With the intent of better evaluating the proposed Nuisance Gathering Ordinance, the State College Borough Council decided Monday night during their bi-monthly meeting to wait until February 2010 to vote on the ordinance.
Due to recent evaluations and critiques of outside entities such as the ACLU and University Park Undergraduate Association Legal Affairs, the council decided to postpone making a decision until 2010. They instead choose to focus on the 2010 budget, which will be finalized within the next two weeks.
As currently proposed, the 2010 budget is projected at $30,470,416, to be split among a variety of organizations and projects. The budget will be finalized within the next two weeks, and a breakdown of the currently proposed budget is available online.
Borough council members made clear that they were not postponing their decision out of fear of the ordinance being taken to court by an organization, but rather that they felt the ordinance needed more attention and critique.
“I came here tonight looking forward to voting against the NGO,” said council member Peter Morris.
“I certainly had reservations about the ordinance,” added council member James L. Rosenberger. “But it is moving in the right direction.”
The ordinance was proposed on June 8 along with a variety of other ordinances, and has undergone a series of revisions since its inception. One such change is the removal of jail time as a possible offense for those charged.
Matthew Locklan, Director of UPUA Department of Legal Affairs spoke during open discussion and said he looks forward to the chance to discuss this legislation further with the borough council.
“It is still our position that we are opposed to it,” said Locklan. “We look forward to working with you on the ordinance. We look forward to meet with council members to discuss what our reservations are.”
State College resident Carol Gold, of E. Doris Ave., said she looks forward to a legislation that makes the borough some place all of its residents will want to live, no matter their age.
“I’m very glad that this will be postponed so that there will be more dialogue and discussion between all players in the borough.”
