The Penn's Grove record., 1921-02-11
Amended Ordinance
Pacifies Firemen
Final Reading Laid Over Until
Next Meeting. Private Cell
For Women To Be Added
To Lookup

lar session in the Borough hall on
Tuesday night. The Mayor presided
and all the members were present
which has become a habit with them
since the new year began.
Clerk Hunt being in attendance
upon the Board of Education, David P.
Eeatherer acted in his absence. Mr..
Hunt reported for duty later in the
evening.
The Finance Committees report
showed balance in the Borough
treasury of $18,018.55.
Recorder Edgar reported fines i'm
posed and collected for the month of
January amounting to S209.50.
The Street Committee reported
having expended S346.20 for cinders
which had been used in making re-
pairs to streets.
Councilman Smith called attention
to the lack of privacy for women in
the lookup. Only last week two fe-
males were locked up there, one a girl
IS years old. In the adjoining cell
were four men who indulged in Ian
guage of the vilest sort that could be
heard by the women. Besides they
are exposed to the view of anyone in
the cell room. A cell could be put up
in another room which would not cost
over $500
The property committee was in
structed to procure bids for the work
and report at the next meeting.
The report of the Police department
showed 81 arrests for the month of
January.
Mayor Hunt appointed Clement
Luckinbill, Lemon H. Davis, Wm.H.
Davis and George w. Blyler special
officers without pay, all of whom were
confirmed by Council.
Action on the contemplated reorgan-
ization of the Fire Department was
then taken up and proved to be a very
lively and interesting subject.
An ordinance had been prepared
and passed first reading at the pre-
vious meeting. Its provisions did not
meet with the approval of the firemen
belonging to the present volunteer
company, the Liberty and their Chief
Harry N. johnson, acting as spokes-
man at the first reading, demanded
that the Company be recognized and
accepted as a body. If the Council
did not see fit to do this they did not
care to come under the jurisdiction of
the borough.
When the matter came up on Tues
day night it was moved that the sec
ond and final reading of the ordin-
ance be laid over until two weeks
hence in order to give the members q
chance to study its provisions so that
they could act intelligently upon it. y
The division among the members
proved to be exactly fifty-fifty Messrs
Fahy, Kidd and Gillison voting against
postponement. For it were Messrs.
Smith, Walker and Pyne. The Mayor
voted against the motion.
Amendments began to crop up as
soon as the first section was read,
Mr.. Gillison, Chairman of the Fire
Committee, had a substitute ordinance
which had been prepared and approved
by the Fire Committee and also by
the firemen. 1t did not get through
however in its entirety, although the
| main point at issue was won over, TAX
ing Liberty Company over as it now
stands.
Nearly every vote upon the amend
ments was a tie vote and it fell to the
Mayor to decide nearly all of them.
Solicitor Leap stated that even
though the ordinance accepted the
Company as its stands each member
coming into the new Borough depart
ment must be appointed singly by the
Mayor and confirmed by Council.
After the second reading of the or
dinance was completed it was moved
that third and final reading be laic
over until the next regular meeting
February 22d, and that the Borough
| Clerk furnish each member with &
typewriter copy.
1t required the Mayors vote to put
it over however. He said he desired
to be strictly fair and impartial ano
| he could not see any reason for hasty
action. The members would be better
prepared for final decision after 9
study of the ordinance as amended
Solicitor Leap also approved post,
ponement of final action as he desired
to 90 over the ordinance to see that
there were no conflicting clauses.
At the previous meeting of Council
information was asked as to why only
S6.25 was turned into the Borough fol
permits for street openings by plumb
ers and others. Borough Clerk HED'
being ill at the time was not present
and the information was not given
The matter was again brought up al
the meeting on Tuesday night wher
Clerk Hunt stated that it had been the
custom for years for the Borough
Clerk to receive the fees as compensa-
ton for issuing the permits. If, how
ever, Council did not think he was en-
titled to it he would cheerfully make
return.
There was quite large attendance
of citizens at the meeting and the
habit is growing.
The members are also recognizing
a courtesy due to the Mayor in risinf
when speaking. 1t certainly adds
dignity to the sessions and the specta-
tors can hear the discussions in which
| tbav arc Interested.