Brooks parking ban ordinance approved

There will be no parking on the north side of the street between North Third Avenue and North 13th Avenue.

By: Charlie Olsen
   The Borough Council unanimously adopted an ordinance that will ban parking on a portion of the north side of Brooks Boulevard between North Third Avenue and North 13th Avenue.
   The parking ban will take effect as soon as a legal notice is published.
   The borough also adopted a separate ordinance setting a maximum penalty for violation of any provision of any ordinance at $2,000, while housing and zoning violations carry a maximum $1,250 fine.
   Imprisonment in the county jail and/or community service penalties cannot exceed 90 days.
   "The reason to update the maximum penalties is to try to get Manville up to parity with county and state laws," said Mayor Angelo Corradino.
   In another ordinance, the council resolved to pay the borough public defender a $4,000 salary, instead of paying a rate of $250 per court case, which will save an estimated $3,000 this year.
   In January, the council named Somerville attorney Frank Hermes public defender.
   "It’s a win-win situation," said Mr. Corradino. "We’re trying to cut corners anywhere we can."
   Resident Dean Shepherd got the assurances of the borough that the defender would not have any additional benefits on top of his salary.
   Mr. Shepherd also brought up the speeding problem coming out of Lost Valley where he said cars have been whipping through the tunnel at what he said were high speeds.
   Mr. Shepherd said he thought the speed limit was 5 mph in the tunnel and remembered seeing a sign there awhile ago.
   Mr. Corradino pointed out that it was a suggested speed and that the borough had tried numerous methods to curb speeding, but none stuck.