HOLLIDAYSBURG — Borough Council is set to advertise an ordinance making it a criminal offense for minors to possess electronic cigarettes and vape pens.

Police Chief Rodney Estep prepared the language of the ordinance, which the council could approve after a period of public advertisement.

“It adds to our tobacco ordinance for minors,” Estep said. “There’s a gap in the law. While minors are not allowed to purchase electronic cigarettes, the law does not address whether they are allowed to possess them.”

The ordinance would close that loophole.

“I had a real problem at the high school with vaping,” Estep said. “With this ordinance, I think we could set a precedence for the whole county.”

Also on Thursday, council accepted the resignation of the borough’s Main Street manager, continuing a revolving-door trend at the position.

Jordan Futrick, who resigned Thursday for a job with Penn State, makes the fourth person to leave the role since 2015.

The Main Street manager acts as a liaison between borough governmental and local businesses.

The role was given to Futrick last March after serving as an intern under a former Main Street manager.

Futrick’s salary was $33,000. Futrick had replaced Shalen Perehinec, who left the borough position in October 2017. Additionally, two others held the role since 2015.

Council members also learned that Blair Street residents hoping the borough rezones their properties are getting some help.

During the public comment period of Thursday’s meeting, Richard Latker of the Hollidaysburg Com­munity Watchdog group informed the council that the group has helped Blair Street residents pay for the $600 rezoning application fee.

For months, Blair Street residents have been asking for the council’s help in rezoning their properties as commercial so that they can sell and move.

After PennDOT reconstructed the intersection of routes 22 and 36, the area has experienced traffic and construction beyond what is suitable for a residential area, Blair Street residents said.

Latker and the watchdog group agreed.

“We figured out ways to support them,” he said. “We think rezoning is a good idea. We also think it would not have been good for the borough to waive the application fee and set a precedent for that.”

Now that the application fee is paid, Latker urged the council to take up the issue of rezoning.

Mirror Staff Writer Russ O’Reilly is at 946-7435.