Last night, the Tyrone Borough Council approved the location of a new dance studio to be operated by Lindsay Folk of Altoona, and voted to table the re-application for a handicapped parking space by Dale Shomo.
Folk, who has been the dance instructor at the Tyrone Area YMCA, applied for conditional use of the building at 8 W. 10th Street in Tyrone that is owned by Ellen Wallace.
During the public hearing, Folk said, “dance promotes self-confidence and self-image, it will give the kids in Tyrone something to do.”
When asked if there would be a parking problem, borough code enforcement officer Tom Lang stated that there are five parking spaces grandfathered into the building’s location and there would be no problem. Folk assured council that she has placed, in her brochures, that parents are requested to park in the community parking lot to ease traffic at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 10th Street and also as a safety precaution for the kids.
The council voted 6-0 to approve the conditional use of the building and the dance studio will be opening in the fall.
Confusion was the word to describe the handicapped parking request of Dale Shomo.
After his first request was turned down by the council, Shomo filed another request for a handicapped parking space at 1910 Columbia Avenue rear.
Shomo presented a letter from his landlord Robert Houser that says, “the space next to 1910 Columbia Avenue rear is part of 1910 Columbia Avenue rear.”
Chief Joe Beachem spoke to Houser’s wife on Monday afternoon and reported to council that Houser’s wife said there was an off-street parking space that was available but it wasn’t good for Shomo to park there.
Council member Bill Latchford made a motion to deny Shomo’s request which was seconded by Jennifer Bryan. Latchford and Bryan voted for the motion, while council members Jeffrey Watson, Sharon Dannaway, Virgie Werner and Mayor Stoner voted against.
Dannaway made a motion to table the application until next Monday’s council meeting, which was seconded and approved by a 6-0 vote.
“I believe that in the interest of protecting ourselves and the chief, the people who are requesting the action should be present at the meeting,” said Watson. “This will get rid of the he said, she said stuff that is going on.”
Mayor Stoner spoke up and said about a recent letter to the editor by Shomo’s wife Tammy.
“The chief has nothing to gain and has no reason to bring false information to the council,” said the mayor. “Accusations like that do a disservice to the chief and the police department. The Borough is not required by law to provide handicapped parking spaces. We do it as a service.”
It was also brought up that during the request background interview procedure that the interviewer give the notes to the person interviewed too review and get them initialed.”
Mardell Cooper, representing the Open Door for Handicapped called The Daily Herald to report that Shomo is recovering from surgery to his already amputated leg and was unable to attend the meeting.
A handicapped space was requested by Anna Hunsicker for 1306 Pennsylvania Avenue. With no off-street parking available, Chief Beachem requested approval and the vote carried 6-0.
Council also voted on the following items:
• voted 6-0 to approve sale of Borough equipment/vehicles;
• voted 6-0 to accept the retirement of Robert Flaig, an 18-year employee at the Waste Water Treatment Plant;
• voted 6-0 to accept the resignation of part-time police officer Adam Miller effective July 1 and approve George Swonger and Kurt McKendree as new part-time police officers;
• voted 6-0 to accept the 2002 Borough audit. There were only two major findings identified. The regular not about segregation of duties and a note about updating the non-uniformed and police pension plans;
• voted 6-0 to approve the new billing format for the water and sewer bills.
Council meets next Monday evening at 7 p.m.
