Shenandoah to clean up littered area, set up trail cameras to deter illegal dumping

SHENANDOAH — The borough council has decided to clean up a heavily littered area they believe is in dire need of rehabilitation.

Council members on Monday unanimously approved a decision to clean up the area behind Burger King at 331 S. Main St., which has attracted excessive amounts of litter and illegal dumping.

The decision came two months in the wake of the borough’s purchase of trail cameras to thwart dumpers.

Councilman Mike “Zeckie” Uholik urged the council to take action and made a motion to clean up the trash and install cameras in the area, which is the site of a former shirt factory.

“We got the cameras,” he said. “It’s time to put money away and start cleaning up. … Anyone who leaves here and takes a ride down there, you’ll see the mess.”

The borough received eight trail cameras last month, though none have been installed.

Tony Sajone, borough manager, asked where the borough would seek the funds needed for the project, which Uholik estimated at around $20,000.

Toward the end of the meeting, Dwight Williams, owner of Trendsetters Investment LLC, offered to conduct the cleanup using his own dump trucks and said that he could donate $3,000.

Contacted after the meeting, Sajone said trail cameras would be installed on the property after it was cleaned up.

“That’s the first area we would want to set them up,” he said.

Also on Monday, the council approved an agreement with Portnoff Law Associates Ltd. to collect delinquent trash and sewer bills and real estate taxes.

The council had previously approved a contract with the King of Prussia-based company that would run through the end of 2027.

“This is good because there’s a lot of people not paying their trash, a lot of people not paying their sewer,” said council President Joseph R. Boris, adding that the company services 50 municipalities.

The council approved the decision in a 6-1 vote, with Councilwoman Katie Catizone abstaining.

Also at the meeting, Sajone announced that the borough will send a letter to customers of the Municipal Authority of the Borough of Shenandoah, instructing them to pay final invoices they had received from the former water company before it was officially sold to Aqua Pennsylvania Inc. last year.

Sajone estimated the outstanding payments, which are due by the end of June, would total over $100,000.

“With the agreement of the sale, most of the people did not pay the final MABS bill,” he said.

Also, representatives from the borough engineer, Benesch Engineer & Co., discussed with council members an ongoing plan to pave several streets across the borough.

Chris McCoach, an engineer, said the company has outlined a proposal to repair seven streets and is working with the borough to determine which ones should be prioritized.

“Once we find out the (cost), we’ll estimate how many streets we can get with that amount,” he said, “and then we will make that our base bid.”

While no decision was made, McCoach told the borough to continue looking into the process and inform the company of any developments.

Benesch’s proposal includes roadway improvements on parts of East Lloyd, Oak, Jardin, Catherine and Cherry streets.

Councilman Joe Gawrylik, who heads the infrastructure committee, said East Lloyd Street from Bower to Emerick would be a priority due to construction in the area.

In his report, Boris announced that the last of the borough’s new streetlights had been installed.

The 400 new LED lights, which were provided at no cost to the borough, replaced the old sodium-vapor lights.

Boris also said that part of Route 54 (Centre Street) in the borough will be paved July 17 between Souchuck Lumber, at 622 E. Centre, to Shenandoah Valley Jr./Sr. High School at 805 W. Centre.

In other business, the council approved:

• A resolution directing the Schuylkill County Tax Claim Bureau not to collect the borough’s delinquent real estate.

• The sale of 104 N. Bower St. to the Schuylkill County Redevelopment Authority for $1.

• A zoning board recommendation to approve a request from George and Donna Baker, of 419 E. Lloyd St., to divide the property into two parcels.

• A zoning board recommendation to grant a variance for a home office for Tannia L. Solis at 222 W. Lloyd St.

• Requests by Jamie Buriak, Coal Cracker 10K race organizer, to hold the event using the routes designated in the letter, as well as street closures.

• A request from Michelle Gulden to conduct a town yard sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 27.

• Four handicap parking requests.