MOSCOW BOROUGH NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2010
MOSCOW BOROUGH OFFICE HOURS/EMAIL ADDRESSES: Borough Office hours are Monday and Tuesday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Moscow Borough Office: |
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Moscow Borough Police Department: |
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Moscow Borough Street Department: |
BOROUGH OFFICE
VOTING FORMS: Absentee ballot applications and voter registration forms are available at the Moscow Borough Office.
PRIMARY ELECTION DAY: Primary election Day will be Tuesday, May 18, 2010. Residents of the Borough vote at the Moscow United Methodist Church on Church Street, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Light food items, soup and baked goods will be available for purchase.
LOCAL WAGE TAXES: Beth Murray, Wage Tax Collector, would like to remind everyone who is employed to make sure that your employer knows that the correct taxing district for your local wage taxes is Moscow Borough. Also, make sure that your employer has both your physical and mailing addresses, if different.
LOCAL SERVICES TAX: Please note that Moscow Borough has an ordinance, #199 – 2007, which pertains to the Local Services Tax in the amount of $52.00 a year for people working within the Borough and whose income/net profits are $12,000.00 or more a year. This includes self-employed, sole proprietors, etc. who reside within the Borough with their home address as their primary location of the business. Information regarding this tax is available upon request. If you have any questions regarding either of these taxes you may contact Beth Murray at 842-1699.
INCOME TAX FORMS: Federal and State tax forms for 2010 will NOT be available at the Moscow Borough Building but will be available at the North Pocono Public Library. Tax forms may also be obtained by downloading off the computer at www.irs.gov; by contacting the Internal Revenue Service at 1-800-829-3676; or by visiting the local Internal Revenue Office at 409 Lackawanna Avenue, Scranton.
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION: Moscow Borough Council is looking for an individual to be an alternate on the Civil Service Commission. If interested please contact the Borough Office at 842-1699.
MOSCOW SEWER AUTHORITY: Moscow Borough Council is looking for two individuals to be on the Moscow Sewer Authority. The Sewer Authority meets monthly usually on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. If interested in these positions please contact the Borough Office at 842-1699.
JUNIOR COUNCIL PERSON: Ryan Morgan, a resident of Moscow Borough, and a senior at North Pocono, was recently appointed to the position of Junior Council Person for Moscow Borough Council. We thank Ryan for his interest in representing Moscow Borough. Junior and senior high school students are eligible for this position. If anyone is interested please contact the Moscow Borough Office at 842-1699.
HAPPENINGS MAGAZINE: Current issues of the Happenings Magazine are available at the Borough Office on a monthly basis while supplies last.
LANDLORDS: Landlords are reminded to provide all tenants with a copy of this newsletter. If you would like your tenants to be on a mailing list to receive the newsletter directly please contact the Borough Office at 842-1699.
HOMEOWNERS/BUSINESS OWNERS: Please see that all members of your household or employees of your business are aware of this newsletter.
WINTER ENFORCEMENTS
SNOW REMOVAL: The Police Department strictly enforces the Borough’s ordinance prohibiting the plowing, blowing, shoveling, or pushing of snow from private property onto Borough streets, whether before or after the streets have been plowed. Doing so creates an unsafe and difficult situation when chunks of snow become frozen, or even when a thin layer of snow freezes causing slippery conditions. It is also illegal to blow or plow snow onto a neighbor’s property. Property owners will be held liable, not the contractors, so please inform your contractor of this policy.
PARKING BAN ON STREETS: The Police Department strictly enforces the Borough’s ordinance prohibiting parking on streets in the Borough from 2:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m., November 15th through April 1st. Also, street parking is prohibited at all times during a snowstorm until the streets have been cleared.
SIDEWALKS: The Borough of Moscow has a sidewalk ordinance that requires all residents to have their sidewalks cleared within TWENTY-FOUR hours after any snowfall. Sidewalks must be cleared the whole width of the sidewalk not just a small pathway. If you live on a corner lot you are responsible for cleaning and removing snow from the sidewalks located in front and on the side of your property. You must also clear the sidewalk out to the street so that access can be made from the corner so that pedestrians do not have to go into someone’s driveway to access your sidewalks. Also, if your sidewalks have been cleared but get covered again due to drifting, you are responsible for clearing the snow after the drifting.
