Tyrone Borough Council met last evening with a light agenda and discussed new signs for the downtown business district reminding residents it’s against Borough ordinance to ride bicycles on the sidewalk. The ordinance designates specifically it is unlawful to ride pedacycles, scooters, roller skates and other human powered conveyances on the sidewalks in the business center of town.
“If you’re going to be riding your bikes, we want you to be safe,” Mayor Pat Stoner said at the meeting. Concern has been raised in recent months about bicycles in the downtown and residents’ concerns about safety. Stoner also pointed out she notices children on bikes at night, a situation she also said was ripe for disaster.
“(The kids) either have no respect for the traffic laws of they don’t understand the laws,” she said. “They have to obey the traffic laws. Other towns such as Hollidaysburg and State College don’t allow bikes on the sidewalks at all.” Stoner and Council agreed that bicycles, or any type of pedacycle, in the downtown could cause problems, but she said “they should be allowed to ride them near their homes.”
Drayovitch suggested that Council approve the signs for existing poles in the downtown and noted how the Borough has been involved in bicycle education in the past.
“We gave free helmets, we distributed flyers that were provided by PennDOT and we registered their bikes,” he said. He said he would speak with Tyrone Police Chief Joe Beachem about the possibility of providing another opportunity for community education on the matter as well as perhaps working with the Tyrone Area School District to disseminate the information.
The subject of donating to the Tyrone Area YMCA was broached by Drayovitch at last night’s meeting as well. The YMCA approached Tyrone Borough in July to ask for help after it was discovered the organization owed nearly $70,000 in back taxes. Councilmember Jeffrey Watson suggested that Council not donate anything. “It’s my view that we shouldn’t submit taxpayer money to an organization that didn’t pay its taxes,” he said. “They’re welcome to come back for funding when we are disbursing money to area organizations like we do every year.”
Drayovitch noted that CDBG funding could not be used under current guidelines, as well. Council agreed by consensus to provide the YMCA with a letter of support in its efforts to have penalties or interest abated.
In other business, Council voted to approved a switch in designation of residence for two members of the Tyrone-Snyder Public Library who represent, or did, the Borough. Gene Parker was designated to represent the Borough and Linda Albright was recognized as Snyder Township’s representative. The vote was made to rectify a situation where Albright was representing the Borough while living in Snyder Township and Parker had been representing Snyder Township although she live in Tyrone Borough.
A no parking zone near 13th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue was eliminated by Council. The zone was originally in place when Martin Oil operated its store.
