Stray Cats Still An Issue With Borough

Over the last several months, the Williamsburg Borough Council has acknowledged that there is a problem with feral cats within the borough. Office Manager Brandy Frank announced during the June 5 meeting that she has reached out and contact numerous places on how to solve the issue. At the April meeting, the council decided to get more information on a Trap-Neuter-Return program to help to try to control the cat population. Frank said that she had contacted many vets about this program and one responded that they would neuter at a cost of $55+ per cat. The program typically runs one time a month.

“We just don’t have the manpower or the time to house or transport these cats,” Mayor Ted Hyle said of the proposal.

Frank said they would look into other ideas.

Chief of Police Rowdy Kagarise said that the incident report he presented to the council was made using the new police reporting system. However, Kagarise reported that the system has been very “confusing” for multiple area police, so they may stick to the older system.

Council member Paula Hamilton asked about kids on bikes on the sidewalks. Kagarise said they had to yield to pedestrians, and that motorized bikes were not permitted on the sidewalks.

Zak Price of Steel Curtain Soft Wash, offered to pressure wash Riverside Park for free for advertising before/after pictures for his business.

Borough Secretary Lisa Dishong gave members of the council a synopsis of the Liquid Fuels Audit conducted. The company PMRS, which the borough has their pension through, caused some concern for lack of paperwork for auditors, especially between the years of 2018-22.

A thank-you letter was signed by council members thanking borough resident Michael Ginter for his job repainting the tank at Riverside Park.

“He did a very nice job,” Councilmember Ed Patterson remarked.

Dishong remarked the seahorse ride at Riverside Park was broken. The Borough will replace it at a cost of $500. Councilmember Paula Hamilton also reminded to get new sand for the park.

A property along East First Street has had multiple outstanding code enforcement bills unpaid totaling upwards of $300, dating back to November of 2022. Dishong asked if the borough wanted to start the process of placing a lien on the property. Paula Hamilton made a motion to start process. The motion passed.

Borough Chairman Don Zimmerman and Borough Manager Joe Lansberry were absent from the meeting.