Dean also approached council about increasing the amount of the security deposit for the community center rental.
“We want to make our security deposit as much as our rental is,” said Dean.
Currently, the deposit amount is less than the hall rental fee.
After a discussion of both amendments, separate roll call votes were taken, and the amendments passed unanimously.
Council members Kelli Ash, Bob Roderick and Mayor Chuck Cieszynski were absent from the meeting.
In another matter, Madonna Nicklow, veterans service officer for Fayette County, told council that an information session about veteran benefits will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 5 at the community center. Residents are invited to attend the session.
In other business, council:
n Reminded residents that recycling will be held May 29 and garbage pickup for the week of May 28 will be on Friday instead of Thursday.
n Announced the summer reading program at the Smithfield Public Library will start June 14 and will run for six weeks. The program is open to anyone starting with pre-kindergarden and older. The reading circle will meet at 1:30 p.m. May 30 at the library.
n The next meeting will be held at 6 p.m. June 19.