Uniontown adopts camping ban in city
Uniontown City Council adopted a camping ban Thursday in what council members said was an attempt to crack down on problems of drug use and vandalism.
Mayor Bill Gerke said the problem has long been an issue in the city.
“It’s been an issue with homeless people just parking themselves on private property or public property,” he said. “It’s impossible to enforce unless we have this ordinance.”
Council member Angela Brown said the goal was not to criminalize homelessness, but to curb public drug use and signs of drug addiction in the city’s parks and other public spaces.
Gerke offered an example of people who had set up tents in Storey Square in the center of the city’s downtown.
“It happens everywhere,” Brown said. “It’s just a way for us where we can trespass people who do not want to follow the law and who do not want to respect our parks and our kids. They shouldn’t have to walk through the parks and find syringes on the ground.”
Former Councilman Jared Billy said the ordinance, which council had worked on last year, is “extremely necessary.”
“Thank you to the council for getting this through the finish line,” he said during the public comment portion of the meeting.
Council also approved a $212,500 grant through the Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program for the second phase of renovations at Marshall Park. Surveying for that project will take place within the next two weeks.
Council voted to table the purchase of $171,409 of playground equipment and a $13,013.15 fire department vehicle.
Both proposals drew criticism during public comment. Neither one had been part of the city’s budget, Billy said.
Purchasing the playground equipment, which would go to Bailey Park, had yet to be formally discussed by the city’s Parks and Recreation Board, said member Kelly Trott.
“Before we could fully support moving forward, we would appreciate the opportunity to better understand the proposal,” including funding sources, total project cost, and why the playground was prioritized over more immediate issues at the park, Trott said.