BY PATRICK LEONARD

Wyoming County Press Examiner

At Monday night’s Meshoppen Borough Council meeting, it was announced that the recent rash of deaths among feral cats in the community of Meshoppen was not likely caused by poison.

Meshoppen Police Chief John Krieg said he had an earlier conversation that day with veterinarian Michele Zajac of Bunker Hill Veterinarian Clinic where a couple of deceased cats had recently been left for necropsies to be performed.

He said she told him that there remained a couple of minor tests, and the possibility is very likely that a viral disease is spreading among the cats.

Chief Krieg said it seemed clear that no illegal activity was going on.

In other business, council president John Bunnell said he had received a letter of interest from Washington Township supervisors to explore the possibility of Meshoppen Borough providing police coverage.

The township presently contracts with Tunkhannock borough for police coverage.

Washington Township consists of 50.18 miles of road and has 1,308 residents. The borough passed a resolution to meet with township supervisors about the police contract on Monday, October 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the borough building.

Supervisors from Washington Township will be invited to the meeting.

Also discussed at the monthly meeting was the status of borough residents who are not paying their water and sewer bills.

Those residents who continue to avoid paying their bills will have their water shut off by the borough on April 1, 2013.

According to the law, the borough is not allowed to shut off a person’s water during winter months.

The borough members also discussed the sale of Meshoppen’s water. Cabot is no longer buying water from the borough. Meshoppen Stone now is purchasing water from the borough.

Trick-or-treating time has been set in Meshoppen on the Friday before Halloween, October 26. Children will be allowed outside asking for goodies from their neighbors from 4-7 p.m.

A parade and other Halloween festivities will follow trick-or-treating, taking place from 7-9 p.m.

The borough members also announced that Meshoppen resident Edmond Gutkowski died earlier in the week. Gutkowski, a World War II veteran, was 97. He was believed to be the borough’s oldest resident.

The meeting was well attended by the borough council members, including Mayor Bruce Marshall. The next borough meeting will be on October 15 when the council discusses the police contract with Washington Township.