A Coaldale resident spoke out this week about a quality of life ordinance Coaldale adopted in August 2013.

“I can see on my street alone there are 10 junk cars. We’ve adopted the quality of life ordinance, but I don’t see anyone’s quality of life improving when these cars are still here,” Judy Veron said.

She had spoken about this at a previous council meeting and thought nothing was done since then.

In July, Veron approached council about quality of life enforcement after a neighbor allegedly shot a man near her home.

Veron said the shooting victim was living in an abandoned vehicle, and the incident may have been avoided if the borough had enforced the ordinance and forced the property owner to remove the abandoned vehicle.

“It’s a process,” Angela Krapf, councilwoman, explained. “They get fined, but if they pay it, it stays there. People keep getting fined and keep paying them. When we try to talk to them about it, we get threats of lawsuits and we can’t afford that.”

It’s meant as a punishment, the council said. It’s meant as an incentive to get people to move their cars. But if they pay the fine, they get to leave it there.

Veron suggested that the council look into another route of action, since fining the people does not seen to be working. Another resident MaryAnn Markley, agreed. It’s a safety hazard, they explained.

“I know two people who just keep paying the fines,” Krapf said. “Our hands are tied. It’s only a good idea if people do as they’re intended.”

“Another thing: people must complain about these types of things to the police department. People want to complain to each other, but never make a formal complaint,” Claire Remington, councilwoman, added. “It may help.”