Burgettstown man says he was unfairly cited for sandwich board
A Burgettstown man who previously locked horns with the borough when he spray-painted a reminder on Main Street for motorists to slow down is again at odds with local officials, this time over a sandwich board he placed in front of his residence.
John Cherok II, who lives at 1617 Main St., received five citations at the end of December and beginning of January for the sandwich board he placed in front of his home. Cherok put a message on the board taking borough council to task for what he says is $536 they owe him, and was cited for violating Burgettstown’s sidewalk ordinance. Additional citations were issued when Cherok kept the sandwich board out.
“This is the very last straw,” said Cherok. “I’m done.”
Cherok contends the borough needs to repay $536 he gave the borough in 2014. The payment was made so the borough’s public works department could remove a message saying “SLOW 25 MPH” that Cherok spray-painted in white, bold letters on the road to remind drivers to slow down following two near-misses with speeding cars there. Cherok made the payment so that charges of disorderly conduct and criminal mischief would be withdrawn.
However, Cherok demanded his money back two years later when the graffiti was not removed. Cherok maintains that the amount of time the public works department spent removing the message was not equal to the $536 he paid. The borough countered that they made several attempts to get the message off the road, but it proved to be stubborn to remove.
In the latest contretemps between Cherok and borough officials, he said no objections were raised to the sandwich board when it contained anodyne messages wishing passersby happy holidays or notifying them when borough council meetings were scheduled. The original citation against Cherok’s sandwich board said its message did not promote the business it was in front of, or did not describe its contents.
Cherok was cited by McDonald Police Department, which provides protection for Burgettstown. Dennis Ahlborn, the police chief for McDonald, did not respond to a request for comment. Maryann Reedy, the mayor of Burgettstown, declined to comment.
Burgettstown’s solicitor, Lane Tuturice, said he was not familiar with the citations against Cherok, but said they were not related to his dispute with the borough.
“One has nothing to do with the other,” he said.
Cherok has entered a not-guilty plea to the citations. A hearing before District Judge Gary Havelka is scheduled for Feb. 26.