| Leaders of city neighborhood
associations say they welcome a plan to have a citywide public meeting to discuss
Scranton's fire-hydrant problems. West Scranton Neighborhood Association President
Beverly Gilarde urged the meeting and said she will arrange to meet with other
neighborhood association leaders Thursday to plan for the meeting.
We want to know whats going on, Mrs. Gilarde said. We want to know if our lives are in
danger.
South Scranton Residents Association President Judy Gatelli said shell be there and the
topic will probably come up at her groups meeting Tuesday.
You hear everybody talking about it because its scary. Its a thing that hits home, Mrs.
Gatelli said. Its not like where we could go to Nay Aug Park and not swing. Nobody cares
if we dont have a swing to ride.
Dutch Hollow President Robert Sheridan, Plot President Tom Preambo and Hill President
Bob Neveroski said they will attend, too.
It doesnt hurt to have an opportunity to share some information, Mr. Preambo said.
Mr. Sheridan said he thinks the City Council should pass a law requiring notification
of affected residents and businesses when a hydrant goes down. Not only are residents
endangered by faulty hydrants, but firefighters are, too.
Its like going into a gun battle without bullets, said Mr. Sheridan, a former
policeman.
The condition of the hydrants became a critical issue after firefighters discovered
dead hydrants during recent fires, including one in West Scranton that gutted four homes.
Because the West Scranton groups meeting place the crime-watch building at North
Bromley Avenue and Jackson Street would be too small to accommodate the anticipated crowd,
another site for the citywide meeting will have to be found, Mrs. Gilarde said.
We hope to have the town meeting in about 10 days, Mrs. Gilarde said. We want this
meeting to be very informative, so we want to be organized and ready for it.
She also said she wants to give city officials enough notice to ensure they can attend.
This is a serious problem. It affects the whole city, and we want answers, Mrs. Gilarde
said. |
