As most Altoona residents probably are aware — to some degree, at least — one of the significant issues currently facing the city council is whether to end the requirement that workers in the plumbing and electrical trades be required to have a city-issued license in order to work within the city’s borders.

The issue has been discussed in the past; each time it “went away” without major changes resulting.

However, according to a Nov. 4 Mirror article, the council, several years ago, liberalized the licensing rules slightly by reducing the number of years of experience required to attain master electrician status. The council also opted to begin honoring licenses granted by other municipalities, while also authorizing the licensing board more latitude in evaluating experience and work history.

Regardless of what the council decides eventually to do or not do on the city-issued licensing issue once again, it should engage in some research dealing with the city’s past, specifically the years of the 1950s through 1970s — a period that encompassed major redevelopment endeavors such as the 10th Avenue and Altoona Area schools urban renewal projects.

Among those beginnings of trying to bring newness to this municipality dominated by the railroad industry came an era of numerous structure fires — more than a few of them electrical-related.

The old housing stock of the time consisted of many homes whose electrical systems either had not been upgraded for a long time or, perhaps, never had experienced an upgrade.

Many blazes dubbed “electrical” in origin were the result.

The closeness of structures to one another placed in danger homes or other kinds of buildings adjacent to where the fire originated. In many instances, only the fire-fighting skills and professionalism of fire department personnel prevented catastrophic damage or worse to a number of close-standing, aged properties.

But, of course, there were numerous other fire causes besides electrical. One memorable one was an attic fire attributed to a pigeon carrying a cigarette that had not been extinguished into the home’s uppermost level through an opening that had escaped repair — igniting the attic’s contents.

True, not everyone is going to be happy about what the council decides to do or not do regarding the licensing rules in question. Nevertheless, if the council wants to do more than hide behind the do-nothing-new option, the council’s task will be to weigh current needs against what was sufficient in the past.

Although part of that exercise can include compiling of information about what other Pennsylvania cities are doing with regards to electrician and plumber license requirements, it must be kept in mind that the issue here is about Altoona, not anywhere else.

Therefore, all related decisions that are forthcoming must be built around what is best for the Mountain City, even if those decisions deviate markedly from what approaches have been selected elsewhere, such as in boroughs in this county and beyond.

Up to now, city officials, past and present, have been guilty of adhering to a “hope it goes away” approach without having to render what they rightly construe to be a difficult ruling.

With the window of opportunity for that option closing, so should the temptation to procrastinate any longer.

Complete the gathering of data, study it, render a decision and move on to something else important that is demanding attention.