EAST BRADY – The former home of the East Brady Bulldogs is going dog-friendly again as the old high school prepares to welcome a new pet grooming business starting this summer.
At their Tuesday night meeting, borough council members approved a rental application from Parker-area resident Chevelle Daniels, who offered to open a dog grooming salon in the center’s girls’ locker room. East Brady community.
“I’m trying to get out of the business [world] and going out alone,” Daniels told the council, noting that she has worked at Petco in Butler since 2011 and has served as the store’s salon manager for seven years. “When it comes to dog grooming, I’m experienced and very confident in what I do.”
In fact, Daniels said she has several clients willing to follow her to her own salon in East Brady, noting the business could provide an economic boost to the riverside community.
“I think it would be great for East Brady, to get more customers, more business,” she said.
Emphasizing that she understands there may be concerns about the presence of a dog grooming business in the community building, Daniels assured council members that she would stay informed about cleaning up potential animal messes. and would keep pet hair out of sewers. She said she would also be open to soundproofing her area, if necessary, so as not to disturb other businesses or tenants.
A major concern for borough officials was the dog grooming business’s proximity to Mother Goose Preschool, which is a longtime tenant of the community building.
“You can have people coming in at the same time as the preschoolers are coming in or leaving,” council chair Barb Mortimer said, noting that children often like to pet dogs and some people might be bothered by them. the fact that the young people are close to the dogs that they do not have. you know. “The last thing we want is for a child to be bitten by a dog.”
Councilman Joe Hillwig echoed Mortimer’s concern, stressing that he didn’t want preschool students, parents or staff “to feel uncomfortable.”
“It’s just worrying with little kids and not knowing what kind of dogs come through the door,” he said.
Explaining that she understands that not everyone likes dogs, Daniels – who is also a dog trainer and familiar with “aggressive dogs and different behaviors” – said she had no problem pushing one away. animal that she considered too aggressive.
“I don’t have any aggressive dogs in the building,” she reassured council members, adding that she could work her schedule around the arrival and departure times of preschoolers, as well. as extracurricular activity groups. “I want to make sure everyone here feels safe, and I don’t want to be a nuisance to other businesses.”
As an added precaution, council members said a door could be used to separate the glass doors at the entrance that would be used by the preschool and pet grooming salon.
“I love that she’s willing to work with us,” Councilwoman Joy McCluskey said of Daniels. “She also had a lot covered.”
“I think it’s a brilliant idea,” Hillwig added of the venture. “She [Daniels] knows what she’s doing, there’s no doubt.
In the end, council members voted unanimously to lease the space to Daniels for his business, tentatively effective June 1.
East Brady Amends Nuisance Ordinance
Borough ordinances also took center stage at the lengthy meeting on April 5, as council members took the first steps to change the nuisance ordinance in East Brady.
Council approved the release of an amendment to the Borough’s Nuisance Ordinance, eliminating the requirement to send additional letters to repeat offenders who are cited for the same nuisance offenses, including tall grass , snow removal and the accumulation of waste on their properties.
“The problem is that there is no deterrence; it’s the same people every year, the same thing,” said New Bethlehem Police Chief Robert Malnofsky. He explained that the borough pays to send multiple letters to the same offenders for infractions. In many cases, the chief said, offenders are no longer picking up letters at the post office, which takes up even more time for officers. “I’m just trying to rationalize it, so if it’s the same people and the same violation, we do a citation…instead of dragging it on longer and longer.”
Offering his thoughts on the amendment, borough attorney Andrew Cypher of Mechling & Heller LLP said the new procedure could be challenged, but the worst-case scenario would be that the order would revert to the need to deliver multiple letters.
The amended ordinance is expected to be formally approved at the May 3 council meeting.
Council also discussed with Cypher possible ordinance solutions for degraded or vacated properties in the borough. Cypher described a similar ordinance enacted in Kittanning and discussed the pros and cons of enforcing it.
“Based on our experience using these ordinances in other municipalities, degraded and vacant properties are increasingly becoming an issue,” Cypher said, noting that success depends on how rigorously the borough is boroughed. wants to enforce violations. “It can be a headache to apply because people will always be unhappy with whoever quotes them, but it’s an incredibly powerful tool for beautifying the borough.”
No official action on this has been taken.
• During the public concerns portion of the meeting, council heard from area resident Dan Markel, who is director of the Petroleum Valley Youth Center. The center is in the midst of a fundraising campaign to make the main recreation hall more accessible to people with disabilities – including the construction of disabled toilets and ramps.
“There are a lot of kids from East Brady and the Karns City School District attending summer camp,” Markel said, explaining that he was seeking help from various groups and municipalities, including East Brady. “If there is any way to get help, that would be really appreciated.”
Mortimer said while she wasn’t sure what the borough was allowed to donate to, the council would check the code and certainly help raise awareness of the fundraiser.
Anyone wishing to contribute to the project can make a tax-deductible donation at www.gopvyc.weebly.com/donations.html, or send checks to Petroleum Valley Youth Center, PO Box 226, 251 Magnolia Road, Chicora, PA 16025.
• The board approved resolution 2022-07, authorizing the regional police grant application on behalf of the Southern Clarion County Regional Police Department.
• Approval has been given to Penn Sweeping to sweep the streets of the borough at a cost of $130 per hour. Borough officials said street sweeping will take place the week of April 11.
• Council members also authorized Luke McCluskey to repair broken windows in the community building at a cost of $300.
Mortimer said the windows were smashed years ago. As a result, she said the birds always come inside and the heat escapes.