SNOW/ICE ON VEHICLES: This is a reminder that all snow and ice must be entirely removed from your vehicle (windows, headlights, taillights, mirrors, auxiliary lighting, hood and roof) prior to driving the vehicle on the road to prevent the snow or ice from blowing off of your vehicle into traffic causing unsafe conditions for the vehicle behind you.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
SEE IT, HEAR IT, REPORT IT: The Police Department would again like to remind you that if you observe or hear anything suspicious, or if you need immediate assistance, you should immediately call 911 or 342-9111. If it is a non-emergency, call the Police Department Office at 842-2061.
RAPE AGRESSION DEFENSE COURSE FOR WOMEN (SELF-DEFENSE): Ivy Brenzel, Police Chief of the Moscow Borough Police Department, is offering classes for this self-defense course for females of all ages. Anyone interested in this program should contact Chief Brenzel at 842-2061. The next scheduled RAD class will be held on Wednesdays, April 7, 14, 21, and 28, 2010.
r.a.d.KIDS: Ivy Brenzel, Police Chief of the Moscow Borough Police Department, is a certified instructor for this Personal Empowerment Safety Education program for children ages 5-7 and 8-12. If you would like more information on this program, or if you would like to attend the Summer Safety Camp 2010 scheduled for July 26 – 30, 2010, please call Chief Brenzel at 842-2061.
DRIVING IN THE SCHOOL ZONE: Residents are reminded that the speed limit in the school zone is 15 miles per hour when the lights are flashing. When there is a school delay due to snow the lights are not on however you should still obey the 15 miles per hour limit. Pay close attention to the school crossing guards who are crossing children at several locations in the Borough.
ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2009:
Number of 911 Calls |
1,905 |
Written/Verbal Warnings |
581 |
Number of 911 Calls cleared |
1,840 |
Criminal Arrests |
20 |
Number of man-hours |
9,330 |
Juvenile Petitions |
10 |
Number of miles patrolled |
36,809 |
Police Escorts |
10 |
Collisions |
39 |
Security/Housechecks |
96 |
Traffic Citations |
115 |
Fuel by Dollars |
$7,623.19 |
Non-Traffic Citations |
35 |
Fuel by Gallons |
3,216.43 |
Parking/Summons |
52 |
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STREET DEPARTMENT/RECYCLING
SNOWPLOWING: The Borough has received complaints from residents about the street department employees plowing snow onto their sidewalks and property. The Borough has a right-of-way from twenty-five feet from the center of the road on each side. During storms the roads are generally plowed to the shoulder, however, after a storm they must be widened to accommodate parking, to allow for the passage of emergency vehicles, and to make room in the event of another storm.
RECYCLING: Please be reminded that if there is a snowstorm on the days that recycling would normally be picked up that you should leave the bins curbside and they will be picked up when the street employees have time. Recycling bins should be placed further back from the edge of your property when there is an accumulation of snow so that they are not hit with snow being plowed back from the edge of the street. Do not place bins on top of piled up snow as they tend to tip over.
CHRISTMAS TREES: Borough residents may bring their Christmas trees to the Borough Building to be recycled. All decorations and bags must be removed. Borough employees cannot pick up trees that have been placed curbside.
RECYCLING OF CHRISTMAS CARDS: Christmas cards can be recycled by sending them to St. Jude’s Card Recycling, 100 St. Jude Street, PO Box 60100, Boulder City, Nevada 89006.
MISCELLANEOUS RECYCLING: Google Real Simple’s A-to-Z Guide to find out where many miscellaneous items can be recycled.
DEBRIS IN ROADWAY: It is illegal and dangerous to deposit any type of debris on the roadway. This includes dirt, rocks and lumber. If you are having work done on your property such as landscaping, the contractors cannot use the roadway to stockpile supplies.
TREES ALONG BOROUGH RIGHT-OF-WAY: Trees along the Borough right-of-way that extend into the streets should be trimmed back two feet from the edge of the street and branches trimmed 14 feet from the ground. When trees extend into the street it becomes difficult to plow snow back to the edge and the branches can do damage to the mirrors and trucks.
