West Mahanoy supervisors adopt new ordinance, revisions, purchase police car
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - A new Chevrolet Tahoe that will soon be upfitted for use as a police car is seen at the West Mahanoy Township Municipal Building on Sept. 17, 2024.
SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS – West Mahanoy Township Supervisors formally adopted a new mechanical device ordinance, revisions to two other ordinances, and approved the purchase of a new police vehicle at their September meeting.
At the Sept. 17 meeting, supervisors approved advertising the new ordinance and amendments as part of an overhaul spurred by the hiring of Mark Pronio as a part-time code enforcement officer. Pronio was previously code enforcement officer in Shenandoah.
The amendments were approved for the dangerous structures ordinance and the rental inspection ordinance, primarily changing penalties and fees.
The dangerous structures amendment pertains to penalties. “Any person who shall fail to comply with any notice or order to repair, vacate, or demolish any dangerous building, which notice is served on any person authorized to do so… shall, upon conviction before a district judge, be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000,” the ordinance amendment reads. It also allows for the penalty to be imposed daily and for a prison term of not more than 30 days if the fines and costs are not paid.
It also includes a $500 fine for removing a notice posted on the property.
The rental inspection ordinance adds that licenses will be subject to bi-annual renewal and annual inspection. Registration fee of $150 per unit and an initial inspection fee of $150 per unit is added, as is a $75 re-inspection fee.
A fine of up to $1,000 and the revocation of a rental license for violations of the ordinance is also proposed.
The new mechanical device ordinance establishes a tax on amusement devices, including games of skill or chance; juke boxes, and cigarette vending machines.
Machines labeled as “a game of skill or chance,” or any game in which the player can receive money as a result of the game will be taxed at $250 a year.
Mechanical amusement devices that cannot provide money to the player, as well as juke boxes and cigarette vending machines, would be taxed at $50 per year.
In other business, Pronio said he has been making rounds for rental inspections and registrations.
“As of now, I’ve done Schuylkill Avenue, Brownsville, Pennsylvania, and Bell’s Hill,” Pronio said.
Of 77 properties canvassed, 52 were rentals, many owned by out-of-state individuals and businesses.
Letters had been sent to 20 of the properties as of the meeting.
“It’s going to take some time to start turning things around,” Supervisors Chairman Paul “Pepper” Martin, said.
In other business, the township approved the purchase of a police vehicle.
The 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe PPV SUV was purchased for $54,029 from Bonner Chevrolet, of Kingston.
In other business, during the public comment portion, Martin suggested that residents in the township, ahead of winter, to install reflectors to put along the roadside property lines to help prevent damage to yards when township plows are out.
“Our guys are out their plowing, it could be six inches of snow, we don’t know where the grass is,” Martin said. “So if they could put some delineators up, or reflectors, that would help, and it would stop the aggravation on their part and our part.”
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