Borough council authorizes legal action against tavern
Finn McCool’s has landed in hot water after Ambler Borough Council agreed to authorize all legal action necessary to address the issues at the tavern during its Sept. 4 committee meeting.
Part of the wall of the tavern’s building, facing South Spring Garden Street, collapsed May 1, closing off that section of the street and the building until repairs could be made and the building deemed structurally safe. After no vLsLEOH sLgns RI SURgUHss WR fix WhH problem, council made several attempts to reach out to the owners to begin the process of reopening the street and the tavern.
A strongly worded letter was fiUsW sHnW Ln ODWH -unH HxSODLnLng the severity Finn McCool’s faced if it did not move forward with its insurance company to reopen the street. With no response, council then met to discuss further action. When rumors the tavern had met with its insurance company and would begin taking care of the problem were mentioned during the Aug. 21 meeting, council agreed to give two more weeks before it began authorizing legal action.
Borough Manager Mary Aversa DnG CRGH EnIRUFHPHnW 2IfiFHU Ron Myers both said they hadn’t heard anything from Finn McCool’s within the two weeks, which forced council to debate legal options.
BRURugh 6ROLFLWRU -RsHSh BUHsnDn sDLG WhH fiUsW sWHS Ln OHgDO action would be for the council to issue citations under the property maintenance code and if there was no response, then an injunction wRuOG EH fiOHG wLWh 0RnWgRPHUy County to force the building owner to make the repairs.
Aversa said she did let the owners of Finn McCool’s know council had tried to reach out to them and is understanding of the issue with the insurance company but the issue had been brought to a point where it had no choice but to bring legal action. She said they understood.
“It’s enough of an inconvenience now to the residents of the town having that street closed,” said council member Pat Strus. “And seeing no movement whatsoever there. I mean I feel for them, I’m sorry, but we can’t let it go on forever and ever and ever and ever.”
It was originally discussed that council would take the necessary steps to remediate the property, but that was quickly changed after council member Sal Pasceri noted should something go wrong with the building after council agreed to pay for the repairs, then council would be liable.
In other business, Ambler resiGHnWs PDy EHgLn HxSHULHnFLng problems with their water pressure.
According to the public utilities committee, the water tank located on Houston Road is being recoated and the tank will be out of service for several weeks. Customers who live north and east of Tennis Avenue and Hendricks Road, as well as in Lower Gwynedd and SDUWs RI 8SSHU DuEOLn PDy HxSH- rience low water pressure, especially during peak demand times. 7hH WDnN Ls HxSHFWHG WR EH FRPpleted by early October.
Additionally, paving of the following streets was announced: Fairview Avenue from Bethlehem Pike to Hendricks Street, North Main Street from Butler Avenue to Tennis Avenue and Southern Avenue from bast Park Avenue to Church Street. The following ramps are included in the paving: two at Fairview Avenue and Bethlehem Pike, two at Fairview Avenue and Hendricks Street, two at North Main Street and Tennis Avenue, two at North Main Street and Forest Avenue, two at North 0DLn 6WUHHW DnG :DOnuW 6WUHHW, sLx at Southern Avenue and bast Park Avenue and two at Southern Avenue and Church Street.