PENNDOT MAIN STREET PROJECT: The PennDOT Main Street project involving the installation of traffic signals at the intersections of Church and Main Streets and Main and Market Streets will begin in the springtime. This project will also involve the installation of sidewalks along two blocks of Main Street and the first block of Church Street; the curbing and paving of the two parking lots on the easterly side of Main Street; and the installation of decorative street lights in front of the businesses on Main Street from Church Street to Academy Street. This is a major project which when completed will be a major enhancement to Moscow Borough.
BOROUGH EVENTS
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT: Moscow Borough received an award from the National Association of Town Watch for placing 12th out of hundreds of submissions in the category “population of 15,000 and under” for its participation in National Night Out in August, 2009. The National Night Out Committee will begin meeting in April of 2010 to make plans for National Night Out 2010 which will be held on Tuesday, August 3rd. If you are interested in being on this committee or volunteering your time please call the Borough Office or the Police Department.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
DAFFODIL DAY: The American Cancer Society will be selling daffodils at Bill’s Market on March 17th and 18th. Phone orders may be placed by calling the American Cancer Society at 562-9749. The cost is $10.00 for a bunch of ten daffodils. Other items available for purchase are a bear and flowers - $25.00; vase and flowers - $15.00; and mini pots - $12.00.
MOSCOW UNITED METHODIST CHURCH: Breakfast with the Easter Bunny – March 27th, 10:00 a.m. Please call Nancy Schwenk at 842-2495 for reservations. Spring Art Show – April 10th, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. There will be a display of original works by over thirty local artists. Selected pieces will be available for purchase. Classical selections will be performed by local musicians during the exhibition, and an assortment of hors d’ oeuvres and desserts will be served. A donation of five dollars per person is suggested. For more information please call Sarah Miller at 689-5705.
MOSCOW TRAIN STATION: The individuals who run and maintain the Moscow Train Station would like to thank Ken Walker from England (cousin of Nate and Yvonne Bifano) who recently helped clean up around the train station while visiting Moscow during a recent vacation.
CLIPPING AWAY FOR MILITARY FAMILIES: If you are interested in clipping coupons and sending them overseas for military families to use Google “Clipping Away for Military Families” for information on how to participate in this project.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE KEN SMITH’S OFFICE: Representative Smith has a constituent service office in the Moscow Borough Building, 123 VanBrunt Street, Moscow. Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, or by appointment by calling 842-8115 or 342-2710.
LACKAWANNA COUNTY WINTER 2010 GOLF CLINIC APPLICATION: The Lackawanna County Commissioners 2010 Winter Golf Clinic will be held on February 22 – March 19 at South Scranton Intermediate School Gymnasium, 355 Maple Street. For more information call 963-6764.
NORTH POCONO ROTARY: The North Pocono Rotary is sponsoring a $5,000.00 cash raffle for the benefit of Youth and Community Projects. The drawing will be held on Saturday, April 17, 2010 at the Elmhurst Country Club with dinner music being provided by Jim Cerminaro. The tickets are $85.00 per ticket with a maximum of two hundred being sold. Each ticket includes two dinners and the chance to win many other prizes. For tickets and information contact Carol Hemphill at 842-3742 or John Boos at 689-9114.
UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU: The United States Census Bureau will hire hundreds of employees in your area. Most jobs are where you live and pay $11.00 to $14.00 an hour plus mileage. This is a great opportunity to earn extra money. The hours are flexible and full-time and part-time positions are available. Please call the Scranton Office directly at 570-903-6000 or 1-866-861-2010 to schedule a simple test of basic skills. Consult the website at http://2010.census.gov for complete information and a practice test.
NORTH POCONO PUBLIC LIBRARY:
HOPE FOR HAITI: John Sanko, a resident of Moscow Borough, was in Haiti on a service mission from January 3rd to January 8th. He went with a group of individuals with an organization called Hope for Haiti, a non-profit charitable organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for the Haitian people, particularly children, through education, nutrition, and healthcare. Under normal circumstances the Haitian people live with political unrest, deplorable living conditions, and a lack of food and medical supplies. Due to the recent earthquake on January 12, 2010, the Haitian people are even more desperate. If you would like to make a monetary donation or donate medical supplies please contact John at 842-4772 or go online at http://www.hopeforhaiti.com/ to find out more about Hope for Haiti.
SURVEY – MOSCOW BOROUGH NEWSLETTER SURVEY
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