John Bryan (center) shakes hands with Forty Fort Police Chief Daniel Hunsinger (left), after being sworn in as a police officer by Mayor Brian Thomas (right) at borough council’s special meeting Monday.
Margaret Roarty | Times Leader
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FORTY FORT — Borough council swore in a new member of the police department Monday during a special meeting held before its regular work session.
John Bryan is the first full-time police officer hired since the Civil Service Commission resumed its activities about a month and a half ago following a potential injunction requested by 3 former members of the commission, who were removed by council during a July 1 meeting.
The injunction, requested by Robert Craig, Robert Swaback and Anthony Smith, through their attorney G. Vincent Tese of the Cyber Law Firm in West Chester as part of a civil complaint they filed against the borough on July 22, was denied last month by Luzerne County Judge Tina Polachek Gartley in the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas.
The lawsuit, in which the three men allege their dismissal by borough council was illegal, is still pending further litigation.
“It’s been a while getting to this point. But one of the greatest parts of being the mayor is getting the honor to do this,” Mayor Brian Thomas said just before the ceremony.
Before handing him his badge, Police Chief Daniel Hunsinger said he was honored to have Bryan join the department.
“It’s a relief to finally get to this spot,” Hunsinger said following the meeting. “It takes a lot of pressure off our guys. They won’t have to work so much overtime. So, it’s a good thing.”
With the addition of Bryan, Forty Fort Borough will now have six full time police officers and one part-time officer.
Hunsinger said the department will now have “solid” coverage, but he does plan to ask the Civil Service Commission to begin the process of putting together another active list to hire from in preparation for one of his officer’s impending surgery.
Also at the special meeting, council voted to amend Forty Fort’s Construction Code to require permits for certain accessory structures, repairs and alternations.
According to the newly added section, a permit will be required for, “the construction, erection, or placement of any accessory structure which is equal to or greater than 120 square feet, whether or not such accessory structure is connected to any utility” and “the construction, erection, or placement of any accessory structure which is less than 120 square feet if such accessory structure is provided with any utility service.”
There are still alterations and repairs to residential buildings that are exempt from needing a permit, including the addition of fences not over 6 feet high, portable heating, cooking, or clothes dying appliances, and portable cooling units.
The full amended code, including a full list of the exemptions, is available to view on the borough’s website under ‘Meeting Agendas.’
The Quality of Life Ordinance was also amended on Monday to include the addition of a general prohibition on noise disturbances. The definition of an off-road vehicle has also been added.
For example, the ordinance now includes that, “No person shall engage in loud yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling or singing: At any time in such a manner as to cause a noise disturbance across a property line (boundary), so as to be plainly audible across a property line (boundary), or on the public streets between the hours of 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.”
As with the Construction Code Ordinance, a full list of changes and additions to the Quality of Life Ordinance can be found on the borough’s website.
Also at the meeting, a partnership agreement was approved between the borough police department and Luzerne Intermediate Unit 18, an educational and service organization that plans to use the former Fortis Institute building at 166 Slocum St. for its Personalized Academy of Learning for students who need learning support.
It is unclear when the school will move into the building, as there seemed to be confusion at the meeting as to what kind of permits the school needs to acquire.
Since Fortis was for adult learners and LIU will be for kids, that would constitute a change of use under Forty Fort’s code.
Thomas suggested facilitating a meeting with LIU and Building Inspection Underwriters of PA, the company that performs inspection and code enforcement services for Forty Fort, so any confusion can be cleared up and things can move forward.
Additionally, council voted to advertise a proposed amendment to the parking ordinance that would allow one free overnight parking permit to every resident homeowner. All others would remain at $25.00 each.
Overnight, temporary parking permits would remain at $2.00 per night, per vehicle.
One resident did object to giving homeowners a free parking pass because it would take money away from the borough.
The proposed amendment will be voted on at the next meeting at 6 p.m. Dec. 2.