Lansford Borough Council moved on advertising for a police chief, more police officers and a full-time code officer Wednesday, after getting an earful from residents about the lack of enforcement in town.

Council Vice President John Turcmanovich told residents he planned on asking council to advertise for both full-time and part-time officers before hearing the latest round of complaints.

Council is also seeking a full-time code officer, due to the resignation of the current code officer, Jim Dean.

One woman showed photographs of neighbors and their guests loitering and trespassing onto adjacent properties, being loud and police not doing anything about it.

The woman, Rita Klekamp, who at one time served as president of the Lansford Concerned Citizens group, asked council members what they would do, and how they would feel about the lack of enforcement.

“I have called the police about them. I have talked to (the landlord) about them. I have done everything I possibly can do,” she said. “Nothing has been done. Nothing.”

Rules regarding rentals, inspections and overall quality of life issues are not being enforced either, Klekamp said. She recalled having to comply with a list of borough inspection rules when she bought a property on Abbott Street.

“Now, people come in from the city, they slop some paint on and rent it out for $1,100 a month,” she said. “I’m not going to take this.”

Klekamp said she has taken her complaints to the police, mayor and the landlord, and has no problem going to the state attorney general or governor, if no action is taken to rectify the situation.

Mayor Hugh Vrablic said police did respond to the address, but the people had dispersed before they arrived. Klekamp said that wasn’t a good answer, as they should follow up by watching the area.

Solicitor Robert Yurchak told her to call state police, if borough police don’t respond.

A neighboring property owner, Rose Mary Cannon, agreed about the number of people at the house in question, as well as near her property. She told council that she didn’t call police, because she didn’t have “no parking” signs up by her garage, but did have “no trespassing” signs.

“Now, I’m going to say something that you will not like,” Klekamp said, regarding the borough’s inaction, “either someone is being paid off by the landlord, or no one gives a damn.”

She also asked if they would feel intimidated or frightened if people were hanging out on their front porch.

“This is intimidation. This absolutely is,” Klekamp said. “I’m sure I’m speaking for a lot of people in town, who really don’t want to come here. It doesn’t matter to me what you think about me.

“It matters to me that the law is followed, ordinances are adhered to, and people are allowed to live a quiet space,” she said.

Her comments were met with applause.

Council members said it was the first time they were hearing the complaints, and agreed that they would call police, if it was their property. They asked her to file a written complaint form, and one was provided.

Yurchak said there were remedies for nuisance properties, and three conduct violations should trigger an eviction.

But other residents also had complaints, too.

Robert Gaughan, who had served on council, pointed out overgrown weeds at a property near his West Patterson Street home.

“It looks like their mode of operation for weed control is to cut the carpets out of the house and lay them on the lawn. That is what it looks like to me. I find that completely unacceptable,” he said.

Gaughan said there are rules regarding inspection of rentals every two years, or every four years, and properties need to be inspected.

“We need to get back to basics in the borough,” he said. “We don’t have to worry about the big stuff. We need to take care of the little stuff.”

Cannon, too, added to the complaints about other properties with high weeds, overgrown shrubs, tires, garbage and at least one rat. She stressed the need for code enforcement, because “the town going to pot.

“This is unacceptable,” Cannon said, adding that the borough needs to track rentals and the number of people living in them.

Councilman Bill Chuma pointed out there are 740 rental units in the borough, and it’s a difficult task to inspect them all.

Following the meeting, Markovich said that they’re facing the same problems as other small communities.

“The makeup of the community has changed, compared to what it was years ago,” he said. “You don’t have that solid substance of homeowners anymore. You have people who come and go.”

Some landlords have never seen the properties that they buy and rent out, doing all the business online, Markovich said.

“They have no connection whatsoever to the community, and this has been causing problems for years,” he said. “And it’s the same as other communities here in the coal region.”

Police protection

Another resident, Samantha Rose, said she doesn’t feel that enough attention is being focused on public safety. The borough has COVID relief funds that could be used for police and equipment, she said.

“I feel there is no priority put toward our public safety, and I want to know what we’re doing to get our safety back,” Rose said. “We don’t feel safe. We want to feel safe. Why aren’t we doing anything to have the citizens feel safe?”

Council President Bruce Markovich said the COVID funds will not go to waste, and it can no longer be used for things such as sign-on bonuses for police - one of the uses Rose suggested.

Residents questioned why the borough can’t attract officers, and there was some debate on the cost to find them and retain them. Councilman Martin Ditsky said they need a police chief, and he sees the problems in town, too.

Council approved an advertisement for position of police chief with the state Chiefs of Police Association and local newspapers.

Council also approved advertising for full and part-time police officers, and advertising for a full-time code officer immediately following a discussion on a job description at its next committee meeting, Sept. 5.

Markovich placed also blame on the police union’s stance that enforcing quality of life falls into the police jurisdiction, and the borough cannot hire a constable for this enforcement.

The police union asked the borough to negotiate with them regarding the issue, when council first considered an outside hire.

Borough police have been without a contract since the beginning of the year, and the matter is in arbitration.