By Jamie Richard, Staff Writer, CoatesvilleTimes.com
VALLEY – The board of supervisors discussed the possibility of creating an ordinance regarding dropping off unwanted or stray pets at the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shelter, Tuesday.
The idea for an ordinance was suggested as a way to handle the concerns involving the large number of stray animals in the township. Currently, the township pays the required fee for dropping off animals at the local SPCA center. The proposed ordinance would require the $35 fee to fall on the resident who took the animal to the shelter.
“We have to do something,” said Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Patrice Proctor. “It’s not fair…to put it on the backs of the taxpayers to get rid of animals because people don’t want to take care of them anymore.”
While no official decisions have been made on the matter, several issues were raised over the implications of such an ordinance. Supervisor Kathy O’Doherty expressed concerns that the ordinance could lead to more people abandoning pets and contributing to the number of stray animals.
“I don’t want to create a scenario where people just take their dog to the park and let it go rather than paying the fee,” said O’Doherty.
Supervisors’ Vice Chairman Christopher Lahenky also expressed concern for residents who rescue stray animals and immediately took to the shelter, citing that they shouldn’t have to pay for rescuing an animal that didn’t belong to them.
“I just don’t want innocent people to get fined for something they didn’t do,” said Vice Chairman Christopher Lahenky.
According to Valley Police Chief Joseph Friel, the proposed ordinance would only apply to residents who either own or have taken care of an animal for an extended period of time. Fees for stray animals that have been found and rescued would still be the responsibility of the township.
In other business, several residents came before the board to discuss the addition of a crosswalk at the intersection of Black Horse Hill Road and Lincoln Highway.
Tom Wright spoke before the board to ask that a crosswalk be painted at the intersection, citing the high level of traffic as a potential danger to pedestrians crossing the intersection.
“It’s a bare bones intersection…there are stop signs but there’s no sign for pedestrians or even a white line at the stop signs,” said Wright.
According to Wright, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation would not install a crosswalk at the intersection, but allowed the township to do so if it wished. The issue is further complicated by the fact that Lincoln Highway is a state road; supervisors said they felt that if the township installed a crosswalk, they would then be liable for a road in which they have no jurisdiction over.
“It puts us in a bad liability position, working on a road that we have no jurisdiction over,” said Proctor.
Resident Ed Gruber called on the board to paint the crosswalk regardless of liability, citing that the township was responsible for the safety of its residents.
“Are we going to wait until someone is seriously injured or killed until we take action on this?” said Gruber.
Though the board sympathized with residents, they felt unable to open themselves to the liabilities associated with placing and maintaining a crosswalk on a road in which they have no authority over.
“If there’s a problem with the crosswalk, the township gets sued,” said township solicitor Alan Jarvis.
The board of supervisors will hold their next regularly scheduled meeting on Jul 3.
