At the December Tyrone Borough Council Meeting,  council discussed the trapping and neutering of cats to help reduce the borough’s stray cat problem, issues involving the school district, and the fundraising campaign for a police K-9 unit.

A group of women from an organization called Tyrone’s Trap, Neuter, and Return (TNR) Program spoke to the council and Mayor Latchford about the progress they have made on the borough’s ongoing feral cat problem.

Deb Soellner, spokesperson for TNR, said that have trapped seven female and four male cats. She also told council that they have been doing SNAP tests on the cats that they trap.  SNAP is a blood test that screens cats for six common feline diseases including feline HIV, leukemia and feline heart-worm infections.

One member of the TNR Program explained to council that Bald Eagle Avenue currently has only two strays, whereas there were upwards of 20 at the beginning of the year.

The Tyrone TNR program was given 40 SNAP tests. Money to pay for the SNAP tests were funded through a GoFundMe campaign and personal donations.

TNR attempts to have the cats that they trap, and sometimes foster, become adopted by local residents.

“We need people who want to foster and adopt, these cats are wonderful,” said Deb Soellner.

Tyrone resident Jonathan Holmes was outspoken in support for the TNR program at the Council Meeting saying “I really love what you guys are doing.”

The Borough also addressed the Feral Cat Ordinance and explicitly stated that the ordinance is complaint driven.

Another issue that was brought in front of council was the school zones and snow plowing around the school.

Michelle Miller, a crossing guard for Tyrone Area School District, and Steve Grott, father of a Tyrone student, were two residents who brought up issues involving traffic around the school.

Steve Grott brought up the issue of how snow was not being plowed behind the fog line on Clay Avenue near 5th Street. This was reportedly resulting in students having to walk in the lanes of traffic on their way to and from school because there were no passable sidewalks.

“Students have to walk in the middle of Clay Avenue, right in the traffic lanes,” said Miller. She extended on that statement by saying, “I am trying to avoid children being hurt.”

The Borough also entertained the idea of working towards having the school zones extended in order to further limit the speed of traffic near the school. 

Borough Manager Ardene Latchford, talked about extending the current school zone towards 5th street.

Another thing brought before council was the Tyrone Police Department’s K-9 program.

Chief Romeo announced that 165 tickets will be sold for an Elvis Night at Colonial Courtyard. The price is between $10-15 and all proceeds will go towards the K-9 Program.

As well, Exposed graphics has made shirts that will be sold for $15 and will benefit the K-9 program as well (photos of the shirts are on the slideshow above).

The department has also set up a GoFundMe page to accept donations for the K-9 program.