By Audrey Levine, Staff Writer
The following is a record of minor moments at Monday’s Borough Council meeting, which, though not necessarily breaking news, are still worthy of note.
A question over the power to tow a vehicle turned into a discussion over who makes the decisions when resident Rich Onderko placed blame on Mayor Lillian Zuza for the towing and ticketing of vehicles in Manville after about two inches of snow fell during the March 2 storm.
”Mayor, it was a poor decision on your part to authorize the towing,” he said. “Towing cars in the middle of the night when two or three inches of snow has fallen will not win you any votes.”
Mr. Onderko insisted that ticketing people and towing the vehicles was unnecessary, especially so early in the morning, and cited it as a “money-grabbing” action.
After the blame had been placed, Mayor Zuza calmly responded to Mr. Onderko by asking Borough Clerk Phil Petrone if she actually had any authority to authorize the towing of vehicles.
”No,” was the simple answer from Mr. Petrone.
Sometimes the simplest answer is not the one people are actually looking for, as was proven when property owner Dean Shepard questioned why several borough trucks do not have borough insignia on them.
”I think (Councilman) Steve (Szabo) should look into having the cars labeled,” said Mr. Shepard of the councilman who has brought up the concern in the past.
Borough Clerk, and Director of Public Works, Phil Petrone said there is a simple reason why two trucks are not lettered, and repeated his answer several times when Mr. Shepard continued to question the decision.
”They are supervisor trucks and they don’t have lettering,” Mr. Petrone said.
Audrey Levine

