Ebensburg Borough Council tables gaming ordinance plan | Information, Sports activities, Jobs

EBENSBURG — Representatives of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4963 left the Borough Council’s assembly Monday with a sigh of reduction after opposing a proposed ordinance regarding amusement and gaming units throughout public remark.

A proposal of the borough’s gaming license ordinance would have regulated and required a license for amusement and gaming units. In June, council members agreed to assist annual charges of $250 for each gaming system that pays out and $100 per system that doesn’t pay out and suggested their solicitor to draft the proposal for evaluate.

VFW Junior Vice Commander Brandon Kopp stated he feels the charges would have had a adverse influence on the VFW’s charitable contributions to different native, state and nationwide organizations.

Those donations embrace supporting native college applications, the Cambria County Historical Society, the Young Peoples Community Center and native emergency companies, he stated.

The funds raised from the VFW’s 5 machines additionally help of their volunteer efforts, like offering navy funeral honors for gratis to native veterans in addition to putting and retrieving flags at native veterans’ grave markers, he stated.

“We recommend an exemption for nonprofit organizations from the proposed mechanical device tax. The handful of machines that we have are for members only,” Kopp stated whereas addressing council members, noting the machines are both turned off or moved to an unseen space throughout public occasions.

Philip Rice, a commander of the American Legion Post No. 363 and fourth-generation Ebensburg resident, agreed with Kopp.

“I’d like to echo Brandon’s comments and ask that the borough please consider the many cultural, social and financial contributions that nonprofits in Ebensburg make to this community,” Rice stated. “Please exempt them from any fees in the gaming ordinance.”

The proposed drafted ordinance was in the end tabled Monday, with a number of members of council stating issues that state officers could quickly regulate gaming units sooner or later.

That would go away “a very small amount” of consideration for the borough’s enforcement, if council determined to maneuver ahead with enacting the ordinance, council President Doug Tusing stated.

“Is it worth setting up a system? My personal opinion is it’s probably not,” Tusing stated, including the council might revisit the concept. “I think the time has come when the state realizes they’re missing out on too much money.”

After council members tabled the ordinance, Tusing stated he has “significant doubts” that they’ll ever enact it sooner or later.

After the assembly, Kopp stated he was glad the council took his feedback into account.

“It seems that, if they move forward with anything, it would exempt the nonprofits from that,” Kopp stated. “We’re just glad to be able to keep those funds and revenues as is.”

During the assembly, council members additionally voted to OK proposed adjustments to its zoning ordinance regulating the situation and zoning of sure industrial makes use of within the borough, together with gaming parlors, hookah bars, marijuana dispensaries, Cannabidiol (CBD) shops, vape retailers and tobacco shops.

The up to date ordinance will probably be referred to Cambria County officers and the borough’s planning fee, in response to the assembly’s agenda. After the planning fee approves of the updates, a public listening to will probably be held earlier than the ordinance will get ultimate approval from council members at a future assembly, Tusing stated.

“Essentially what we’re saying is this is the ordinance that we want to propose and then we’ll go through the process with that,” he stated.