Honesdale council reminding dog owners to pick up after them

Honesdale Rotary Club has offered to pay for two dog waste containers with bags for Central Park, Councilor James Hamill said in his Parks & Recreation Committee report at the June 20 council meeting. Hamill is also a member of the local Rotary.

One container would be at 9th and Church streets, and the other at 10th and Court streets.

Councilor William McAllister inquired how they will be maintained.

"Right now, you have a dog… and no one picking it up," Hamill said. "We are putting in infrastructure so really they have no excuse but to take a bag and put it in the receptacle."

Hamill advised that ongoing maintenance of the dog receptacles leads to the discussion of considering the hire of a park manager. Councilor David Nilsen commented, "The idea of having a dedicated park manager is a good idea. There is a lot to be done… it is a full-time job… to have a single person who just does the park."

Hamill said there is much going on with the borough park system, such as plans for a new 12th Street park, the dog park and the new mobile park stage, which he said warrants discussion in the Personnel Committee.

"The best thing we can do is to make something that is available to people, if it helps one person to clean up after his pet," Councilor Noelle Mundy said. "You can't change someone's behavior, but you can help encourage them to do better."

McAllister added that a way to enforce the rules is also needed. Hamill added, "It is a borough ordinance to leash your pet and clean up after your pet." Smoking also is not allowed in borough parks, he said, but the borough "keeps a blind eye to it."

Approval was given for 24 new signs for all borough parks to state various rules of what is not permitted in them. Nilsen asked that "no camping" be added to the list. Skateboarding, roller blading and bicycle riding are also prohibited behaviors in the parks.

The council also voted to support the removal of the older playground equipment from Central Park, due to its deterioration. Hamill said the hope is to eventually replace this equipment with other pieces more accessible to children with various mobility and sensory needs. Nilsen voted against the removal of the old section. The equipment pieces in question, designed in earth colors including green and off yellow, were installed in 2000. The newer playground, with more vibrant colors, came six years later.

Five benches were being placed to allow Central Park so visitors can sit and enjoy the fountain.

Jeff Roberts, during public comment, asked why a resident should have to wait for a fallen tree to be taken away; as a borough resident, can he just dispose of it himself at Irving Cliff (which is borough park)? Mundy said that the interim Public Works Department director, provided on contract with Keystone Municipal Solutions, is looking to hire new DPW staff. She said the problem with just dumping lawn debris at the cliff is that it can get out of hand.

Roberts said from his experience as a former DPW worker, the DPW would welcome if residents took care of their own debris. Nilsen said that the ordinance does not allow dumping in parks, which he said the council is reviewing.

McAllister referenced Council President James Brennan's situation. That day, a plum tree planted along Main Street by Greater Honesdale Partnership partly fell on the street, and partly fell and leaned against The Limerick building, which Brennan owns.

"I didn't plant the tree… we as a borough recognize this is the whole tree," McAllister said. "Removal of that tree is much more important than the debris that is there… it looks like it is falling apart… That comes to my mind, who is responsible for that tree? That tree is on his property. If he wants to engage you to remove that tree and take it somewhere, I'm OK with that, but technically in my mind, I don't think it's the borough's responsibility in this case. Because you are talking about a whole tree, you're not talking about lawn debris."

The matter was referred for further discussion by the Streets and Parks committees.

Pending hire of more DPW workers, borough council has made use of a lawn care business to mow the parks, a prison work crew to collect yard debris and volunteers.

Honesdale Borough Council meets on the fourth Monday at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 958 Main St. Visit honesdaleborough.com for more information.

Peter Becker has worked at the Tri-County Independent or its predecessor publications since 1994. Reach him at pbecker@tricountyindependent.com or 570-253-3055 ext. 1588.