MINERSVILLE - The borough council gave the first reading of an ordinance establishing regulations when there is a snow emergency.
According to the ordinance, whenever the borough manager, police chief or borough council determines that the winter storm or snow accumulation is "dangerous to the health and welfare of the citizens of the borough," parking will be prohibited on all snow emergency routes in the borough.
Minersville police Chief Michael Combs said that the ordinance prohibits parking on Sunbury, Front and South Third streets.
Additional emergency snow routes may be designated from time to time with 24 hours notice given to the residents of that street.
The ordinance reads that anyone who violates it will be guilty of a summary offense, punishable by a fine between $100 and $300 or by imprisonment of 10 to 30 days or both a fine and imprisonment.
Each day someone parks and leaves a vehicle unattended in the emergency route will be a separate offense.
In other business, the borough announced that in two to three weeks, E&S Rubber Roofing, Saint Clair, will be repairing the roof on the borough hall. The repairs will total $9,518.
During the public comment part of the meeting, Lance Haluska, Branchdale, addressed the borough council since it had not accepted a bid from his company last month when his company was the lowest bidder for the demolition of 150 Sunbury St.
At the February meeting, the borough council accepted a bid of $37,089 from Northeast Industrial Services Corp., Shamokin, for the demolition project.
Although the borough council also received a lower bid of $34,600 from Reilly Mechanical, Minersville, Haluska's company, the council said it chose Northeast Industrial Services because of its experience.
Haluska asked the borough council to reconsider accepting the bid.
Minersville solicitor Albert Evans, Pottsville, said that although additional information and references were received later that showed the company did have enough experience for the job, there was not enough time for it to be reviewed before the meeting. Therefore, the borough council made its decision based on the information it had.
The borough council said that although there is nothing legally it can do at this time since the bid has already been awarded, Reilly Mechanical will be considered for future jobs.
"It's just a matter of a mistake on understanding what your experience was," councilman Edward Raczka said. "We went on the information we had and that's it. It was nothing personal. We would have loved for you to have had the job."
Haluska said that his company will be filing a grievance against the borough council.
The borough council also welcomed a new business, Steph's Sammich Shop, 333 Sunbury St., to the borough.