Nicholson to get rink

BY KEVIN WOODRUFF

Wyoming County Press Examiner

NICHOLSON - Borough Council passed a motion Monday night to install an ice skating rink in Nicholson.

Council vice president Dawn Bell said that the rink will be placed at the borough's Nordahl Park and will cost roughly $500 to install.

After the rink was discussed at the borough's December meeting, Bell checked with DGK Insurance to see what liability the borough has, and according to Bell, the borough must put up a sign that reads "skate at your own risk."

The rink will be around 20-feet by 100-feet in size and will be constructed by volunteers within the next few weeks to then get filled with water by Nicholson Volunteer Fire Company.

"I'm really excited," Bell said. "We hope to get the rink up within the next few weeks."

In other business, council discussed vacancies on the borough's zoning hearing board.

The terms of two hearing board members, Lyn Harvey and Kathy Steele, expired in December.

Solicitor Paul Litwin said that if the borough cannot review zoning requests in a timely fashion, then they are deemed approved automatically.

"If we get a zoning request, there will have to be a special meeting to appoint zoning board members," Litwin said.

Borough council agreed to try to obtain members by word of mouth before February's meeting.

On Monday, the borough appointed Rob McClain and Shawn Veety to fill the emergency management agency coordinator vacancy left after Scott Aylesworth resigned the position last month.

The two will split the annual $500 payment.

Also on Monday, the borough passed a motion to join PA One Call System, an organization that alerts municipalities of residents' intent to dig up land.

A $50 per year fee will be paid to One Call by the borough.

Landowners will now be required to call PA One Call's 1-800 number before digging up the ground so that a borough employee can come and mark where water lines and storm water drains are located.

In other matters, the borough adopted the state's new Open Records Act, which allows the public access to government records.

The borough also appointed secretary Karen Simon as the borough's Open Records Officer, to handle matters pertaining to open records requests.

Council also made several appointments on Monday night.

Councilman Garrett McCracken was reappointed for a two year term; Lochen and Chase was reappointed as the borough's auditor; Arthur Wadge was reappointed as the borough's maintenance person; Simon was reappointed as borough secretary; Ken Laurie was reappointed as sewage enforcement officer; Litwin was reappointed as solicitor; Pam Harvey was reappointed to water authority; George Dougherty was reappointed as zoning enforcement officer; and Ted Roberts was reappointed as borough maintenance helper.

Also, Simon was given a $.50 per hour raise, and Wadge was given a $1 per hour raise.

The next meeting of Nicholson Borough Council will be Monday, Feb. 2, at 7 p.m.