R.S. Council Passes Fireworks Ordinance

The Roaring Spring Borough Council, at its last meeting of the year on Dec. 10, wrapped up the year by adopting some ordinances and approving department budgets.

Ordinance 2018-7, the Fireworks Ordinance, regulates the discharge of consumer fireworks within the borough.

The ordinance permits the discharge of fireworks within a 24-hour period prior to, and immediately after certain holidays. Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and Veterans Day are the listed holidays.

The ordinance states that consumer fireworks in the borough may only be set off between the hours of 4 p.m. and 10 p.m., and cannot be ignited or discharged on public or private property without permission of the owner.

Fireworks cannot be ignited or discharged from a motor vehicle or building and cannot be discharged within 150 feet of an occupied structure.

The ordinance forbids any person under the age of 18 from discharging fireworks.

The borough also adopted ordinance 2018-6, the Fire Loss Ordinance.

The ordinance, first proposed at the October meeting, gives the borough some control over buildings that are damaged by fire.

The ordinance calls for an insurance company, association or exchange, to transfer a portion of insurance proceeds to a designated borough officer to be held as security against the borough having to pay the total cost of removing, repairing or securing a damaged building.

The ordinance states that after the transfer of funds, the insured of the damaged property may submit a contractor signed estimate of the costs of removing, repairing or securing the building or structure, and the borough will return the amount transferred if the borough has not already began to remove, repair or secure the structure in question.

Council passed this ordinance as security against having to incur the total costs associated with dealing with a burned out structure.

Council also unanimously passed the 2019 General Fund Budget and the 2019 Motor License Fund Budget.

Police Chief Gregory Wyandt said his department has seen an increase in calls this past year as well as an increase in criminal arrests.

Maintenance Supervisor Dane Noel said all snow emergency route signs have been installed and that there is no parking at the end of the alley on Garber Street.

Council also approved a motion to purchase a new tar buggy for the maintenance department at a cost not to exceed $42,000.

The next meeting of the Roaring Spring Borough Council is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 14, at the borough building.