PORT CARBON — Since the borough council’s reorganization meeting last week, a few changes have occurred.
The council held an “emergency” meeting Friday at borough hall, 301 First St., to fill a seat on the board and appoint a new president and vice president, according to Mayor Charles R. “Chuck” Joy.
And at the council’s regular January meeting Tuesday night, the council approved the resignation of a veteran council member, Harold “Bucky” Herndon.
“Effective immediately I am resigning from Port Carbon Borough Council. I would like to thank the citizens of the borough for allowing me to serve,” Herndon said in a Jan. 12 letter to the borough solicitor, William L. J. “Bill” Burke.
Herndon was not present at the meeting and could not be reached for comment afterwards.
Burke said council has 30 days to make an appointment for a two-year term.
Friday meeting
At the Jan. 4 reorganization meeting, the council appointed council member Ray Steranko as vice president, but no one from the council stepped up to take on the role of president.
In the Jan. 7 edition of The Republican-Herald, the council advertised a special meeting for reorganizational and general business purposes to be held 7 p.m. Friday at borough hall.
Present at the Friday meeting were board Vice President Steranko, and board members John Franko, Harold “Bucky” Herndon, Andy Palokas, Michael Quercia and Warren Thomas, according to the mayor.
“They had a nomination on the floor for president. Andy Palokas made the motion for Ray to be president. It was seconded by John Franko. Ray said he would step away from being vice president and accepted that,” the mayor said.
“No one wanted to step up to be president and so when the meeting came up on Friday night, they nominated me and I took it and resigned my position as vice president. It had to be done. We have to operate as a borough council,” Steranko said Tuesday.
The council also named Franko as vice president. Franko had held the post for six years and declined it when nominated on Jan. 4. But at the Friday meeting, he accepted the title.
“We talked him into it,” Palokas said.
“Nobody stepped up. We needed a VP,” Franko said.
“And he cares about the taxpayers,” Palokas said.
The council also appointed Michael E. Welsh, 50, the borough fire chief, to fill a seat on council.
On Dec. 25, councilwoman Agnes Berniece Shirey passed away at Schuylkill Center, Pottsville. She was 76, according to her obituary.
“After Berniece passed away, I was approached by different council members and Sandy,” Welsh said, referring to Sandy Palokas, wife of Andy and the borough’s secretary treasurer. “I’m going to be on the creek committee with Andy.”
Welsh was appointed to council for two years, Steranko said.
The mayor swore in Welsh at the start of Tuesday’s meeting.
Tuesday meeting
In an effort to generate public interest in the borough’s municipal affairs, the mayor posted information about Tuesday’s meeting on Facebook and invited locals to come out and ask questions.
More than 15 turned out for Tuesday’s meeting, including Deniece Krater and Cathy Manning.
The mayor said a bus stop in the borough will be moved.
“I’d like to formally announce that, working with the Pottsville Area School District and the police department, that effective January 18th what’s known now as the bus stop at Market and 4th streets will be disbanded for the safety of the children and public safety. And the students who were on the even side will be assigned to the bus stop here at borough hall. And the students who were on the other side will be picked up at Pottsville and Commerce streets. It’s been worked out by the school district and notifications have been sent out. Our crossing guard will be moving to the Pottsville and Commerce streets intersection. We have a breakdown of about 22 students, between high school, middle school and elementary school students, who use the stop at the Pottsville and Commerce street intersection,” the mayor said.
On Feb. 1, the borough police will be offering a new service to businesses in the borough.
“As the police are on duty, they do check the businesses whether they’re open or closed. We’re initiating a policy into force that if in the event a business is closed and one of the officers happens to be going by and they check the door to make sure it’s locked, we’re going to be slipping a note in their mail box just letting them know that we were by,” the mayor said.
“There’s not been an issue. There are not any concerns. It’s just another proactive way that the police department is looking to let them know that they’re out there,” the mayor said.
“And also with that, since we had some residents come out tonight, I want to add that next month, in addition to this, we’re going to be doing resident calls, which has always been open to the residents. If you’re going on vacation or you’re going away for a couple days, a long weekend or whatever, if you call and let the police know, there’s a paper there that they will fill out. And after you’re back from vacation, you’ll get it in the mail telling you when the police were by and what day and time. They will keep an eye on your property,” the mayor said.