East Greenville Council cracking down on street sweeping compliance

            The next time East Greenville Borough sweeps its streets, residents, business owners and commuters who don't move their vehicles could pay a price. On Monday, council made a plan to impose fees on those who don't comply.

            "We mean business," President Angie Fegely said. "Move your car or get a ticket."

            Council approved a motion directing Solicitor Michael Peters to permanently amend the borough's ordinance to allow municipal officials to fine vehicle owners for leaving them on the street during periods designated for street sweeping. Currently, the borough's ability to issue fines in this situation is temporary.

            Peters said after the meeting that he expects to provide the amended language to council for its next meeting, scheduled for July 10. Council could act on the issue at that meeting, according to Fegely.

            Council spends approximately $5,200 annually to clean the streets. Twice a year, usually in May and November, a sweeper traverses the borough for two weeks at a time. The process, which collects just under 10 tons of debris, helps the municipality comply with its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit by keeping refuse out of the borough's stormwater drains, according to Administrative Manager Jim Fry.

            However, several streets could not be cleaned to the sidewalks since cars remained parked there during a two-week period in May, according to Fry. He said after the meeting that he identified at least 75 vehicles that were not moved.

            "I could have written 100 tickets in one day," the manager said during the meeting.

            However, the manager did not issue any tickets. Fry said he has not issued a parking violation for at least two years. According to the manager, the recipients – the owners of two vehicles in the 200 block of Washington Street – refused to pay.

            "The situation always ended in an argument," Fry said after the meeting.

            Most recently, the manager identified multiple unmoved vehicles in the 100 and 300 blocks of Jefferson Street, as well as the 300 block of Cherry Street and some of Washington Street. He said after the meeting that residents on Third Street, between Jefferson and State streets, complied.

            Fegely described the borough's inability to clean the entire width of the street a waste of municipal money. According to Member Melissa Leinbach, people's behavior won't change unless they face a financial penalty.

            "If there are no consequences, people aren't going to move their cars," she said during the meeting.

            Currently, a parking ticket issued by the municipality carries a $40 fee. According to Fry, those costs increase to $138 if the borough files a non-traffic citation in the Red Hill court of District Judge Maureen Coggins.

            Several members suggested acquiring additional street signage to better inform residences. Leinbach proposed that the municipality investigate the possibility of utilizing the parking at the New Goshenhoppen Church park for residents of Colonial Village, which only offers on-street parking.

            The members also voted to move forward with a process to hire a part-time officer for the Borough of East Greenville Police Department. Mayor Stephen Wescott told them that Chief Randy Morris has identified a candidate to fill a vacancy.

            After the meeting, Wescott said he had no information on the candidate identified by Morris. Additionally, the mayor said the chief spoke with three people regarding the position.

            Westcott also said he hoped to complete the hiring process by the next council meeting.

            The members held an executive session immediately prior to the public meeting to discuss personnel issues, according to Fegely.

            In May, the department responded to 139 incidents. They included 31 for traffic, 23 for public service, nine assists, two each for mischief and accidents and one each for fraud and an animal. The information, posted on the bulletin board outside the meeting room at Borough Hall and accumulated by Morris, includes 67 additional incidents identified as "other".