CLEARFIELD- A collection of business owners in downtown Clearfield descended on Clearfield Borough Council for the committee meeting on Thursday evening, hoping to make an impact and sway the members away from a proposed gaming ordinance on Skills machines.
The “Clearfield Amusement Licensing Ordinance” Article 209 was drafted to increase the cost of operating the gaming machines in establishments, with most seeing more than triple the cost to operate. John Luddman, a trustee for the Clearfield Elks Lodge, spoke first to council, mentioning the donations that they have given to the area and how it could change.
“We’re getting by, not swimming in money by any means, and you are proposing a 300 percent tax increase on our machines,” he said. “We donate money to our local football teams, baseball teams, the Clearfield Fire Department, and others. If this goes through, in all honesty, a lot of that will stop.
“You’re not taking money from us; you’re taking it from non-profit organizations.”
Joan Maineslovan, also representing the Elks, brought in a list of over two dozen organizations they have donated to in the last year, totaling $16,700 in all. She too felt the increase would reduce the amount of donations to all the organizations, but also made a point that it usually is the local establishments that are turned to in a time of need.
“Along with the clubs in our area, and local bars, when something happens in our community, who are the ones that step up and get something going? It was because of our local bars, and our clubs,” she said. “I’m asking you to reconsider, and maybe communicate with these clubs and bars. Perhaps you can come up with a better solution.”
The software developer for the skills machines noted that they are not opposed to an increase in taxes on the machines, as they were seeking to have something done in Harrisburg similar to what the proposed ordinance is set to do. However, he felt that the increases should be modest, as most of the fees he was seeing in other boroughs and surrounding areas was similar to what many in Clearfield were paying, stating, “I saw most were around $200 on the machines, and then it suddenly increases to $700 a machine.”
After all the individual owners were heard, the Planning and Community Development committee proposed to move forward with Article 209 to a vote. When the motion was presented, no member of council made the motion, nor was it seconded. No action ultimately was taken.
Prior to the meeting beginning, Mayor Mason Strouse officially swore in the newest council member, William Armstrong. He fills the position of First Ward Council Member, taking over for Todd Orsich. Armstrong was approved for the position at last month’s council meeting, however Strouse was not in attendance, so the swearing in process was postponed until Thursday’s committee meeting.
Borough Solicitor, Patrick LaVelle, announced the vacancy for the Fourth Ward would be settled in the Court of Common Pleas on Thursday, July 17, at 9:30 a.m. The Fourth Ward position has been vacant since November after Courtney Mayhew resigned. Council failed to fill the position in the required 30-day timeline, and then went to the Vacancy Board, led by Bruce Fair. The position was not filled by the Board, and it was then moved to the Court of Common Pleas.
Council will convene again the same day as the court date, July 17, at 5 p.m.
