Lansford Borough needs cooperation if it’s going to solve problems, such as glaring code violations, abandoned vehicles littering the streets and unchecked quality of life issues.

Several residents brought concerns before borough council’s code and zoning committee last week.

West Abbott Street resident Tom Vadyak raised issues including unrepaired sidewalks, lack of parking, cleaning up unkempt properties and a neighboring home that he’s been filing complaints about for four years.

Vadyak said that Ray Swartz of ARRO Consulting, which has been handling code and zoning for the borough, inspected and condemned the home at 331 W. Water St.

Vadyak wanted to know what violations were found at the property that has been a sore spot for him for years, and filed a Right to Know Law request to find out, he said.

“I was floored when you got a condemned property and there are no violations,” he told the committee. “Would someone like to explain to me how there would be no violations if it’s condemned?”

Vadyak also pointed that weeds in that yard grow 4 feet high, and the borough might want to follow Summit Hill’s lead and hire someone to clean up properties when the owners don’t comply.

Lansford officials have also discussed hiring a company to cleanup properties in recent months.

“We need someone to go around here on a daily basis and issue citations, because our police aren’t doing Quality of Life,” Vadyak said. “The town is only getting worse. It’s not getting better.”

Councilman Jack Soberick, committee chairman, said that the borough would be advertising for a code enforcement officer to do just that, saying that it shouldn’t be incumbent on a resident filing a complaint.

Complaints

The borough’s complaint system, which requires residents to sign a written complaint, was another bone of contention among residents and committee members.

Older residents and those living alone won’t file complaints, because they’re afraid their neighbors will retaliate against them.

“They’re afraid of getting beat up,” he said.

Soberick didn’t think residents should have to come in and sign a complaint, but instead provide tips to the code officials, much like the public does with providing tips to police.

“Then, the code person goes out, looks and verifies it, just like a cop,” the former police chief said. “You get a tip that there’s a party going on with underage drinkers, you go there to check.

“I think that’s where we’re kind of dropping the ball. There’s a disconnect,” Soberick said. “I think that’s making people not make complaints and then the town’s spiraling out of control.”

Currently, ARRO requires all investigations begin with a complaint, in case the matter goes to court. Council members have said that they want the new in-house code officer to look for violations and cite property owners.

Soberick noted that many of the code issues can be seen while driving through town.

Vehicles

Residents also brought up the number of cars parking in town, and also whether the borough can remove vehicles from the streets.

Vadyak wondered if they could limit the number of vehicles per home or apartment under the rental license ordinance or limit the number of people living in a unit. Some neighbors have six vehicles, leaving no parking for others who live in the same block, he said.

Resident Erin Soberick wanted to know if the borough could tow vehicles, and Jack Soberick said yes, as long as the vehicle qualifies under the law as an abandoned vehicle.

The police department has forms, such as an MV 952 or PP 952, which deal with the removal of abandoned vehicles, he said. A towing company can come get the vehicle, he said.

Fines

Councilwoman Jennifer Staines said that she has an issue with people getting cited multiple times, losing the case at court and getting off with a light fine.

“We can’t do that either,” she said, and noted that was not this year, since a new district judge has been seated.

Jack Soberick said the borough could set up a meeting with the judge to explain what the borough is trying to accomplish and what the goals are.

“We can’t influence the magistrate to make a decision, but you certainly could have a meeting,” he said.

Other issues

Councilman Joseph Butrie also raised issues with several properties, including items blocking sidewalks, adding to the list of problems the borough needs to work on.

Jack Soberick pointed out that the police department can help, as the officers see things while on patrol – and they should be able to report to a code official, too.

“They see this stuff,” he said. “It can’t just be one code guy. The police department has to do their share.

“It’s a small town police department, their job is to be small town police and get the community on board with cleaning everything up,” Jack Soberick said. “We all have to work together, including the police.”

He said he’s not criticizing the police department, but they have to be on board as well as everyone else to solve the borough’s problems.

“We all have to have the same goal,” Jack Soberick said. “We have to wrangle control of it somehow.”