Council hears proposal to revise Chapter 80: background checks and fixed-location approvals for solicitation permits

At the start of new business the Public Safety Committee considered proposed changes to Chapter 80 of the borough code concerning solicitation permits and fixed-location approvals.

Why it matters: The policy revision responds to limits on police authority to run criminal-history checks and seeks to clarify who may authorize tables and similar fixed-location uses outside businesses.

A committee member explained that the police department is not authorized under the "criminal justice criminal history records act" to provide background checks for solicitation permits and that private vendors can perform those checks. "The police department is not authorized by the criminal justice criminal history records act to provide these checks. But there are private vendors that do," the committee was told.

A council member proposed a parallel edit to require both the property owner and the borough to approve tables or similar displays at fixed locations. "I would also like council to consider...except with the prior approval of the property owner or borough, I would like it to say property owner and borough," the member said, explaining the change is intended to prevent businesses from unilaterally installing tables or displays without borough oversight.

The proposal was presented for consideration and explanation; no final vote or ordinance adoption occurred at the meeting. The committee indicated the edits would continue to the appropriate review process, and members noted related discussion at the borough's Smart Growth committee later on the agenda.

Notes and limitations: The transcript records the legal phrase used by speakers; the committee did not publish revised ordinance text at the meeting and no formal adoption vote was recorded.