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Council gives Allentown’s water operator authority to shut off service to vacant homes

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ALLENTOWN – Members of the Borough Council have adopted an ordinance that authorizes Allentown’s water operator to terminate service to vacant and abandoned properties at his discretion.

Council members took the action during a meeting on Nov. 26.

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Specifically, according to the amended ordinance, “the borough reserves the right to disconnect and/or discontinue utility service to any property listed on the borough’s vacant property or abandoned property lists … and the borough’s water operator is authorized to terminate service to vacant and abandoned properties at his or her sole discretion to protect the borough’s water system.

“The owner (of the property) will have the right to request a hearing before municipal officials. If service is terminated, the Monmouth County Board of Health and the Allentown housing official will be notified.

“All fees due for water and sewer service must be fully paid up-to-date prior to water and sewer service being restored. A re-connection charge of $100 will be imposed to reconnect the service,” according to the ordinance.

In adopting the ordinance, officials said it is necessary for Allentown’s water operator to have the ability to disconnect utility service to a property to prevent the type of situation that has occurred in the past, when thousands of gallons of water rushed into a vacant home before the service could be terminated.

During a meeting on Dec. 10, council members adopted an ordinance that describes how a member of a municipal board, committee or commission may be removed if they accumulate excessive absences.

The ordinance states that “given its small size and limited staff, Allentown relies largely upon its boards, committees and commissions to investigate public matters, formulate policy, undertake public projects and otherwise conduct the business of the borough.

“The borough finds that the regular attendance of members at meetings of the borough’s boards, committees and commissions is vital to the proper operation of the borough, and thus, hereby establishes minimum attendance requirements for members of the borough’s boards, committees and commissions.”

According to the ordinance, unless excused by the board, committee or commission of which they are a member, a member who is absent from four or more scheduled meetings during a calendar year may be removed by the authority appointing the member … provided that (the) member receives written notice of the appointing authority’s intention to remove the member … and (the) member is given an opportunity to be heard by the appointing authority prior to removal.

Council President Thomas Fritts, who will become mayor in January, said attendance will be reported by Allentown’s boards, committees and commissions immediately after a meeting is held.

“The idea is to put people in the correct positions,” he said.

Councilman Rob Schmitt said, “We want to make sure people (who are appointed to municipal boards) attend the meetings and participate.”

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