OLYPHANT - An accident involving a new police cruiser was a focal point of a council meeting Tuesday.
Mayor Jayme Morano said an officer was pulling onto the street when his contact lens fell out. As the officer reached for the lens, he hit a lamp post.
A police report completed by the Jessup Police Department showed that Gary Sholtes of Throop was driving on Rock Creek Plaza when the crash happened.
There was no information about whether any citation would be issued, but after the meeting, borough manager and solicitor C.J. Mustacchio said he planned to recommend holding further discussion with council and police officials during an executive session.
"I am just infuriated that this happened," Councilwoman Jo Ann Jason said. There was about $7,500 of damage done to the vehicle, though the air bag did not deploy, Mr. Morano said.
Also at the meeting, council President Robert Hudak asked that a council member stop cutting the grass at Condella Park, noting that it gave the appearance of impropriety.
Though he did not name the official, Councilman Dave Mitchko said he had been falsely accused, adding that he had never been paid to cut the grass there.
The council hired two additional grass cutters at the meeting. James Gilgallon was approved to cut the grass at Condella Park and two softball fields and Marc Cortazar was approved on an as-needed basis.
The borough also approved a resolution, authorizing a maximum $4,000 contribution to a multi-community effort for "improved security" at the Mid Valley Elementary Center. Officials from Olyphant, Dickson City and Throop have been in talks with school board officials about sharing the cost of an additional resource officer or other security measures.
In other business, the borough approved Thomas Sherwood, of the borough, as a part-time police officer at a rate of $12 per hour.
Contact the writer: rbrown@timesshamrock.com, @rbrownTT on Twitter