JERMYN -- A community in Lackawanna County is reacting to news that it might soon have a curfew.
The issue came up Wednesday night during a council meeting in Jermyn.
If kids are out past 10 p.m. then parents could face a fine.
Jermyn borough council is trying to tackle the blight and vandalism in the area.
But now, Jermyn council is taking things one step further as council members look to stop the teens who they believe are behind a lot of the vandalism.
"We can't let a couple or however many hoodlums screw this place up for us!"
The frustration was quite noticeable at the special council meeting in Jermyn as council members discussed how to combat the area's blight and vandalism.
But that wasn't the only item voted on. Council also agreed to write up a new ordinance that would impose a 10 p.m. curfew on anyone under 18.
Parents whose children are found outside after 10 p.m. will be fined.
"We have a lot of trouble in town with vandalism and it's all the kids," said council president Frank Kulick. "It's tough. I know their argument is they have nothing to do. Our argument of nothing to do doesn't translate into knocking on people's doors at 3 o'clock in the morning."
Council members discussed having a siren go off at 9:50 p.m. each night before the curfew goes into effect
Edward Vandervort remembers when there was a curfew in Jermyn in the 1960s.
"What are they doing after 10 o'clock walking around town?" he asked. "There's nothing to do unless you're going to vandalize the place, harass people or the drug scene."
But not everyone is on board with the idea. We spoke with several people who say there are still a lot of teenagers who work past 10 p.m.
"When I was a teenager, I worked. Sometimes, you stayed later to clean up or you stayed near. I walked so I would not want to get into trouble for walking home or trying to be a productive citizen and you get in trouble," said Jermyn resident Mary Thomas.
"A lot of people walk around here because you're in town and you live close. So what are they supposed to do then?" asked former resident Erika Amacio.
Those ordinances still have to be drafted and advertised to the public before a final vote can be taken. Council tells Newswatch 16 a vote on the proposed curfew could be taken by August or even sooner.
